Because of its dry desert baron environment which resembles Western area of Texas, the area of Almeria, especially the desert area around Tabarnas is well known as the location for the filming of the spaghetti westerns including a Fistful of Dollars, The Good the Bad and the Ugly, A Few Dollars More and The Man with No Name.
Your browser may not support display of this image.What´s not known is that there are 3 different theme parks to cater for the movie fans and to provide a good day out for the children and they are Mini Hollywood, Western Leone and Texas Hollywood
For the dedicated movie fans Western Hollywood and Western Leone are the actual film studios where they made the movies and their facilities combine the actual sets with a Wild West show. Oasys Mini Hollywood is a specially created theme park that combines a Wild West setting, western shows with gunfighters and Cancan dancers, with a Zoo, botanical gardens and a swimming pool.
You can enjoy a full day out as at Oasys, you´ll be able to wander around the replica western town visiting the Bank, Sheriff Office, saloon and stables or one of the many stores. The highlight is watching the western show, where the bad guys rob the bank and you´ll see a jailbreak, stunt riding and the final showdown gunfight, which the children loved. Straight after the working saloon is the location for the popular Cancan show.
As you wonder around you´ll find reproductions of Western shops, a carriage museum, a cinema museum, dress up western style for a photograph or meet the cowboys and take a ride in the stagecoach. If you´re hungry there are plenty of places to eat.
But it´s not just about the Western show as the park is set in stunning surroundings with waterfalls, stunning views and lots of places for picnics with children’s play areas. The park is not ideal for the less mobile as there are lots of hills, stairs and uneven surfaces.
Your browser may not support display of this image.In the Zoo you can see lots of animals including Lions, Tigers, bears, monkeys, and some amazing white rhinos and an amphibian house, a parrot show and lots more.
Include with the entrance ticket a Mini-Train trip runs from Bear Square around the animal enclosures and don´t forget your swimming gear as there is a large pool which opens peak season.
Entry to Oasis Mini Hollywood is €19 for adults and €9 for children plus €2.50 for car parking. The park only opens weekends off season till 31st May with the Wild West Shows at 12:00 and 17:00 and Cancan shows at 13:00 and 16:00. The pool opens from 1st June-September 31st and there are additional shows at 20:00 for Western and 19:00 for Cancan
Getting there, the theme parks are a 2.5 hours drive away from Torrevieja in Tabernas, just off junction 376 on the A-92 motorway. There are lots of well priced hotels around if you fancy a weekend break, perhaps staying in Mojacar or Almeria