Have you ever fancied chucking tomatoes at strangers for fun?
Welcome to La Tomatina, one of Spain’s weirdest and most loved festivals.
Held in the small town of Buñol, just inland from Valencia, this world-famous tomato fight draws people from all over the globe, from Aussies and Americans to folks from South Korea and Japan. And it all started by accident.
La Tomatina: A festival of international tourist interest
Legend has it that years ago, during one of Buñol’s local fiestas, a random tomato toss got out of hand. People loved it. So much so, they decided to do it again. And again. Fast forward, and it’s now a Festival of International Tourist Interest, complete with rules, tickets, and thousands of people turning up to get wonderfully messy.
If you can’t be there on the last Wednesday of August (when the chaos kicks off), you’ve still got a chance to experience the madness; head to the La Tomatina Museum.
La Tomatina Museum
This interactive museum gives you a taste of the action year-round. The highlight is a 270° immersive video room where you’re surrounded by scenes from the real festival. You’ll almost feel the squish of tomatoes, but without the mess. The soundtrack is supplied by Buñol’s local bands, who are a big part of the town’s culture and play during the real event.
The museum doesn’t just show tomato-flinging in HD, it also walks you through the story of how La Tomatina began, evolved, and became a global sensation.
