Living in Sant Antoni de Calonge All Year Round

Sant Antoni de Calonge feels different once the holidays are over. The promenade is still there, but the streets become quieter, some businesses change their opening hours and daily routines shift. To decide whether you can see yourself living here all year, it helps to look beyond a pleasant week by the sea.

We’re Albert and Núria, and we think the most useful question isn’t whether the town is better in summer or winter. It’s whether it suits your work, your journeys and the life you want to lead. That means getting to know Sant Antoni on a Tuesday in November, too.

A different pace outside the summer season

The most obvious difference from summer is the drop in visitor numbers. There is less holiday bustle, and everyday life comes to the fore. That doesn’t mean every street has the same atmosphere: where your home is can make quite a difference to your experience.

In areas with more second homes, the quieter pace can be particularly noticeable. Elsewhere, shops and residents going about their day keep the streets livelier. Neither is necessarily better; it depends on how much peace and quiet you want and what you would like nearby.

It’s also worth remembering that living in a seaside town all year means experiencing two different paces of life. The quieter months give way to more activity in summer and during holiday periods. Your home should suit you at both times, not just when you happen to view it.

The services you need for everyday life

Sant Antoni isn’t just somewhere to spend your holidays. Even so, having services within the municipality doesn’t mean everything you need will be five minutes from your door, or that opening hours will stay the same throughout the year.

Before choosing an area, we recommend making a list of your actual needs and checking things in person:

• Everyday shopping: where you would buy bread, fruit or your weekly groceries, and whether you can comfortably walk there.
• Healthcare: which primary care centre would cover your address, how care is organised and where you would need to go for other services.
• Schools and activities: education options, enrolment procedures, available places and journeys from home.
• Sport and social life: facilities, local groups and activities that continue beyond the summer months.
• Everyday essentials: pharmacies, council services and other places you use regularly.

Some businesses catering to tourists may change their hours or close temporarily. That’s why we recommend confirming current information with each business or organisation. A visit in August won’t always tell you how you would manage in January.

Getting around Sant Antoni and the surrounding towns

Living in Sant Antoni may also mean spending part of your everyday life in Calonge, Palamós, Platja d'Aro or other nearby towns. You might work there, have family there or travel there for a particular activity.

To work out whether you would need a car every day, looking at the distance on a map isn’t enough. You need to check the whole journey, timings and alternatives. If you rely on public transport, check current routes, stops and service frequencies, especially at weekends and outside the summer season.

We suggest a simple test: make the journey between the property you’re considering and your workplace at your actual commuting time. If you have children, include the school run. This usually tells you more than any description of the area.

Parking deserves a practical check, too. Finding a space easily on the day of your viewing doesn’t guarantee it will be easy in summer. Check signs and parking conditions and, if the property has its own space, make sure its size and access work comfortably for you.

A home for winter, not just for holidays

A flat that’s lovely for a few days in summer won’t always be equally comfortable as a permanent home. Its orientation, insulation and ventilation become key considerations when you live there every day.

Near the sea, it’s worth paying attention to damp and the condition of materials exposed to the weather. Not every property has problems, and not every mark has the same cause. If there are signs of damp, you need to establish where it comes from rather than assume a coat of paint will solve it.

During viewings, pay particular attention to:

• Daylight and sunshine: which rooms receive natural light and how this might change with the seasons.
• Windows and external doors: their condition, how well they fit, and how effectively they insulate against heat, cold and noise.
• Heating and cooling: the systems installed, their maintenance and any available information on energy use.
• Ventilation: whether you can properly air the kitchen, bathrooms and bedrooms.
• Communal building matters: building maintenance, community fees, planned works and available documentation.
• Accessibility: stairs, lifts and the route from the street to the front door.

If you work from home, also check the internet connection available at the specific address and set aside a suitable workspace. We wouldn’t take either coverage or peace and quiet for granted without checking.

Checking whether this way of life suits you

The promenade and the nearby sea can become part of your daily routine, rather than just your holidays. But living here all year also means coming home from work after dark, going out on rainy days and finding ways to socialise that don’t depend on the summer atmosphere.

Before deciding, it’s worth coming back more than once:

• Visit the area on a weekday and at the weekend.
• Walk around in the morning and evening.
• Do your usual shopping and try the journeys you would make regularly.
• Notice the noise, lighting and activity around the building.
• If you can, spend a few days here outside the summer season.

It isn’t about finding somewhere perfect, but about recognising what makes you feel at home and what might make daily life harder. Some people prioritise being able to get around on foot; others prefer a quieter spot, even if that means using the car.

If you’re thinking about living in Sant Antoni all year round, you’re welcome to come and talk to us, Albert and Núria. We’d be happy to listen to what you need and help you consider each option at your own pace, explaining what still needs to be checked along the way.