The desert of Spain where Hollywood always has its eye on its Western films

 Tabernas, in Almeria, is the only desert in Europe and the favorite film setting to recreate the Wild West

El Diario

Adrián Roque

May 4, 2025

At first glance, it looks like a landscape more typical of Arizona or northern Mexico than of the Iberian Peninsula. But this arid corner, flanked by mountains and far from the Mediterranean, is one of the most surprising natural treasures of Spain.

The Tabernas Desert, in Almeria, is not only the only authentic desert in Europe, but has also been the natural set for more than 300 films, many of them authentic jewels of Western cinema.

A unique ecosystem on the continent

With less than 250 millimetres of rain per year, Tabernas boasts extreme weather conditions that make it an exceptional environment. Surrounded by the Filabres, Alhamilla and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges, this desert is formed thanks to the natural barrier that prevents the arrival of humid winds from the sea.

But what is now a dry and rocky place was, millions of years ago, a seabed. Hence, geological formations such as fossil beaches, seismites and turbidites can be found, elements that enrich the landscape and make it even more cinematic.

European Hollywood: The Spaghetti Western Era

The Tabernas Desert achieved international fame in the 60s and 70s, when filmmakers such as Sergio Leone chose it as the setting for their Western films. The Spaghetti Western subgenre, shot mainly in Italy and Spain with small budgets, found in Tabernas its ideal natural setting: arid terrain, dazzling light and visual spaciousness.

Classics such as “For a Few Dollars More” (1965) and “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” (1966), both starring Clint Eastwood, were filmed here. The area became the "Far West" of Europe, and even gave rise to its local version: the Chorizo Western, as the western shot in Spanish lands was popularly baptized.

Cinema does not live only from the west

Although the shootouts between cowboys left their mark on the collective memory, Tabernas has also been the setting for films of other genres and eras. Parts of “Lawrence of Arabia” (1962), “Conan the Barbarian” (1982), “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” (1989) and, more recently, the blockbuster “Exodus: Gods and Kings” by Ridley Scott were filmed here.

Even the successful series ‘Game of Thrones’ passed through these lands, which confirms the versatility and visual appeal of the place, capable of transforming itself into a biblical desert, a fantastic world or the cradle of lost civilizations.

A landscape that is protected… and walked

Despite its popularity, the Tabernas desert is a fragile and protected environment. Driving with vehicles is prohibited in many areas, and it is recommended to be well informed before visiting. Many of the most emblematic routes must be done on foot, always respecting private property and the natural wealth of the environment.

Moviegoers can head to the old film sets converted into theme parks such as Oasys MiniHollywood or Fort Bravo, where cowboy shows and duels in the sun are still held.

Much more than cinema

The Tabernas Desert is a journey through space, but also through time. From the marine fossils that speak of a remote era to the sets that still evoke the whistle of a revolver in the middle of silence, this Andalusian corner sums up the power of the landscape as a storyteller.

And although Hollywood put it on the map, Tabernas is, in essence, a landscape as Spanish as it is universal, which continues to captivate with its dry and cinematic beauty.