When you think of prison, you imagine an ominous place with cement walls, steel bars, barbed wire, and most of all—hardened criminals. Some offenders serve short sentences, while others must live out the rest of their lives behind bars. You would probably never think of prison as a happy place with a positive and lively atmosphere. Here in the U.S., that’s the whole point of prisons; they’re not supposed to be fun, and most of us are taught from a young age that if you break the law, you go to prison, and that’s a place no one ever wants to go. See if someone you know is locked up using our inmate search.

However, doing hard time is often quite different in other parts of the world. Some international prisons can resemble country clubs and weekend family vacations destinations complete with swimming pools and BBQs. Some foreign slammers even allow inmates to have guests stay the night after they’ve tossed back a few too many at the good ol’ prison party. Don’t believe us? Check out the list below to learn about seven of the most bizarre prisons from around the world!

1. San Antonio Prison — Venezuela

Above: A San Antonio inmate barbeques for a crowd at one of their infamous prison parties.

San Antonio Prison is located on Margarita Island off the coast of Venezuela, and let’s just say, the prisoners have it pretty good. They’re free to watch TV and socialize with visitors, and they’re even permitted to barbeque and play music at their very own prison parties. Many of the inmates hold steady jobs inside the prison walls, but not all the work is legal. Due to heavy alcohol and drug use among the inmates, access to a swimming pool, and lax rules on overnight visitors, The New York Post dubbed San Antonio as “Venezuela’s party prison.”

2. Justizzentrum Loeben Prison — Austria

There’s a good chance that this clink is fancier than most people’s houses. With its cutting edge design and chic decor, Justizzentrum Loeben is often referred to as a “five-star prison.” The prison’s 200 inmates enjoy spacious cells, manicured courtyards, and open floor plans where they’re allowed to move about freely. There are, however, steel bars and razor wire surrounding the outside of the prison. In an interview with the New York Times, architect Josef Hohensinn described his design for Justizzentrum as, “Maximum security outside; maximum freedom inside.”

3. Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center — The Philippines

Remember that YouTube video from 2007, which showed over 1,000 inmates dancing in unison to a choreographed version of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller?” Well, that video was filmed at Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation center in the Philippines. Cebu prisoners get a certain amount of exercise time each day, and they decided to use this opportunity to brush up on their dance moves. Their rendition of “Thriller” went viral and had over 50 million views on YouTube. It also garnered a spot on Time Magazine’s Top 5 videos of the year. Haven’t seen the video yet? Check it out here!

4. San Pedro Prison — Bolivia

San Pedro Prison is just outside the city of La Paz, and it’s certainly one of most unique prisons we’ve ever researched. Inmates have to pay for their own cells, which means that life on the inside is totally dependent on how much money they have. Cells have a price range of $1,000 to $1,500, and expensive cells offer a range of cozy amenities. The most costly cells come with a TV and a kitchen area, while the “bargain” cells are nothing but ominous cement rooms: much like what you’d expect from a traditional prison. San Pedro also has a central marketplace complete with food stands, hairdressers, and even shoe shiners (seriously). According to BBC, one inmate reportedly said that at San Pedro, “If you have money, you can live like a king.”

5. Aranjuez Prison — Spain

Above: Two Aranjuez inmates spend time with their daughter inside the prison’s family section.

Located in Spain, Aranjuez Prison has something you wouldn’t expect to find behind bars—kids. Yup, inmates are permitted to live with their families, as well as raise their babies in an effort to bond with their children during their first few years of life. Aside from living inside a prison, the children have a relatively normal life since they leave each day to attend school. Children of inmates are only allowed to live with their parents on prison grounds until the age of seven, at which point they are sent to live with close relatives until (or if) their parents are released.

6. Halden Prison — Norway

Above: The library at Halden prison looks more like that of a University.

Inmates at Norway’s second-largest prison can’t really complain about the $252 million dollar establishment they call home. Halden houses 252 inmates, each of whom has a clean cell complete with new furniture, a private bathroom, a flat-screen TV, and a view since there are no bars on the cell windows. Sounds pretty cushy, doesn’t it? Yes, but there’s more. Inmates also get to enjoy a fully stocked library, a gym, an all-purpose athletic field, and a recording studio. A recording studio. . . seriously?! Talk about a life of incarcerated luxury.

7. Fortezza Medicea Prison — Italy

Above: An inmate serves guests at Fortezza Medicea’s upscale Italian restaurant.

When you think of Italy, you undoubtedly focus on one thing—amazing food. Authentic pizza, pasta, bread, and desserts are all part of Italy’s mouthwatering and highly sought-after cuisine. One place in particular has embraced the world’s love of Italian food, and that place is Fortezza Medicea. Sounds like a fancy restaurant, right? Well, sort of.

Fortezza Medicea is actually a high-security prison located in Volterra, which houses hardened criminals, many of whom are serving life sentences for murder and other heinous crimes. However, the prison is also home to an upscale restaurant run by the inmates who have dedicated their time behind bars to learning the ropes of fine dining and the craft of Italian cuisine. World-class dishes are prepared and served by the inmates themselves, and patrons must make reservations months in advance. Oh, and did we mention you have to undergo a lengthy background check just to grab a seat at the table?

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