@ thegmanifesto: North coast of Spain - I was there in February and mostly looking at natural attractions so didn't go into many cities. If you like mountains I highly recommend the Picos de Europa. Asturias and Cantabria have some beautiful scenery. I drove past Bilbao and it looked like a big, ugly, industrial place, but I think the centre could be decent because it has a fancy Guggenheim Museum. Oviedo is slightly inland and has a character all of its own. They drink a lot of cider (Sidra) and the way the bartenders pour it from way above their heads into a small glass held down by their crotch is pretty cool.
As you go further west it gets a lot greener and wetter - this is the Celtic area of Spain and they have their own language - Gallego - but you can get by in broken Spanish. I remember driving through one coastal town and was amazed at the large number of tarty chicks dressed in short skirts and knee-length boots - maybe Viveiro? The town held no interest otherwise. Not on the coast, but highly recommended is Santiago de Compostela - a beautiful little town which has been a pilgrim destination for centuries. Dozens of walking routes all across Europe end at this little gem of a place. Maybe a good bet for international girls, but you'll have to prize off their walking boots first, haha.
As you go further west it gets a lot greener and wetter - this is the Celtic area of Spain and they have their own language - Gallego - but you can get by in broken Spanish. I remember driving through one coastal town and was amazed at the large number of tarty chicks dressed in short skirts and knee-length boots - maybe Viveiro? The town held no interest otherwise. Not on the coast, but highly recommended is Santiago de Compostela - a beautiful little town which has been a pilgrim destination for centuries. Dozens of walking routes all across Europe end at this little gem of a place. Maybe a good bet for international girls, but you'll have to prize off their walking boots first, haha.