Want to get off the beaten track and away from the tourists while still experiencing Spain?  Want to brush up on your Espanol? Go north.  I spent a month living with a host family and taking a Spanish course in Leon, Spain.  I can't say enough about this beautiful city.  It's not too well known by foreigners, and it was amazingly difficult but surprisingly refreshing because not a lot of people spoke English.  The night life is fantastic mainly because of the younger crowd from the Universidad de Leon. The Barrio Humedo is one of the best areas to enjoy a night out.  The translation is usually rendered as the wet district, a reference both to the large number of bars and clubs packed into a small area and to the copious quantities of alcohol and tapas consumed inside :)  The Cathedral is one of the finest I've seen in Europe with its unusual features including mismatched towers and steeples.  It's best feature though is its stained glass- more then 250 windows including a large rose window.  The old town is surrounded by an old Roman wall, while the new town is bustling with people and shops, shops, shops. Leon also lies along the Camino de Santiago so there are lots of fascinating people tramping through town.  Beautiful city and beautiful people off the beaten track:)