On the easternmost edge of the Tabernas desert you’ll find the Oasys MiniHollywood Theme Park. Decorated in a Wild-West style, this park has been the filming location of a number of legendary cinema productions like, ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’ and ‘Lawrence of Arabia’. This authentic-looking cowboy settlement, along with its animal reserve and water park, provides visitors with an unforgettable experience.
MiniHollywood Almeria: The Wild West in Tabernas
The arid and imposing Taberna desert, situated about 30 kilometres north of the city of Almeria became known as the Hollywood of Europe during the 60s and 70s due to it being the principal filming location for cinema in its day. It was the home of Spaghetti Westerns, which were especially popular in the period thanks to the epic productions of Sergio Leone starring Clint Eastwood in the leading roles. Furthermore, apart from being the site where numerous series, music videos and a plethora of westerns were filmed, it is also the filming location of blockbuster films like ‘Conan the Barbarian’, ‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade’ and ‘Cleopatra’.
In Western Town, one of the zones inside the park, you’ll find an authentic reconstruction of a Wild West settlement complete with a hotel, bank, saloon and even a sheriff’s office, making it easy for your imagination to be swept away to the days of gun-slingers, bar-room brawls and duels at high-noon. This becomes even easier as at 12 p.m. and 5 p.m. each day, in the main square, you will be drawn further into the past, as stunt actors put on a spectacular show that won’t fail to entertain you with its gripping dialogue and fights; not to mention the epic soundtrack that accompanies it. Also, at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., in the Yellow Rose Saloon, you’ll find the talented Western Town dancers delighting you with their can-can show.
In this area, you’ll also find the Cinema Museum where you can see the wonderful collection of pre-cinema inventions, including projectors, zoetropes and many other pieces from pre-cinema until the end of the silent film era. Inside the museum, you will also find a fantastic collection of billboard cinema posters from those bygone days. Western Town is also home to a carriage museum, with numerous, perfectly preserved carriages from the productions filmed on site. To top it off, this zone has a cactus garden with more than 250 species of cactus to viewed and admired.
The MiniHollywood Zoological Reserve
In 1997, in the Tabernas desert, a rich and diverse animal reserve was opened with over 800 animals and 4,000 trees. The objective of the reserve was to provide an area for species conservation and also an educational space. Today, you can take guided tours around the three different habitats; Sabana (Savannah), Okavango and Oasys, and take part in workshops and other events. In Sabana you’ll find an African habitat, which is home to giraffes, rhinoceroses, ostriches, hyenas, etc. In Okavango, named after the Okavango delta and its glorious river biome, you’ll encounter leopards, hippopotamuses and, zebras. Finally, in the Oasys, you’ll come across the big cats, birds and, reptiles that make these fragile ecosystems in the desert their home.
While in the reserve, you can also watch the parrot shows which take place at various times throughout the day and also, take a stroll through the tactile ‘Animal Foot Print Museum’, where visitors learn to distinguish animals through their tracks and characteristics.
The Great Almerian Oasis: Swimming Pools in the Middle of the Desert
Like all great oases, the park has an area for its visitors to cool off and relax during the hot summer days. In this water park you’ll discover a giant pool surrounded by tall palms trees, which cast a welcome shade, a Jacuzzi, and, a children’s pool, complete with water slides for its young guests. You’ll also be able to use the changing rooms, showers or just relax with a refreshing drink at the beach bar after a long day in the Wild West.
Oasys MiniHollywood: a fun day out for all the family
There are a number of facilities available for visitors at the park including cafeterias, restaurants and a barbeque zone. You’ll also find two shops; one where you can buy souvenirs of your trip and the other for fancy-dress costumes. Here, you’ll be able to dress up as an American cavalryman or the local sheriff, maybe you fancy being the most feared bandit in Tabernas heading out on your next heist. Whatever your final decision is, there are professionals on hand to help you get the right look and a small photography studio to get a memorable picture of you in your Wild West gear; a perfect souvenir of your day.
When the sun begins to set in the desert, why not jump aboard the train which will take you around the different zones, so you can take in the sights and sounds in the cooler evening. Or, if the kids are still full of energy, you can take them to the indian village; a play park in the style of a native American settlement.
The magical world of MiniHollywood can also be reserved for a variety of functions like company events, birthdays or wedding celebrations. These unique spaces will make any event unforgettable.
If you find you have energy after your visit, enjoying the sights and sounds of the Wild West, we definitely recommend that you finish off with a short trip to one of the many beaches on the Almerian coast . At almost all of these, you’ll be able to relax on the sands, with a snack at a beach bar or a quick dip in the sea, as well as have the opportunity to go scuba diving and discover the world beneath the waves.
