La Tomatina is a spectacle you don't want to miss
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La Tomatina is a festival held in the Valencian town of Buñol, Spain, located 30 km from the Mediterranean Sea. La Tomatina is a spectacle in which more than 20,000 people squeeze into the narrow streets and go wild with 150,000 tomatoes. It always takes place on the last Wednesday in August, and it's the highlight of the year in Buñol.
The night before La Tomatina, the streets are filled with food stalls offering delicious local dishes. In the square, you'll find paella cooked over a wood fire, and you can drink wine until the early hours of the morning. Early Wednesday morning, at 9 a.m., the first tomato throwers begin to arrive.
There are various interpretations of the origin of this popular festival. According to some historians, it started as a joke. A man was performing music in the village square when a group of young people, annoyed by his singing, began throwing tomatoes at him from a nearby fruit and vegetable stall. The police intervened and made the tomato throwers pay for the damage. Exactly one year later, the same group returned, armed with even more tomatoes, and once again the police had to intervene. Over time, Tomatina became an annual tradition. Eventually, in 1980, the municipality decided to organize the festival officially to manage the chaos. However, the event grew so rapidly that, since 2013, participation has been limited to 20,000 people. So, if you want to be there, make sure to buy your ticket well in advance. It's worth noting that the tomatoes used are ones that are no longer fit for consumption.
Where to stay
If you're looking for a unique place to stay, we recommend lodging 4.2 km from Buñol in Macastre at Villa Charlie Casa Señorial. The guest house is almost like a museum, featuring a large garden and a fantastic pool. 
It's a charming house with a lot of character. It has an excellent average rating of 9.3 on Booking.com.
How to get there
The most convenient way to reach Buñol is to take the train to Valencia. From Valencia, you can catch a bus to Buñol.
What's the weather like?
Be prepared – August is the hottest month, with average maximum temperatures around 29.0°C (84.2°F). Click here for more climate information about Valencia.