The Spanish province may contain Europe's only desert, but it is awash with enticing attractions, from natural wonders to a spaghetti-western theme park.
1. Europe's only desert (below, top right)
Straddling the eastern tip of Andalucia and averaging 330 days of sunshine a year, the southern Spanish province of Almeria is one of the hottest, driest spots in Europe. Deep, waterless ravines, seemingly leather-crusted fulvous earth and low-growing scrub are the hallmarks of this arid region, sandwiched among the sierras (mountain ranges) of Nevada, Gador, Filabres and Alhamilla. Tabernas, at the desiccated heart of the desert, is a tatty township with ramshackle bars, flyblown stores and tumbleweed blowing down the street. It is crowned by the ruins of a castle, where Catholic kings sought refuge during the siege of Almeria in 1147. Nature lovers may want to head along one of the footpaths leading deep into the desert to discover slithering ladder snakes, spiny-footed lizards, ocellated lizards and other local lowlife.
2. Mini Hollywood (below left)
From Sergio Leone to Steven Spielberg, filmmakers on a shoestring budget seeking desert locations have flocked to Almeria province. This is where Clint Eastwood acted mean for the archetypal spaghetti westerns. Harrison Ford grew hot under the collar here as Indiana Jones and the desert backdrops witnessed Peter O'Toole playing the role of his life in Lawrence of Arabia. Several hundred films were made during the province's celluloid gold rush in the 1960s and 70s, and western-style towns, blessed with stout hitching posts and swing-door saloons, burgeoned. Then cowboy films went out of fashion and the desert crept back to cover those deserted movie lots. Mini Hollywood (entry from Euro15/HK$160; tel: 34 950 36 52 36), a well-planned Wild West theme park set in a cactus-lined gulch 7km south of Tabernas, is based on one of the few lots that survived. Walk the trail of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, learn about the region's cinematic history, ride a mechanical bucking bronco, watch a shoot-out on Main Street or mingle with the dancers doing the can-can at the Yellow Star Saloon.
3. Cuevas de Almanzora