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Once a year, the quiet Valencian town of Buñol hosts what is genuinely the world’s largest food fight. La Tomatina 2026 falls on Wednesday 26 August, and for exactly one hour — noon until 1pm — around 20,000 people pelt each other with overripe tomatoes in the narrow streets around Plaza del Pueblo. Trucks haul in the ammunition, water cannons fire to signal the start, and within seconds everything and everyone turns an extraordinary shade of red.
The festival has roots going back to 1945, when a spontaneous tomato scuffle broke out during a local parade. It has since been declared a Festivity of International Tourist Interest, drawing participants from the UK, India, Japan, Australia and beyond. Since 2013, attendance has been capped at 20,000 — a significant drop from the 50,000 who once packed the streets — so tickets sell out well in advance. There are no walk-up sales on the day.
The action builds from 9am with a free breakfast courtesy of Buñol’s town hall, followed at 10am by the Palo Jabón: competitors attempt to climb a soap-covered pole with a leg of ham at the top while the crowd below gets drenched by buckets thrown from surrounding balconies. When the cannon fires at noon, the trucks roll in and the real chaos begins. The one rule worth knowing: squash your tomato before you throw it.
Entry tickets for 2026 cost €15 for basic access, with packages including transport, a locker, a T-shirt and after-party access ranging from €30 upwards. Tour operators running day trips from Valencia start from around £149, with three-day packages from Valencia hotels available from around £225 per person. Most visitors stay in Valencia, roughly 38km away, as accommodation in Buñol itself is very limited. The easiest way to get there independently is the C3 commuter train from Valencia Nord station. Note that cars are banned from the town centre from 7am on festival day.
Wear clothes you never want to see again, leave anything valuable at your hotel, and bring a change of outfit. Book tickets early at latomatina.info or through a licensed tour operator — last year everything sold out a month before the event.
