Vallvidrera is on Sant Pere Màrtir mountain range, popularly
known as Sierra de Collserola, approximately 8 km northwest
of Barcelona city centre, at an average height of 310 metres
bove sea level.

Although there is a lot of information about the origin of
its name, most of it is wrong or not very believable.
The information provided by Dr. Balari regarding
the etymology of the name Vallvidrera is an exception.

In his greatest work, “Orígenes de Cataluña”(Origins of Catalonia) Dr. Balari tells us that:
"Vallvidrera, whose name is derived from vallevitraria, which can be read in a document from the year 1073 (Aragon Archive, Ramón Berenguer, no. 451), does not come from vitrarius, a glazier or glass manufacturer, as might appear at first glance, and which would suggest the existence of a glass factory in the said valley, but from the name of the parietaria herb or Grass of San Pedro, which is called vitriaria in Latin and known as morella roquera in Catalan.”
The fact that this is not simple conjecture is proven by the use of the name “valle vitrearia” to refer to this valley in a document from 1066.
St. Cugat del Vallès Chartulary, no. 727."

Vallvidrera was in any case an independent borough until 4th August 1890, when it became part of the borough of Sant Vicenç de Sarrià. In 1921, it became part of Barcelona when Sant Vicenç de Sarrià was integrated into the city.