Why do people love classic Westerns and dream of experiencing life in a Wild West town? Is it the freedom-infused landscapes, or perhaps the sense of danger and adventure? Ever since I saw my first cowboy movie, I’ve been obsessed with visiting a Wild West town somewhere in the world. So, let’s channel our inner cowboys, sheriffs, and outlaws this week! You might be surprised to learn that many of Hollywood’s top Westerns were actually filmed in Spain. Let’s take a journey to Almería – Andalusia’s iconic Wild West!

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An Ultimate Wild West Experience in Spain

Visiting the Spanish Wild West in Almeria

Situated in southern Andalusia, Almería often gets overshadowed by its more famous neighbors of Malaga, Cordoba, and Seville. However, as more people discover a passion for off-the-beaten-path destinations, Almería has recently been gaining attention! You’ll be surprised by the many cool things to see and do in Almería. Almería’s vast, dry expanses are also famous as One of the Game of Thrones filming locations in Spain. In Season 6 of GoT, scenes depicting the land of the Dothraki were filmed in the Las Tabernas Desert of Almería. What Almería is truly famous for, however, is being the Spanish Wild West region, as many iconic Hollywood Westerns were actually filmed here. It’s the only place in Europe where you can channel your inner cowboy while strolling through a Wild West town. Almería’s desert is one of the coolest national landmarks and offers one of the most adventurous experiences in Spain.

The Spanish Wild West: Theme Parks in Almeria #spain #themepark #almeria #andalusia #wildwest #travel #europe #western #movie #set
Oasys Mini-Hollywood

Movies filmed in Almeria

Therefore, the list of movies set in Almeria´s Tabernas Desert goes far beyond Game of Thrones. And here we are talking about big Hollywood names. You can check IMDb´s full list here, I´ll just name a few:

  • Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
  • Cleopatra (1963)
  • The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
  • Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
  • Trinity Is Still My Name (1971)
  • Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
  • Dance of the Vampires (2001)
  • Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014)

There’s one more thing we should agree on: when a place has such a rich history with filmmakers, there are always traces left behind, right? Those impressive sets and key elements that contribute to an authentic Wild West Town experience. How could you miss it?! So, if time-traveling to the good old Wild West and walking the streets of a Western town is on your bucket list, there’s no better place to start than Almeria. 15 years ago, before I moved to Spain and began traveling extensively through the country, I would have sworn that all those Hollywood blockbusters were filmed in the USA, somewhere near the Mexican border. But, nope! They were closer than I ever imagined…

Adventurous experiences to book in Almeria:

The Spanish Wild West: Theme Parks in Almeria #spain #themepark #almeria #andalusia #wildwest #travel #europe #western #movie #set
Oasys Mini-Hollywood

Fort Bravo vs. Oasys Mini-Hollywood

There are two theme parks you can visit in the heart of the Tabernas Desert: Fort Bravo and Oasys Mini-Hollywood. After reading reviews of both places, we couldn’t choose between them, so we ended up visiting both! While each park is centered around the Wild West, they felt quite different to me. For comparison, we spent less than an hour at Fort Bravo, but we could have easily stayed all day at Oasys Mini-Hollywood.

Is Fort Bravo worth visiting?

We enjoyed visiting Fort Bravo, which is known for its recreation of a Wild West town, a fort made from wooden trunks, a small Mexican village, and a typical Indian village, along with several exhibits. Although the place could benefit from some restoration, as well as more interactive features and possibly informative panels about which movies were filmed there, it was still an enjoyable experience. However, the 20-euro entrance fee didn’t seem entirely reasonable. The site was not well-suited for visitors with disabilities or those using strollers. On the plus side, Fort Bravo was much less crowded, which gave it a more authentic feel (if that’s the right term to describe movie sets).

The Spanish Wild West: Theme Parks in Almeria #spain #themepark #almeria #andalusia #wildwest #travel #europe #western #movie #set
Fort Bravo
The Spanish Wild West: Theme Parks in Almeria #spain #themepark #almeria #andalusia #wildwest #travel #europe #western #movie #set
Fort Bravo
The Spanish Wild West: Theme Parks in Almeria #spain #themepark #almeria #andalusia #wildwest #travel #europe #western #movie #set
Fort Bravo
The Spanish Wild West: Theme Parks in Almeria #spain #themepark #almeria #andalusia #wildwest #travel #europe #western #movie #set
Fort Bravo

Is Oasys Mini-Hollywood worth visiting?

Oasys Mini-Hollywood is a theme park and could be the best option for those visiting Spain with kids. The decorations are better preserved than those at Fort Bravo. However, it feels much more touristy, with large groups of children on school trips. The park offers a wide range of attractions: a Western show, a Can-Can dance show, a carriages museum, a cactus garden, a zoological reserve, cafes, photo spots, and more. Despite its touristy vibe, it was an interesting experience. While we’ve seen Wild West decorations in PortAventura, I’ve never visited one entirely focused on Western themes. It’s no surprise that our kids enjoyed Oasys Mini-Hollywood more than Fort Bravo. Our oldest was in awe of the decorations and atmosphere, and she loved that there were so many kids around. Meanwhile, the youngest enjoyed a nice nap in her stroller while we walked around, something we couldn’t do as much at Fort Bravo.

The Spanish Wild West: Theme Parks in Almeria #spain #themepark #almeria #andalusia #wildwest #travel #europe #western #movie #set
Oasys Mini-Hollywood
The Spanish Wild West: Theme Parks in Almeria #spain #themepark #almeria #andalusia #wildwest #travel #europe #western #movie #set
Oasys Mini-Hollywood

To sum it up, I think visiting both parks could be an interesting experience on any road trip through southern Spain. If you’re traveling with kids and looking for the ultimate Wild West town experience, Oasys Hollywood is the better choice. However, if you’re solo or with friends, Fort Bravo could be great too. That said, if you’re a true fan of Westerns, be sure to visit both!

Read more about Southern Spain:

  • An Epic 7-day Southern Spain Road Trip with Kids (read it)
  • One Day in Seville with Seville City Pass (read it)
  • Best time to visit Seville: My Perfect Seville Weekend (read it)
  • The Most Stunning Seville Gifts For All Occasions (read it)
  • Tarifa Beach Getaway in Southern Spain (read it)
  • 16 Best Places to visit in Andalusia (read it)
  • Top Things to see in Cadiz (read it)
  • The Prettiest of Andalusia´s White Villages – Mojacar (read it)
  • The Ultimate Almeria Holiday Guide (read it)
  • Blue Smurfs Village of Juzcar in Andalusia (read it)
  • How to spend an epic one day in Cordoba, Southern Spain (read it)
  • The Ultimate Itinerary for One Day in Cadiz (read it)

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  • Accommodation: For short stays, I usually book via Agoda, Booking, and Hotellook
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