Almería: the desert that imitated the Wild West

The Alcazaba of Almería, fortress among the largest in Spain, dominates the city from its hilltop since the tenth century.

Walking down to the center you traverse the Cathedral-Fortress, built with thick walls designed to resist the attacks of Barbary pirates who long infested this stretch of Mediterranean coast.

Leaving the city you reach the Tabernas Desert, Europe's only true desert, where Sergio Leone filmed part of his dollar trilogy.

Among the dunes, the old movie sets of Oasys MiniHollywood still recreate the dusty streets of western films shot here decades ago, with costume shows for visitors.

Tabernas' extremely arid climate, the only one in Europe classified as a true desert, continues to attract international film productions, from historical westerns to recent television series.

The Alcazaba of Almería, built by the Córdoba Caliphate, was originally connected to the sea by defensive walls now largely vanished beneath the expansion of the modern city.