A Catalan village located half an hour from Girona, and a good hour from Perpignan and Barcelona, Calonge i Sant Antoni is a concentration of all the richness and beauty of the Costa Brava!

The 10,000 or so inhabitants of this Baix Empordà municipality are divided between two neighboring urban nuclei belonging to the same municipality: Calonge, the medieval village, and Sant Antoni de Calonge, a small coastal town facing the Mediterranean. Beyond the mildness of the climate, it is perhaps this dual identity, both rural and seaside, that gives Calonge its special charm.

Le Petit Futé clears the way and today takes you to one of the most confidential parts of the touristy Costa Brava. From winding paths on the coves to wandering through rustic inland landscapes and millennia-old architectural features, from lazy afternoons reading on the beach to exhilarating sports outings on the water or in the cool bocages, from mouth-watering culinary discoveries washed down with excellent local wine to traditional festivals celebrating its history, Calonge i Sant Antoni reveals the beauties of its hinterland to the sound of crickets.

The medieval town

To get to know the town, let's start by heading for Calonge and its thousand-year-old historic center. The town was built around its 1019 fortress, one of the largest in the region. Its emblematic square tower is a perfect illustration of medieval architecture, as is the Càcul, the covered street leading to the castle, and the Carrer Major, the alleyway leading to the chapel of the Carmelite nuns. Returning to Plaça Major, we come across the remarkable façade of the 18th-century Sant Martí church, with its immense nave. Here and there, many other architectural details will reveal themselves to attentive strollers, such as the ornamentation of the old residences Can Savalls, Canots or Can Xifró. And the old hospital, now a library. The Easter Medieval Market is an ideal time to visit the castle: stalls showcasing old trades and flights of trained falcons attract many spectators eager to discover the Calonge of yesteryear. Summer is also a blessed season to discover the town, with the F'Estiu music festival, as well as November and the Festa del Vi Nou (New Wine Festival)!

Fine sand and silver sea

A five-minute drive from Calonge takes you to Sant Antoni beach, where the scenery changes dramatically: in the blink of an eye, the old stones become a vast beach of fine sand. The seafront promenade is a collection of restaurants and sidewalk cafés, where you can recharge your batteries to the soothing sound of the lapping sea. Palm trees and picturesque boats dot this family-friendly beach. Not far away, Es Monestri exudes a whiff of antiquity: it was from this beach that the Romans sent their junks laden with amphorae full of Hispanic oil and wine. Today, the sound of the wind in the sails of patí de vela (Catalan sailing boats) lulls beachgoers to sleep.

Further south, from Torre Valentina beach and its watchtower built in the 16th century to prevent pirate incursions, you can enjoy a lovely panoramic view of Sant Antoni beach. It's also the only beach suitable for disabled bathers. From here, a winding path leads along the coast to two wilder beaches: Can Cristus and Ses Torretes. Here, the fragrance of the pine trees mingles with that of the sea... And all along the coastline, you can indulge in a whole range of sports: walking, running, cycling (seafront), canoeing, scuba diving, sailing, surfing... In short, there's no time to get bored!

Camí de Ronda and the inland trail

The "chemin de ronde" (Camí de Ronda in Catalan) is an itinerary which, more than five centuries ago, was used to keep an eye on the horizon to prevent corsair attacks, which were very frequent at the time. Today, it has been developed into a network of paths zigzagging along the coastline. Everywhere you look, you'll find sections shaded by pine trees, cliff edges and access points to a dozen splendid coves and inlets.

The Vallée des Moulins is also an aquatic itinerary, but freshwater! The Gavarres massif is crossed by the Cabanyes river, along which a path has been laid out. As you make your way along it, you'll become acquainted with Catalan biodiversity, while counting the propellers of old flour mills. Another river, another walk: the Conca del Tinar. Following its course, you'll discover rural landscapes dominated by a very specific type of agriculture. Olive trees and vines occupy most of the land here. The changing colors of the vineyards with the passing of the seasons are breathtaking! There are several wineries to visit here.

Combining history and nature, the trail through the agricultural plains of Calonge is also well worth a visit. It introduces visitors to various eras of importance to the region, starting with the Roman colonization. The remains of the Villa El Collet are precious evidence of the ancient era. The megalithic ruins (dolmen and menhir) at Puigseforques are another major point of interest. As you head towards the Creu massif, you'll also get to know Castellbarri, an ancient Iberian village, and experience the rural life of yesteryear, with its farms and dazzling panoramic landscapes.

Cuisine and wine tourism

When it comes to gastronomy, the dual land-sea identity of Calonge i Sant Antoni, like that of the Empordà, is revealed even more forcefully: it's the combined efforts of inland farmers and fishermen that fill the pots of Catalan chefs! Some elements are found on almost every plate in the area, such as sofregit (a sauce made from grated tomato, onion and olive oil), caramelized onions and succulent gambes, the red shrimp typical of the coast. In this respect, rossejat de fideus, a kind of shrimp paella with a noodle base, is a marvel to be shared!

Calonge i Sant Antoni is also home to a fertile wine-growing soil, and for generations, wine workers have been extracting the finest liquor from the soil. Some of them open the doors of their country homes or cellars to visitors and are happy to share their passion. Take a stroll among the vines and vegetable gardens, breathe in the aromas wafting from the aged wood of the barrels... Two types of wine are produced in the Calonge i Sant Antoni countryside: vin paysan, produced by hand and sold without a label, and vin AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée), bottled and exported. Take a tour and choose the bottle that suits you best!

Some important festivals

In addition to the festivals already mentioned - the Medieval Market at Easter, the F'Estiu Festival in summer and the New Wine Festival in November - there's the Royal Parade (Campament Reial) during the Christmas holidays. This family-friendly light and sound show accompanies the procession of the Three Wise Men through the city's most historic sites! And let's not forget the classic patron saint festivals: the Festa Major de Calonge takes place on the second weekend of July (and in November for the winter festival), while the Festa Major de Sant Antoni is held on the last weekend of August. Let's conclude this presentation on a literary note: learn here that the municipality of Calonge is Catalonia's very first "booktown". From now on, bookshops and permanent activities linked to literature, creativity and imagination will be on the agenda! Book lovers are in for a treat!

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CALONGE I SANT ANTONI

Located on the Costa Brava in north-eastern Spain, Calonge i Sant Antoni is both easy to reach for the French - 1h/1h30 drive from Perpignan or 30 minutes from Girona airport - and very pleasant thanks to its Mediterranean climate. With an average of 300 days of sunshine a year, summers are refreshed by the sea breeze and winters are bright. To make the most of all this destination has to offer, we recommend that you contact the Calonge i Sant Antoni Tourist Office or drop in directly (Avinguda Catalunya, 26).

For further information, visit the Calonge i Sant Antoni website.