Get Involved in the Great Tomato Fight of Spain

It has to be considered as one of the most bizarre local customs in the world but the annual La Tomatina festival in Bunyol attracts around 30,000 people every year.

An army of scantily-clad tourists and locals descend on the normally quiet village of Bunyol, near Valencia, on 25 August each year in anticipation of a food fight of mass proportions.

Every Man and Woman for Themsleves

As 11a.m. approaches, the crowd reach fever pitch and five swelling rockets, holding about 125,000 kilos of tomatoes, are launched into the air and the food fight begins. There are very few rules – tomatoes have to be squished before throwing them and no other projectiles are allowed – other than that, it’s every man and woman for himself or herself.

The origins of this bizarre custom are thought to date back to 1945 when a small food fight broke out in one of the local restaurants. Since then the event has grown and the amount of tomatoes has doubled, tripled and then quadrupled.

If heading to Bunyol on this day, after arriving on cheap flights to Barcelona, it is advisable not to wear your Sunday best, or anything that even closely resembles your best attire. This is because, when the final tomato has been thrown, you won’t recognise yourself, let alone anyone else.