A summer paradise that has enchanted visitors since Roman times.
We want to share with you a piece of our local history... As you well know, Sant Antoni de Calonge is a village with a fascinating history. But perhaps you didn’t know that our prehistoric ancestors already fell in love with this place before we did.
The majestic dolmens and menhirs, such as the mysterious Dolmen del Puig Ses Forques, are witnesses to those distant times. A small reminder of how our land has always been a special place for anyone who discovers it.
The Romans, always eager for natural beauty and privileged locations, chose these coasts to build their summer villas. One of the most emblematic is the Roman Villa of Collet, located on a gentle hill that at the time extended into the crystal-clear waters of the bay of Palamós. In this idyllic setting, the Romans built a villa at the top of the hill, while just a few meters to the north, a pottery workshop was set up. When this pottery workshop ceased to operate, its walls served as a cemetery, a silent reminder of the life that once thrived there.
It wasn't until the early 21st century that the first archaeological tasks began to uncover the secrets of this site. Excavations have revealed mosaics that adorn the floor of the Roman villa, as well as remains of the pottery workshop and the Collet Est necropolis. Today, the latest archaeological campaigns at Puig del Collet in Sant Antoni de Calonge have concluded, uncovering treasures from the past, such as a large silo used to store cereals and a series of aligned holes where large oil jars were likely placed.
But the secrets of this land are not limited to the Roman era. During the excavations, a trench and two unexploded bombs from the Spanish Civil War emerged, dark reminders of a more recent past. This trench, which crosses the villa from north to south and east to west, was built on the southern slope of Collet to control the coastline and protect the southern access to the port of Palamós. Even today, a bunker awaits excavation in the western sector of the trench.
Archaeologists have dug down to the natural rock of the underground, revealing the operation and organization of this defensive structure.
Alongside the excavations, the site has undergone consolidation work to ensure that the structures of the Roman villa remain firm over the years, ready to welcome future visitors.
Thus, just as the Romans discovered its charm, Sant Antoni de Calonge continues to be the perfect place to enjoy a memorable vacation by immersing yourself in its rich history and incomparable beauty in the heart of the Costa Brava.