La Bonanova
Locally known as Sant Gervasi-la Bonanova
La Bonanova sits high above Barcelona, and the views from its upper streets toward the sea are worth the climb. Large stately apartment buildings and some freestanding houses define the architecture, with Teknon hospital and CosmoCaixa science museum as local landmarks that give the neighborhood practical and cultural depth. Tibidabo amusement park twinkles above at night, visible from many balconies. Two-bedrooms average EUR 1,900, and the FGC serves the area from La Bonanova and Les Tres Torres stations. The safety score is a 9 - this is one of the lowest-crime areas in the city, where residents routinely walk alone at night without concern. Families benefit from excellent concertada and American schools (including Benjamin Franklin School), wide sidewalks, and a sense of order that the denser neighborhoods below cannot match. Walkability is moderate - the hills mean daily errands sometimes require a car or bus. Nightlife is minimal; dining is traditional Catalan. Living in La Bonanova is for families and professionals who want space, security, medical access, and views without leaving the city limits.
Living in Sant Gervasi - la Bonanova
Sant Gervasi - la Bonanova is the uphill, quiet, well-off part of the city, covering about 224 hectares of the Sarria - Sant Gervasi district. It joins the old village core of Sant Gervasi de Cassoles with the Bonanova area that took shape after Passeig de la Bonanova opened in 1890, when wealthy families built villas and torres near the Bonanova church. About 26,000 people live here. Today garden villas and school campuses sit alongside comfortable mid-century apartment blocks. Residents are mostly settled Catalan families and professionals; people move here for space, greenery and calm rather than street life. Everyday shops cluster along Passeig de la Bonanova and the streets around the church.
Getting around
There is no metro up here; the neighborhood runs on FGC trains, buses and cars. FGC's L7 line runs under Carrer de Balmes along the eastern edge and ends at Avinguda Tibidabo station on Placa de John F. Kennedy, open since 1954, with direct trains to Placa de Catalunya. The western side is closer to the FGC Valles line stations around Sarria; the nearest stop depends on the street. Cross-town buses run along Ronda del General Mitre and Passeig de la Bonanova, and the Ronda de Dalt ring road passes along the top of the barrio, which is one reason many households keep a car. Central pockets are a 10 to 20 minute walk from any station, and walking to Placa de Catalunya takes 45 minutes or more.
For families
This is one of Barcelona's traditional school neighborhoods. La Salle Bonanova, on Passeig de la Bonanova since 1889, teaches around 1,550 students from infantil through batxillerat and has unusually big sports grounds: a sand football pitch, about ten basketball courts, a rink and an indoor pool complex. Several other private and concertada schools operate in and around the barrio. Jardins de la Tamarita, on Passeig de Sant Gervasi, is a sheltered historic garden first laid out from 1911 by landscape designer Rubio i Tuduri, and the Turo del Putget park, about 5 hectares with a playground, picnic area and viewpoints, sits just across Balmes. Public primary care is organized through CAP Vallcarca - Sant Gervasi, whose team also covers la Bonanova and el Putxet.
Before you rent
Sarria - Sant Gervasi is consistently one of Barcelona's most expensive districts, and la Bonanova is priced accordingly. What you get for it is size: flats tend to be larger than the city norm, and much of the stock is mid 20th century, solid but sometimes dated inside. Quirks to plan for: hills and long blocks make a car or an FGC commute part of daily life, and part of the housing stock is taken up by schools, clinics and offices. Tourist pressure is essentially nil. Check the walk to the nearest FGC stop before signing.
EUR 1,550
Alquiler medio (2 hab.)
9/10
Seguridad
9/10
Puntuacion familiar
3
Lineas de metro
Rent figure: typical 2-bedroom (70 m2) asking rent, Sarria-Sant Gervasi district average, Idealista June 2026. Individual streets and buildings vary.
Neighborhood Scores
Destacados
- Large stately homes and apartment buildings
- CosmoCaixa science museum
- Close to Tibidabo amusement park
- Very safe with low crime rates
- Medical facilities including Teknon hospital
Colegios
Como moverse
Barrios cercanos
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