We're going to be in Spain for 10 days and would like to spend a few days on the Mediterranean coast. Flying into Mardid and renting a car. Any recommendations of neat towns to stay in? Thank you in Advance.

It's kind of a long coast with a lot of towns that are neat in different ways. What's your idea of neat?

hmmm - Good question. My definition of neat is lots of character, off the beaten path, authentic food, etc. We're thinking of the Andalusia area since it seems most people suggest going there for you first Spain trip. Thank You!

Are you talking August?? If so, and you haven't confirmed reservations yet, you may be out of luck finding a place on the coast (any coast).

Check out the Costa Calida, around Almeria: our daughter and family rented a house there last Summer

You could try this place:

http://www.eltiokiko.com/

I would suggest that you fly out of Madrid rather than rent a car since flying can be very cheap in Spain.

If you fly into Girona or Barcelona, you can visit Calella de Palafrugell, which fits your description

ALL the food in Spain is "authentic."

Here's a webcam of the beaches at Calella de Palafrugell

http://www.finquesfrigola.com/webcam.htm

By the way, I think you should lose the idea of going some place as the "first" place in a country. Go where you want to go. Spain is a country of many historic cultures, and even languages, not always happily made into one by a central government.

Somebody telling you that "you should go to Andalucia first" to get to know Spain is rather like somebody saying "you should go to Austria first" when you go to Europe for the first time. Oh?

Generally the reason people tell you to go to Andalucia is because it fits their stereotypes of Spain, and therefore the Spain they want to see. But mainly it's because they haven't gone to the other parts!

Andalucia is a great destination, but if it's more convenient or appeals to you to go other places in combination with Spain, do.

Dukey,

I think a lot of the food one finds in the tourist areas and the areas colonized by British ex-pats is quite a bit different from being able to sample what the locals either have eaten historically or how they are reinterpreting their traditional cuisine.

A full English breakfast (with chorizo) is probably not what most people hope to discover when they visit Spain.