skorch

I'm heading to Spain & Morocco in March and I'm looking for a chill little backpackers town to hang out in for a few days. If anyone's ever been to Lagos, Portugal or Cesky Krumlov, Czech Replublic, those are the sort of places that I really dig. Laid back towns that you can walk from one end to the other that are full of cheap pubs/bars. We're hitting Barcelona and Madrid and are looking for a place to relax before heading accross the Mediterranean.

Any suggestions?

omisan

It's not quite tiny, but it is small and very charming - Tarragona. It's a university town a short train ride from Barcelona, with incredibly nice locals. Although just about everyone, especially older folk, speak Catalan and very little Spanish (or are unwilling) and English is pretty rare. All part of the charm, I guess. The beach is beautiful and uncrowded - even at peak tourist season - and it's fun to buy cocktails off of the little kids (i.e. 8 years old!) who work the concessions stands.

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blinkchick2134

I loved Toledo (bout an hour outside Madrid) and Cordoba is nice and not a huge tourist spot from what I saw.

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Somnambulation

Its not exactly a backpackers town, more a jet setter one, but Marbella Spain is pretty cool. Its where I stopped off before going to Morocco. Its got a nice old town that s right next to the awesome beach. I didnt go to any bars, just drank in the hostel, but it definitely has the same kind of atmosphere that you might get in Lagos (although mabye not quite that crazy). This is the hostel I stayed at in summer of 2004, and it was a good place in a great location. The place was full of interesting characters the likes of which Ive never seen, mostly long termers. March is before all the Brits take thier holiday so it should be a great time to go

MeTurk

I had to look this one up, I was only here for a few hours but it looks really nice. It's on the border where the river (whatever it's called) spilts Spain and Portugal. The Poruguesse town is called Vila Real de Santo Antonio, it looks far more traditional the buildings are old and mostly Portugesse tourists while the spainish side is very lush with really fancy buildings and lots of English tourists. The Spanish town is called Isla Canela or Ayamonte

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Joker

Well I never been to Spain
But I kinda like the music
Say the ladies are insane there
And they sure know how to use it
They don't abuse it, never gonna lose it
I can't refuse it

Well I never been to England
But I kinda like the Beatles
Well, I headed for Las Vegas
Only made it out to Needles
Can you feel it, must be real it
Feels so good, oh, feels so good

Well I never been to Heaven
But I been to Oklahoma
Well they tell me I was born there
But I really don't remember
In Oklahoma, not Arizona
What does it matter, what does it matter

Well I never been to Spain...

Well I never been to Heaven...

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skorch

We decided on the Cadiz region which is in the same area as Isla Canela (costa de la luz). Anyone been there? It seems pretty cool and is close to Algeceris where we take the ferry down to Morocco.

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U2fan

Chefchouen (sp?) Morocco....about 2-3 hours south of Tangiers....let`s just say backpackers have gone there and end up never leaving.

Very chill and VERY cheap (well, everywhere in Morocco is).

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urOZm8

Hey skorch, be sure to provide us a report on this part of Spain and the trip overall. I know exactly those kind of places your're referring to!

Along with Lauren I also heard nothing but good things about Chefchaouen when on the backpacker trail in Morocco. I'm really disappointed I didn't get there myself...

ev

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kingcrazylegs

My favorite little town in Spain was Aviala....oldest fully in tact castle city. Very cool place.

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tumblezweedz

Cadiz is a great area. We spent time in Rota, which has a US Navy base, so it's got quite a bit of American presence (and lots of bars), but the old town is quite nice and the beach is pleasant. Still, most people don't speak English, that we encountered. Don't know if there's a hostel there, I stayed in a hotel called Nostra Senora de la (something) - it was cheap then, but that was many moons ago(15 yrs?). But right on the beach, and close to the old town. Bartolomeo Perez (he sailed with Columbus) was born there, and his family home is now a museum. Most recently we stayed at a friend's place, so that was a lot cheaper! In that area are Jerez de la Frontera (a major airport for low cost airlines) and Puerta de Santa Maria. Cadiz is also a cool town, they were building a new museum right on the water when we were there - we wandered through, but there wasn't much there (this was 2 years ago). But I loved the architecture and the location. Algeciras is a great step off point for Morocco, though my impression was that the city was a dive. May have just been where we were, I guess.

U2fan

My impression was that Algeciras was a dive too, so maybe we are onto something....hehe.

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Acorti

[quote]
I'm heading to Spain & Morocco in March and I'm looking for a chill little backpackers town to hang out in for a few days. If anyone's ever been to Lagos, Portugal or Cesky Krumlov, Czech Replublic, those are the sort of places that I really dig. Laid back towns that you can walk from one end to the other that are full of cheap pubs/bars. We're hitting Barcelona and Madrid and are looking for a place to relax before heading accross the Mediterranean.

The most amazing place I have ever been is Salamanca, Spain. Its farther north by Portugal, but you can't go wrong in a town with 200,000 residents when about 100,000 are international students. I spent a month there and only spent about $20 on drinks... Its like the college town of the world.. I wouldn't miss it if my life depended on it... Torremolinos in Andalucia is absolutely gorgeous if you needed a place closer to Morocco to stay... ill be there all summer too