If you think of La Tomatina Festival, what comes first to your mind? Will you get life again? It was one of those films that was filled with many travel goals. Among the activities the film performed, it was the La Tomatina festival, whose vivacity and demeanor included Spain on its travel bucket list. Our Spain tour package is the best way to battle this tomato madness.
During the last week of August, the small Valencian city of Buñol is visited by millions to do something that is counted among the best things in Spain. Flocks of visitors come to join the mad locals and throw ripe tomatoes at each other in this state-approved food fight.
What’s so special in La Tomatina; And should the festival be included in the festival? Here are some reasons that will help you decide if it is all worth traveling to Spain to join this festival.
A chance to participate in one of the world’s largest cultural lanes
La Tomatina festival gives you a chance to show the festive side of Spain. The festival is combined with large scale parades, fireworks and even a spectacular paella cooking competition. This is your chance to experience the best Spain in one place.
Festival fact file
- – Buñol has a population of 9,000
- – About 20,000 people come to participate in the battle of tomatoes
- – The festivities begin at 11 am
- – Plaza del Pueblo is the city center where the festival is held
- – The ticket price for the festival is € 10 so that the event is less crowded
La Tomatina Festival is a photographer’s delight
The crazy, dancing crowd throwing tomatoes at each other gives you an amazing chance to come up with some nice pictures. So, if photography is your passion, then you would love to join this festival. Nothing gives you a better shot than the hundreds covered in red tomatoes.
Places to see in Bunol
- – San Luis Park
- – Cueva Turche
- – Masonic Cemetery
- – Parque Fluvial
- – Circuit Ricardo Tormo
Why participate in a knock-off when you can witness the real deal?
In the past, many countries have tried to knock the festival. Although most of them were unsuccessful, some met harsh criticism for the huge waste of food and were banned by the authorities. La Tomatina, a hand, is accepted by the country because of the heavy cultivation of tomatoes in Spain. This festival looks for a creative way to use greater amounts of vegetables. La Tomatina’s unique appeal makes Valencia and Buñol one of the few popular tourist destinations in Spain.
What to eat during La Tomatina?
- – Paella
- – Arròs al forn (baked rice)
- – Arròs a banda (rice and fish)
- – Fideuà
- – Mona de Pascua
- – Bunyols (fritters)
Visit the home of special tomatoes grown for the La Tomatina Festival
You can take some time off and visit the Extremadura, a home of tomatoes grown specifically for tomato fighting. Tomatoes in La Tomatina include poor varieties specially grown for fighting during this festival. These tomatoes are not good for eating and hence their sole purpose is to crush. Extremadura is a beautiful destination with the natural charm of the Spanish countryside. It is an ideal place for birdwatchers, history lovers, nature lovers. Discovering the tomato farms of the region is counted among the best in Spain.
Attractions and activities in Extremadura
- – Visit Basílica de Santa Eulalia
- – Alcazaba Árabe
- – Tour of Mérida
- – Medieval city of Cáceres
- – Zafra
- – Castle of Trujillo
- – Attend WOMAD festival
- – Country tour of La Dehesa
- – Wine Tastings in Ribera del Guadiana
- – Gourmet Cheese and Iberian Ham Tastings tours
A chance to attend awesome La Tomatina after party
After the party, La Tomatina is in the spotlight by some of the world’s best DJs and musicians. After the festival, when everyone cleans up, they return to these places so that the dance can end the ceremony and they are released at the festival site. These places also provide great food and drinks to end your festival experience.
Buñol’s rich history
The host city itself has a rich history. Castillo de Buenol is one of the popular Spain attractions built in the 13th century and has seen the rise and fall of many empires. The palace sits prominently on a small hill between the Borrunes Crater and the trench of Buñol River and is famous for its breath-taking architecture. During the festival, the palace hosts several music festivals.
- Rules for La Tomatina
- Fireworks are banned
- You should not carry glassware
- Tearing t-shirts are not allowed
- Tomatoes must be crushed before throwing so that they don’t hurt anybody.
- Festival stops with the 2nd banger
- Important tips for a better festival experience
- Cheap sports shoes are recommended. Flip Flops will injure your feet
- Wear old clothes that you can throw afterward
- Goggles and handkerchiefs are a must carry
- Bring a waterproof camera if you plant to take pictures
With so much experience, it is impossible to miss La Tomatina. Come August, make sure you have your cards approved and tickets booked for Spain.
