La Tomatina of Buñol
La Tomatina de Buñol is the world's biggest tomato fight and has been a designated Festival of International Tourist Interest since 2002. In 2026 it takes place on Wednesday, 26 August: the tomato battle runs from 12:00 to 13:00 in the streets of the town centre and the Plaza del Pueblo of Buñol, when several trucks unload tonnes of ripe tomatoes for thousands of participants to hurl at one another. The signal to begin is the traditional "palo jabón", a greased pole topped with a ham that daring participants try to climb. Capacity is limited and the event is organised by the Buñol Merchants and Entrepreneurs Association (ACYEB) together with Buñol Town Hall, with an official ticket required; packages can include extras such as a cloakroom, t-shirt, paella, a drink and access to the after-party. On the preceding Saturday there is also La Tomatina Infantil, a safer, scaled-down version for children.
The mistake visitors make is assuming this happens in València. It doesn't. Buñol is a separate inland town about 40 km west of the city, in the Hoya de Buñol, and getting there and back is most of the planning.
Getting to Buñol from València
By train, Renfe's C-3 Cercanías line runs from València Nord out to Buñol. The line was wrecked by the October 2024 floods and has since been rebuilt as far as Buñol, so it works again — but it is a regional line with regional frequencies, not a metro, and the timetable is the first thing to check. By car it is the A-3 motorway. Don't plan on parking near the centre: the streets of the centre are the venue, so leave the car on the edge of town and walk in. Our guides to getting around València and reaching the towns without a car cover the wider network.
What to bring
- Clothes you are willing to throw away. Tomato stains, and it does not always wash out.
- Closed shoes that fasten. The ground becomes slippery pulp and flip-flops are gone in the first surge.
- Swimming or diving goggles. Tomato acid stings — this is the thing people wish they had brought.
- A waterproof phone pouch, or leave the phone behind. Nothing glass, nothing hard.
- A full change of clothes and a towel, left somewhere outside the fight.
The rules of participation are published by the organisers on the official page. Read them before you travel rather than working it out in the crowd.
Heat, and what to do with the rest of the day
Inland València province in late August runs several degrees hotter than the coast, without the sea breeze you get on the Malvarrosa. Drink before, wear a hat while you wait, and do not assume there will be shade. Our València weather guide explains the pattern. Afterwards you still have half a day: Requena lies further west along the same corridor and has a walled old quarter, or head back to the city for something calmer from what to do in València in August. One more thing: small inland towns keep a long midday closure outside festival hours, so a pharmacy or supermarket open in the afternoon is not a given.
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