La Tomatina Festival

La Tomatina Festival Spain
La Tomatina Festival Spain

La Tomatina festival is a unique event held in Bunol, a small Spanish town close to the city of Valencia.

Thousands of people take part in the festival each year on the final Wednesday in August by hurling tomatoes at one another for an hour.

Since it started back in 1945, the festival has steadily grown to become one of the most popular festival events in Spain, attracting visitors from all over the world.

The La Tomatina festival is rumoured to have begun as a food fight between friends during a parade, though its exact beginnings are unknown. They had such a good time it eventually turned into an annual tradition, and its popularity has increased ever since.

To participate in La Tomatina, you must wear old clothes and goggles to protect your eyes.

The tomato throwing starts at 11 am and lasts for one hour. During this time, trucks loaded with hundreds of tons of ripe tomatoes are driven into the town square, and the crowd starts throwing them at each other.

After the hour is up and the tomato fight is over, a stream of fire brigade trucks move in to hose down the streets, and everyone heads to the river to clean off.

Aside from the tomato throwing, there are other events held during the festival, such as music concerts, parades, and contests.

The festival attracts a lot of tourists, so if you are thinking of joining in the fun it is highly recommended you book tickets, accommodation and transportation well in advance.

Due to the substantial amount of food waste it produces, the festival has come under fire in recent years. Nevertheless, the organisers have taken action to cut waste

La Tomatina is a  fun and unique experience overall, and one you should put on your list of festivals to go to while in Spain. It is a great chance to let loose, have fun, and discover a distinctive aspect of Spanish culture.

The Origins of La Tomatina

La Tomatina Festival
La Tomatina Festival

Although not clear, it is said that it all started when a group of young people in the town decided to participate in a parade with floats and bands.

During the parade, a fight broke out and people began throwing tomatoes at each other until the police intervened.

The following year, the same group of young people repeated the event, but this time they brought their own tomatoes from home. This was the beginning of what is now a world-famous festival.

The tradition has continued every year since, with the festival becoming more and more popular, attracting thousands of tourists from all around the globe.

Another theory is that it all began as a way for locals to celebrate the end of the tomato harvest.

Another theory is that it was a way for young people to protest against the government or a political figure.

Regardless of its origins, La Tomatina has become an iconic and much-loved event, and a must-see for anyone visiting Spain.

About the Town of Bunol

Bunol Valencia

Bunol has a rich history that dates back to the Palaeolithic era, as evidenced by the archaeological collection housed in the Castillo de Bunol, a well-preserved fortress built between the 11th and 12th centuries.

The town also has a strong industrial heritage, especially in the paper industry, which is reflected in the former Molino de Galán building that now hosts a library, an exhibition room and the Museo de La Tomatina.

Buñol also offers some stunning natural attractions, such as the Cueva de Turche, a waterfall and a natural pool where you can enjoy a picnic and relax in nature.

The town is also a great place for hiking, as there are many beautiful hiking trails, such as the Ruta del Agua, which follows the emerald rivers and waterfalls of La Hoya de Bunol.

Participating in La Tomatina


The Bunol festival ( pronounced Bunyol ) is held during the last week in August each year with the highlight of the week being the Tomato fight which is held on the last Wednesday of the month between 11 am and 1 pm.

When is La Tomatina

» La Tomatina 2023 : 30th of August
» La Tomatina 2024 : 28th of August
» La Tomatina 2025 : 27th of August

La Tomatina Tickets

Due to the huge number of visitors on the day and the security concerns, the local council decided that it would limit the number of participants wishing to take part. Therefore you will need to buy an entrance ticket beforehand and well in advance as tickets tend to sell very quickly.

Here are a few reputable websites to buy tickets:
» https://ticketstomatina.com/
» https://www.latomatinatours.com/

If you do not manage to obtain a ticket you can still enjoy the week-long festivities and enjoy exploring Valencia, it will just mean you will not be able to be in the thick of the fun for the hour or so during the actual tomato fight, not to worry though as there are plenty of visitors in the same position and the party continues in areas all around the town.

Accommodation

Bunol is a very small town with around 10.000 inhabitants so as you can imagine there is not enough accommodation on offer for the many thousands that arrive for the week's festivities. Our best advice is to stay around the outskirts of Valencia which has a good choice of accommodation to suit everyone.

For budget stays there are plenty of hostels in Valencia, we found some very nice dorm rooms for under £10 a night.  Alternatively, there is a good selection of hotels in Valencia to choose from, but make sure you book early to secure your room during festival week.

For outdoor lovers there are around 20 campsites around Valencia mostly along the coastal area, the closest being the Valencia Camper Park and the Campsite Coll Vert which are around a 40-minute drive away from Bunyol.

Getting to Bunol

The town of Bunol is situated around 40 kms from Valencia taking between 45 mins to one hour by car depending on traffic.

Most festival-goers stay in cheaper budget accommodation in Valencia and then get a train to Bunyol. Trains leave at 8 minutes past the hour in the morning with the journey taking around 50 minutes. Catch the early train and you will have plenty of time to arrive before the main mid-day tomato fight.

Train times are available on the national rail service website at www.renfe.es.

Suitable clothing

Look it's great fun we all know that, but be practical, wearing your favourite outfit is probably not a good idea as it will get ruined.

Remember as well, this Spanish festival is held in August and the temperatures can soar well into the high 30 degrees Celsius so lightweight summer clothing is essential.

Try to take a clean top and trousers in a sealed plastic bag tucked away so you can change your clothes for your return journey home.

La Tomatina Festival Rules

Everyone is there to have fun but for all the chaos that is evident during the festival, the local town council has issued a number of rules to the benefit of every participant.

  • Tomatoes should be squashed before throwing to avoid injuries
  • No ripping of t-shirts
  • No other objects apart from tomatoes should be thrown during the fight
  • After the second warning bang, no more tomatoes are allowed to be thrown
  • Participants have to make way for the tomato-carrying trucks

Visit the La Tomatina Festival Museum

La Tomatina Festival

The town has an interesting Museum dedicated to La Tomatina festival that is well worth visiting.

The museum is open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm, and Wednesday and Thursday by appointment through the municipality's Tourist Office.

It is located in the Molino Galán building in Buñol, next to the Tourist Office.

The museum tour starts with a 270-degree immersive room where visitors can experience the atmosphere of this unique festival.

There are lots of interesting images on display showing the evolution of this popular festival.

You can also enjoy a virtual reality zone, where you can immerse yourself in the Tomatina battle using VR glasses. A perfect way to experience what it's really like to be in the thick of the fight without getting covered in tomato juice.

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