Twenty thousand people throw 125 tonnes of tomatoes at each other for one hour in a small Spanish town. It is exactly as good as it sounds.
Annual. Always the last Wednesday of August. The 2026 edition falls on 26 August. Tickets go on sale in June and sell out by July.
La Tomatina takes place in Buñol, a town of 10,000 people 40 kilometres west of Valencia. Every last Wednesday of August, trucks tip 125 tonnes of overripe tomatoes onto the street and 20,000 people spend one hour throwing them at each other. The permit cap was introduced in 2013: before that, crowds exceeded 50,000 and the event became unmanageable. The cap means tickets are now genuinely limited and sell out quickly.
The event runs from 11am and lasts exactly one hour, signalled by a water cannon. When the second cannon fires, throwing stops. The streets are then hosed down, and participants wash off at local garden hoses, fountains, and the Buñol river. By early afternoon the town is largely clean and the post-Tomatina party in the streets begins. Valencia hostels regularly run organised coach trips that include transport, tickets, and the return journey.
The rest of the day belongs to Valencia. The city's beaches: Playa de la Malvarrosa and Playa de las Arenas: are 20 minutes by tram from the city centre. Both are wide, clean, and less crowded than Barcelona's on a weekday in August. The old town and the Mercado Central are straightforward afternoon options. Dinner in the Ruzafa neighbourhood is the standard evening move.
Prices verified March 2026.
Party hostels within reach of Valencia's main celebrations. Ranked by guest rating.
Valencia is well connected by high-speed rail from Madrid (1h 45min) and Barcelona (2h 30min). From Valencia, Buñol is a 40-minute Cercanías train ride from Estació del Nord: the same station all intercity trains use.
Day-by-day breakdown
The train from Valencia Estació del Nord to Buñol runs from around 7am and takes 40 minutes (approximately €3 each way). Alternatively, the Valencia hostels that run organised Tomatina trips pick up from around 8am by coach. If you are travelling independently, arrive in Buñol by 9am: the town fills quickly and the streets near the main Calle del Cura get crowded before 10am. Wear old clothes you do not mind discarding. Closed-toe shoes are essential; the streets get slippery.
The hour before the throwing begins is its own event. Locals and participants line the street, music plays, and flour and water are thrown from balconies above. This is when to find your position. The middle of Calle del Cura is the densest and most chaotic. Side streets are slightly less crowded if you prefer to observe more than participate. The water cannon fires at 11am to start the fight.
Trucks drive slowly through the main street tipping tomatoes. Participants throw at each other, not at the trucks. The tomatoes are deliberately over-ripened: they are soft, not hard: but getting hit at close range still stings. Goggles are strongly recommended. Keep your mouth closed when trucks pass. The fight lasts exactly one hour; when the second cannon fires at noon, throwing stops immediately. Local custom and safety rules both require compliance.
The streets are hosed down within minutes of the cannon. Participants rinse off at garden hoses set up around town and at the Buñol river. The town throws a post-Tomatina street party with food stalls and live music. Organised coach trips typically depart between 1pm and 2pm. Independent travellers can take the afternoon train back to Valencia (runs regularly until evening).
Back in Valencia by mid-afternoon. The beach is 20 minutes from the city centre by tram (Line 4 towards Neptú). Playa de la Malvarrosa has a long promenade lined with paella restaurants: this is the one place in Spain where eating paella near the sea is actually what locals do. The evening in the Ruzafa neighbourhood offers good bars and restaurants within a few streets of each other.
Take it easy. Find a local cafe, eat a proper meal, and sort out onward travel. Most hostels offer late checkout if you ask the night before.
Realistic costs per person · Verified March 2026
Prices in GBP. Festival week prices may be higher than standard rates. Prices verified March 2026.
Other festivals and parties in the same region
Pre-booked private transfers and shared shuttles for your arrival.
