1964
A Fistful of Dollars
Sergio Leone · Clint Eastwood
The founding film of the spaghetti western, shot entirely on the natural sets of Tabernas and the studios of Almería.
A unique geography
A landscape born
of fire and time
Tabernas is often cited as the only true desert in mainland Europe: with barely more than 200 mm of rain a year, an average temperature close to 18 °C and summers that top 45 °C, it meets the conditions of a desert climate found nowhere else on the continent.
The terrain was born on the seabed. Millions of years ago marine sediments built up here and, once they emerged and dried out, erosion carved them away. Ramblas and ravines —channels cut by scarce but torrential rains— have shaped a badlands relief in ochre, red and grey, with gullies and hoodoos.
The light is what truly defines the place: nearly 3,000 hours of sun a year and an exceptionally clear sky that have drawn filmmakers and photographers from around the world.
11,448
ha of Natural Area
~3,000
h of sun / year
~240
mm of rain / year
18
km from Alhama
Hollywood in Andalusia
The set that changed
the history of cinema
From the late 1950s, Italian and American producers saw in these badlands the landscape of the Wild West at a far lower cost. More than 300 films have been shot here, and in 2020 the European Film Academy named the site a "Treasure of European Film Culture".
1966
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Sergio Leone · Ennio Morricone
The absolute masterpiece, with iconic sequences filmed in the heart of the Tabernas desert.
1984 – ...
Indiana Jones, Conan...
Spielberg, Milius and many others
Tabernas has hosted dozens of international productions, from adventure to science fiction.
Mini Hollywood awaits you
The original spaghetti-western set is still standing. Live shows, a film museum and a guaranteed Wild West atmosphere, 22 km from Alhama.
Visit Mini Hollywood →Practical information
Plan your visit
Distance
18 km from Alhama · 20 min by car
Access
A-92 towards Almería, Tabernas exit
Best season
Spring and autumn · summer tops 45 °C
Protection
Natural Area since 1989 · 11,448 ha
Mini Hollywood
Open all year · shows in the afternoon
Hiking
Signposted trails · water, hat and sun protection