Tabernas Desert Desert

The Tabernas Desert is a semi-arid region in the province of Almería in Andalusia, southern Spain, noted for its eroded badlands and extensive use as a film shooting location since the mid-20th century.

The Tabernas landscape developed through long-term aridification and erosion; from the 1950s it became a major location for film production, drawing European and Hollywood crews who built permanent sets. Those sets were later converted into tourist attractions while the wider area retained its cinematic reputation.

The desert lies inland from the Almería coast in southeastern Andalusia, a short drive from the city of Almería and near the town of Tabernas; the terrain sits within a basin of eroded sedimentary rock and sparse scrub.

• Film history: Many international Westerns and other films were shot here from the 1950s through the 1970s, and several purpose-built sets remain open to visitors as theme parks.
• Landscape and visiting note: The landscape is semi-arid badlands rather than true Saharan desert; expect sparse vegetation, eroded gullies, and dusty tracks that are best visited outside the hottest hours.

What to See#

• Oasys (Mini Hollywood): Oasys Mini Hollywood, a film set and tourist park built on former shooting locations that preserves façades and staged interiors from dozens of Western films.
• Fort Bravo: Fort Bravo (also called Texas Hollywood), a separate western-style film set and leisure park that still stages shows and maintains period façades used in many productions.
• Film shooting locations: Several natural badlands zones and canyons used as on-location settings for international films and TV series, accessible by short hikes and guided tours.

Tabernas Desert is in the province of Almería, Andalusia. The nearest town is Tabernas; it’s about a 30-45 minute drive from the city of Almería via the A-92 and local roads. Guided tours depart from Almería and nearby tourist centers, and there are local bus services to the town of Tabernas.

• Visit early morning to see the desert's geology and the film‑set relics with minimal heat and fewer tourist jeeps.
• Stop at Mini Hollywood (a restored Western set) to see how Almería's desert doubled as the American West for many filmmakers in the 1960s and '70s.
• Bring a sun hat and protect camera gear from sand; dramatic light occurs after sunrise and before sunset.