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Frequently Asked Questions About La Tomatina Festival
Q. Why is Tomatina festival?
A – No one is completely sure how this phenomenon originated. Possible theories on how Tomatina got started include a chaotic outcome of a local food fight between friends, a teen class war, a volley of tomatoes from the audience at a carnival parade, a practical joke on a bad musician and an accidental lorry spillage.
Q. What is La Tomatina?
A – La Tomatina is a tomato-throwing festival, in which participants are not only allowed, but encouraged to throw tomatoes at each other during a whole-two-hour food fight. Its purpose is purely for entertainment.
Q. How much does La Tomatina cost?
A – A charge has been introduced this year and participants will have to pay a minimum of 10 Euros ($ 15) for the privilege of pelting each other with tomatoes on the streets submerged in red juice.
Q. Is La Tomatina a waste of food?
A – La Tomatina’s world’s worst food fight is often targeted by activists as one of the events that links the issue of the world’s food wastage, however, according to locals in the province of Banol and Valencia, Spain, their The famous tomato fight is definitely not part of the problem.
Q. What do people eat during tomatina?
A – paella is traditionally eaten during La Tomatina, as there is a paella cooking competition before the big event. Palea originated in Valencia which is very close to Banol. The dish is cooked in a large pan with meat, rice and vegetable.
Q. How long does tomatina last?
A – Typically, the fight lasts for about an hour, after which the town square is covered with tomato debris. Fire trucks then fall onto the streets and participants often use hoses that locals provide to extract tomatoes from their bodies.
Q. What are the rules of La Tomatina?
A – The Rules of La Tomatina Festival
Do not enter bottles or hard objects because you can cause an accident or damages to your battle’s fellows.
Do not tear or throw your T-shirts nor other’s T-shirt.
Squash the tomatoes before throwing them, the hit will be less painful.
Q. How do I prepare for La Tomatina?
A – Make sure you bring everything you need so that you can change completely into comfortable, not ‘tomato’ clothes. eye protection. People with contact lenses may need to invest in eye protection. La Tomatina participants are seen wearing goggles and even masks to protect themselves from flying tomatoes. Keep a safe distance of the lorries.
Q. Is La Tomatina fun?
A – As La Tomatina continues to kick off year after year, Spain is notorious for hosting some of the most interesting festivals in the world. If you plan to join the festivities, be sure to bring the best night photography camera with you to capture every moment of this crazy event.
Q. Is La Tomatina religious?
A – La Tomatina is essentially a religious celebration. Although religious, the festival is not a rite of passage. (Turner: 203). As stated earlier, the purpose of the celebration is to honor the patron saint of Banol, Louis Burton, and the Virgin Mary (Tomatina).
Q. How many tomatoes are used in La Tomatina?
A – 150,000 Tomatoes
In an hour-long battle the roads of Banil are transformed into rivers of tomato puree as some 150,000 tomatoes (which is 40 metric tons) are squeezed. Fruit-laden trucks are specially brought to the city for the event.
Q. What do people shout during La Tomatina?
A – La Tomatina for only one hour – from noon to 1 pm – but the festivities begin at around 10 a.m. when people try to climb a sleek pole to reach Serrano Ham at the top. The narrow streets are filled with punters screaming impatiently for tomatoes.
Q. How did La Tomatina become popular?
This popular festival began by accident on the last Wednesday in August 1945 during the parade at A – People’s Square. The festival was once again allowed in 1957 after protests by substantial locals and others in favor of La Tomatina and since then the La Tomatina Festival has gained in popularity.
Q. Is La Tomatina dangerous?
A – La Tomatina’s crazy pack phenomenon is inherently crowded and dangerous. Travelers are very likely to experience wild crazy behavior. The city council of Banol which hosts the tomato fight, La Tomatina does not currently ban the age of those who can participate in the tomato fight.
Q. What do you wear to La Tomatina?
A – Tomatina Dress Code: Wear clothes that don’t feel bad to throw away after an epic fight. Some people wear white T-shirts, some wear old clothes. A bikini under your clothes is not a bad idea because you are about to get soaked with tomato rain and a water hose.
Q. Do other countries celebrate La Tomatina?
A – La Tomatina festival has been so successful that similar festivals were started in other parts of the world. ‘Colorado Texas Tomato War’ is a festival inspired by the Tomatina festival, and it closed in 1982. Other countries hosting tomato festivals include Colombia, Costa Rica and China.
Q. What is Banol famous for?
A- Banol is world famous for “La Tomatina”, although it also offers visitors endless tourism and cultural possibilities. Buñol has many cultural, natural and recreational attractions for tourists who decide to explore its streets. A multitude of fountains, gardens and parks make this city a must for tourists.
