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Where Is La Tomatina? Finding Buñol on the Map
La Tomatina is held in Buñol, approximately 38km west of Valencia in Spain. The fight takes place in Plaza del Pueblo in the centre of town.
Buñol is a small town with a population of around 9,000. On the last Wednesday of August, it becomes the most colourful square kilometre in the world. This town transforms into the most colourful spot on the world map every August.
Buñol has no airport, so almost everyone flies into Valencia. From there, the Renfe Cercanías C-3 service between Valencia and Buñol takes about an hour for roughly €4.
Heading to Spain for La Tomatina? An eSIM for Spain from eSIM Cards activates instantly, so navigation, translation apps, and train times are all working before you even land in Valencia.
What Is the History of La Tomatina?
The history of the La Tomatina festival and its origin story is almost as chaotic as the festival itself. The festival, which started spontaneously in 1945 due to a disturbance caused by young people during a parade, has evolved over time into an event recognised worldwide.
The story goes that during a local parade in Buñol, a group of young men got into a scuffle near a market stall. Tomatoes were grabbed and thrown. At the end, someone ended up covered in pulp and somehow that accident became an annual tradition.
It was actually forbidden during the Franco era on the grounds that it lacked religious character, but it was revived in 1957 due to public pressure. The locals quite literally fought for their right to throw tomatoes, which might be the most Spanish sentence ever written. In 2002, it was granted the status of an Event of International Tourist Interest. From a banned street brawl to a nationally recognised cultural event in under six decades, we would say that’s not bad at all.
When Is La Tomatina 2026?
La Tomatina 2026 takes place on Wednesday, 26th August 2026 in Buñol, Spain. It is held annually on the last Wednesday of August.
It runs from noon to 1 pm. Many trucks roll into the Plaza del Pueblo and tip tonnes of overripe tomatoes into the crowd. A signal gun starts the chaos and a second gun ends it. Fire hoses then wash down the streets and everyone in them.
Over 100 metric tons of tomatina tomatoes and over 20,000 people will grab and fight with tomatoes in hand, making the streets and everyone in them soaked in red.
The day itself starts well before noon, though. At around 10:00 am, the first entertainment begins, preceding the tomato battle. You need to climb the cucaña and remove the prize called jamón. The cucaña is a pole several metres high, greased to make it slide and when someone manages to remove the pork leg from the top, the Tomatina is declared to have officially begun.
La Tomatina Tickets 2026: What You Need to Know Before You Book
Ever since 2013, official ticketing limits participation to 20,000 people to reduce accidents and make it manageable.
The official La Tomatina 2026 tickets are priced around €15 per person (entry only). Tickets go on sale at tomatina.es in January or February and often sell out by May.
For those who want more than just entry, packages start from €139.95 and include an official entry ticket, round-trip coach transport from Valencia, exclusive Tomato Base access, English-speaking guides, and the official After Party. Premium tiers add shower access, locker service, a survival kit, and a paella lunch which, given that you'll be covered head to toe in tomato pulp by 1 pm, is an appreciated addition.
Booking a La Tomatina tour or package? Most operators depart from Valencia. The Spain travel guide covers everything from getting around to what else to see while you're there.
What to Expect at the La Tomatina Festival
During the festival, the streets turn into a river of pulp and your shoes will be destroyed - including your clothes. Your hair will even smell faintly of tomato for longer than you'd expect. And none of that will matter even slightly because the energy is unlike anything most people have experienced at a festival.
Here are some things you can expect:
- Early morning arrivals in town
- Formation of crowds
- Pole climbing attempts,
- Cannon sound
- Fire trucks washing the streets after the battle,
- People sitting in the small bars of Bunol
- Old clothes you're happy to bin afterwards
- Closed-toe shoes with grip
- Goggles or sunglasses
- A waterproof phone pouch
- A little cash in your pocket
Make La Tomatina a Part of a Bigger Spanish Festival Calendar
La Tomatina doesn't exist in isolation, but as a thread in a rich tapestry of Spanish festivals tomatina sits alongside throughout the year. There are so many festivals in spend to be a part of, above this, such as the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona in July, Las Fallas in Valencia in March, Semana Santa across the country in spring and then La Tomatina closing out the summer in August. If you're already making the trip to Buñol, building a wider Spain itinerary around it is one of the smarter things you can do. Valencia itself deserves two or three days minimum. For a broader picture of the country before you go, the facts about Spain guide gives you plenty of context that makes the cultural experience land differently once you're there.Getting the Most Out of Your La Tomatina Trip
Before you officially begin your booking process for the Tomatina festival, here are a few tips:
- Stay in Valencia
- Don't drive to Buñol on festival day
- Book everything earlier
- Sort your connectivity before you land
