The party you can’t afford to miss
Did you know that the festival which brings together thousands of people from all over the world It did not arise from any tourism plan, but rather from a street brawl of the ones you don’t see any more? Each the last Wednesday in August, the small village of Buñol, less than an hour from Valencia, is decked out in red from top to bottom. If you’re in the area this summer and want to experience it properly (and really understand what you’re celebrating), read on.
The true story of La Tomatina (and no, it wasn’t invented by any local council)
It all goes back to 1945. During the parade of Giants and Big-Heads at the Buñol festivities, a group of young people joined the procession in a bid to steal the limelight. In the scuffle, someone ended up on the ground and, without giving it a second thought, started slapping whoever was closest to them. Nearby was a vegetable stall. The tomatoes flew, and the row turned into mass brawl and the square ended up in a right mess.
The following year, a group of those young people repeated the prank on their own initiative, this time bringing the tomatoes from home. The local council did not look kindly on it and went so far as to ban it several times throughout the 1950s, with the Civil Guard stepping in to break up the tomato fight. But the townspeople persisted, and what began as a prank eventually turned into official celebration: today La Tomatina has a history stretching back more than 80 years and has been designated a Festival of International Tourist Interest.
When is La Tomatina 2026?
The event, as is traditional, is the last Wednesday in August: 26 August 2026, in the main square of the town of Buñol (Valencia). The official battle lasts just one hour, from 12:00 to 13:00, although the festivities begin much earlier: at around 9.00 am, the Town Hall hands out pastries to the participants and the «palojabón» gets underway – a greased pole that you have to climb to retrieve a ham (spoiler: almost nobody manages it, and that’s part of the fun).
If you’re going with children, there’s a version designed especially for them —The Children’s Tomatina—, which takes place a few days earlier, around 22 August, with adapted rules.
How to get to Buñol from Valencia
Buñol is about 40 km from the city of Valencia, less than an hour away by car, bus or train the Commuter Rail service (line C-3, which stops in the village itself).
Watch out: Access to the village by private car is restricted on that day, so the most convenient option is usually to travel by train or on an organised coach from Valencia.
The golden rules for enjoying it without making a mess
- Admission is compulsory and subject to a limit. Since 2013, capacity has been limited to 22,000 participants and you have to buy a ticket in advance (around €15); they sell out weeks beforehand, so don’t leave it until the last minute.
- Squash the tomato before throwing it. It is the number one safety rule: it reduces the impact and prevents blows and injuries.
- Clothes you can throw away afterwards. An old T-shirt (white, as is traditional), closed-toe shoes with a good grip – the streets get very slippery – and no jewellery or expensive watches.
- Protects your mobile and camera. Or better still, leave them at the cloakroom: there’s a cloakroom service in the village where you can leave your belongings safely whilst the battle is on.
- When you’ve finished, it’s time to to have a shower in the street. The locals turn on their hoses and there are public fountains where everyone washes off before heading back to Valencia. Take a bag for your wet clothes and a change of clothes.
And after La Tomatina, what then?
The battle lasts an hour, but many travellers take the opportunity to stay a few more days in the Valencian Community and continue exploring. If that’s the case for you, at Valencia&Go we have various plans designed especially for the end of summer:
- Day trip to Altea, Villajoyosa and Benidorm: If, after the tomato fight, what you’re really craving is the beach and charming villages on the Costa Blanca.
- Excursion to the San José Caves + Salto de la Novia: explore Europe’s longest navigable underground river and take a dip in a natural waterfall. The contrast with the heat and the tomato is priceless.
- Trip to Montanejos: hot springs at 25°C all year round and unspoilt nature, ideal for relaxing the body (and the skin, after all that sun) the following day.
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