Hotels in Calonge

Calonge

Calonge is a medieval village in the Baix Empordà on the Costa Brava, the historic heart of the municipality of Calonge i Sant Antoni, whose seaside part is Sant Antoni de Calonge. It stands on a hill about four kilometres inland from the Bay of Palamós, on the slopes of the Gavarres massif, among vineyards and woodland. Its landmark is the castle, begun in the eighth century by the counts of Girona to watch for Saracen raids and at the height of its splendour in the thirteenth century; today it is half fortress and half palace and belongs to the Generalitat de Catalunya. Next to it rises the eighteenth-century church of Sant Martí, one of the largest churches in the diocese of Girona. The area has been inhabited since prehistoric times, as the dolmen and menhir of Puigsesforques, one of the great Catalan megaliths, and the Iberian settlement of Castellbarri show. From the late eighteenth century the village lived from making cork stoppers, before tourism arrived on the coast. Its narrow streets and old houses make a quiet base inland, with hiking and cycling routes through the Gavarres and the vineyards of the Empordà. The beaches, coves and promenade of Sant Antoni de Calonge and the coastal path are only a few minutes away by car. It suits couples and travellers who prefer peace, rural charm and local food to the bustle of the resorts. Girona-Costa Brava Airport is about 26 kilometres away and Barcelona-El Prat about 100 kilometres, and a car is the easiest way to get around.