Welcome to Andalusia! Contrary to what the name suggests, the Wild West is located in the south of Spain. In the province Almería, around the town Taverns (Location here) you will find three fake towns. There's a good chance you recognize the area. More than 170 western films have been filmed here since the XNUMXs. One of the most famous films is Once Upon a Time in the West from 1968. Also many episodes from Indiana Jones en Game of Thrones were included here.
The southern region of Andalusia is one of the most popular regions for a holiday in Spain. With a long coastline and lots of sunshine, it is a popular holiday destination in every season. Yet you will find many more. A diversity of landscapes and a mix of cultures, mountains, deserts, Mediterranean areas, picturesque villages and of course bustling cities such as Seville.
- Lots of hours of sunshine
- A mix of cultures
- Diversity of landscapes
- Vibrant cities
Fort Bravo Texas Hollywood
Fort Bravo (Location here) was built as a movie set in the 70s and is today a theme park. In this fake town, several shows are performed every day, attracting thousands of tourists every year.
Of course, the famous gun duel between a bank robber and the sheriff can also be seen. And in the saloon you can enjoy an old-fashioned can-can show. This last show is quite interactive so as an audience you can be part of a situation from an old western film. In addition, guided tours are organized and you can go horse riding on the dirt road of the dusty village for a small additional charge.
The owner of Fort Bravo bought this town in 1977 for USD 6.000, but had to have everything restored. The bank, stores and saloon were little more than ruins at that time. Nowadays the town has been renovated quite well. You can see that some 'shops' need a makeover again or again. At the same time, it does have the appearance of decay, which fits well with the atmosphere and identity of life in the Wild West.
Expect creaking floorboards, dilapidated houses, dusty dirt roads, empty shop windows and abandoned houses. When the music starts playing it's time for one of the shows! Make sure you stand aside, because the cowboys will suddenly appear on their galloping horses.
Entrance costs approximately 20 euros per person. For this you can walk around all day and watch the three shows for free. However, after about two hours we had seen it.
Spend the night at Fort Bravo
Fort Bravo also offers a number of camping sites. They are not mega luxurious places, but when you stay here, you no longer have to pay an entrance fee to visit the western village. You pay 45 euros per night for a pitch, electricity, use of the sanitary facilities and entrance to the theme park. It is also possible to rent one of the cabañas (houses) for 2, 4 and 6 people. Prices vary from €80 to €160 per night. Click here .
In addition to Fort Bravo, there are two other theme parks to visit in this area: Western Leone (Location here), although this is more of a movie set than a theme park, for €12 per person and Oasys Mini Hollywood (Location here) for €26 per person. The latter is a large park where you can walk around all day.
Taberna's desert
Did you know that WestEurope has exactly one desert? We certainly didn't know this. The Taverns desert (Location here) has been the setting for many western films. Now you can take beautiful walks where it feels like you are in the middle of nowhere.
Viewpoint
On top of the hill of the village Taverns (Location here) are the ruins of the castle of the same name. In fifteen minutes you walk up a paved path where you will be rewarded with a beautiful view of the desert. Entrance is free.
The information board shows the locations of famous films such as The Good, The Bad and The Ugly en Indiana Jones.
Walk
You can easily get lost in the desert, which is why it is very important to follow the signposted route. The route starts next to the Oasys Mini Hollywood parking lot, on the right. You have to look carefully, but if you continue towards the abyss, over the dry grass, a staircase suddenly appears that leads you into the canyon.
In addition to the starting point, the posts on which the route was indicated were also very unclear. In the beginning we went completely wrong and ended up at a dead end. We had to go back to the beginning to walk the other way. Here we saw a route, but not on the posts. You had to pay close attention, because sometimes the route was indicated on a stone and other times on a rock at eye level.
Nevertheless, it was incredibly cool to wander through this desert. We were here at the end of January and it was already quite warm. That is why we do not recommend walking this route in summer. The temperature can even rise to fifty degrees!
Tip: be well prepared and bring plenty of water and snacks.
In addition to walking through the desert, several activities are possible. Consider a horse riding tour, camel ride and a 4×4 tour.
Practical tips
Eat Drink
The American restaurant is located near the desert Route 66 (Location here) where you can enjoy delicious food. The service is good and the prices are low. Unfortunately, it was very chilly inside when we were there, so we didn't stay seated for long. We thought this was a shame, because it was a really cool place. You really feel like you're here America along the real Route 66.
Tip: A live band regularly plays on Saturday and Sunday evenings, which makes your visit extra fun!
Accommodation in the Wild West
In addition to the campsite at Fort Bravo, there is also a campsite on the site behind the Route 66 restaurant (location here). However, this is still under construction. You can stay here with your caravan or camper and you are very close to all the highlights in this area. You pay around €15 per night for a place, electricity and use of the sanitary building. Please note that the campsite is not completely ready yet, hence the low price.
You can also choose to stay in a hostel. There are two in the area and the prices are almost the same. You will find it in the area Hostal Avenida (click here) On Hostal el Puente (click here).
One of the cheapest hotels in this area is Alojamientos Agave (click here). Here you get a double room with a terrace. If you have a little more to spend Cortijo Oro Verde (click here) a good choice. This B&B even has a swimming pool in the garden!
Are you more interested in a holiday home? Then is Sol y Vida (click here) a nice place.
Best time to travel
Fort Bravo en Western Leone can visit all year round. Oasys Mini Hollywood is partially open between September and March. The Taberna's desert It is best to visit between October and March, when temperatures are pleasant and it is not too hot.
How do you get there?
From Schiphol you fly in via a stopover Barcelona to the airport Almería. Because of the stopover, this journey will take you about 6 hours. In Almería you can
Also read: Skyscanner | How to save (a lot of) money on flights | 2023 UPDATE
The southern region of Andalusia is one of the most popular regions for a holiday in Spain. With a long coastline and lots of sunshine, it is a popular holiday destination in every season. Yet you will find many more. A diversity of landscapes and a mix of cultures, mountains, deserts, Mediterranean areas, picturesque villages and of course bustling cities such as Seville.
- Lots of hours of sunshine
- A mix of cultures
- Diversity of landscapes
- Vibrant cities
Plan your holiday in Europe here
- Cheap deals and last minutes you will find at ANWB, TUI en Corendon
- Train travel through Europe you will find at NSinternational en Opreis.nl.
- Campsites and camping trips you will find at ACSI trips, campspace en allcamps
- Flight tickets for Europe you compare with Skyscanner.
- Hostels, Hotels and Resorts in Europe you will find at Booking.com.
- Rental cars : Sunnycars en rental cars.
- Tours and Activities in Europe you book via GetYourGuide.
- Travel insurance you close with a discount Allianz.
- travel items such as suitcases, bags and more you can buy at Bol.com.
- Parking at the airport you can arrange via Parkos, park care of iParking.
