The Spanish holiday takes place in the city of Bunol. This annual "tomato festival" is dedicated to the passing summer and is celebrated in last week August. The festival is no different from other Spanish festivals, there is also dancing, music, fireworks and free food. But the Tomatina festival also has a feature that attracts crowds of tourists to Buñol. The culmination of the holiday is the Battle of the Tomatoes (La Batalle del Tomate), which takes place in the city square.

The battle of tomatoes begins at the signal of a firecracker launched from the city hall. It launches on Wednesday at 11 am. Along with the signal, trucks with the main characters of the holiday - ripe tomatoes - drive out onto the city streets. All the participants of the holiday joyfully run to these cars and begin to throw tomatoes at their less efficient comrades.

Anyone who appears in the affected area can be a target. Participants Tomatina All are considered without exception. The main task of Tomatina’s fighters is to attack their neighbor, and who this neighbor is is not important. If you add up the 40 thousand participants in the fun and hundreds of tons of shells, then it’s easy to imagine what the square and everyone present look like after the first few minutes of shooting with tomatoes.

During Tomatina All bars, cafes, restaurants and others are closed public places. Doors and windows are closed with special plastic shields. Participants in a tomato shootout prefer to dress as much as possible less clothes(of course within reasonable limits), because it is difficult to stay clean even without appearing in the city square. When talking about all this tomato riot, the expression “tomato rivers” is often used, and this is by no means for the sake of a catchphrase.

The history of this unusual holiday begins with the reign of Franco. One version says that throwing tomatoes at each other symbolized protest against the dictatorial regime in . But most likely this meaning was invented later, when the holiday was Tomatino All of Spain has already learned. The first tomato battle was registered in 1945. At the end of summer celebration in Buñol, several young people knocked over a large figure participating in the parade. Whether this happened by chance or whether the young people did it for fun remains unknown. The owner of the figure did not appreciate the joke, and a fight began. The conflict took place near vegetable shops, and tomatoes quickly turned into projectiles for throwing. The police quickly arrived at the scene of the clash and calmed down the participants, while obliging them to pay for the damaged goods. But on next year they gathered at the same place and brought tomatoes with them.

Over time, Tomatina's tomato battles turned into citywide ones. Despite the dissatisfaction of law enforcement defenders, the number of participants in tomato battles increased. In 1950, city authorities stopped preventing the holding of Tomatina, so this day began to be called. However, the temperament of the Spaniards did not allow them to limit themselves to throwing tomatoes only at each other, and influential people in the city of Buñol often fell under the attack. This led to the holiday being banned in 1957. The distressed Spaniards decided to hold a funeral for the Tomatina holiday. To do this, a crowded procession with a huge coffin containing a tomato took place through the streets of the city. The funeral procession moved according to all the rules, it was accompanied by mourners and an orchestra. The ban was lifted in 1959 due to public pressure. Tomatina has become official holiday Bunyola.

In the same year, rules for the holiday were adopted. The same rules apply today. They boil down to just four prohibitions: the beginning and end of the battle are determined strictly by a signal firecracker launched from the city hall; It is forbidden to throw anything except tomatoes, and before throwing the tomato must be kneaded so as not to injure people; tearing off clothes from participants is prohibited; It is prohibited to interfere with the free passage of trucks carrying tomatoes. These simple rules have so far made it possible to avoid serious incidents when celebrating Tomatina.

Until 1975, participants used ammunition they brought with them. And since 1975, monks have been driving them Order of Saint Louis Bertrand, patron saint of the city. Five years later, the city municipality became the organizer of the holiday. This has dramatically increased the number of people participating in Tomatina and the number of tomatoes they throw.

At the end of the tomato battle, participants bathe in a pool of tomato juice and the hams of a traditional Iberian pig are raffled off. Over the course of 2 hours of battle, the tomato mess reaches the ankles, all nearby houses and the participants themselves are painted red. When the tomato battles are over, the square is washed, and the festival of the passing summer is celebrated for a few more days.

On the last Wednesday of August, the small town of Buñol, a suburb of Valencia, hosts the original Tomatina street festival.

The famous tomato battle, for which about 100 tons of tomatoes are purchased, attracts up to 140,000 participants - so you need to take care of housing in advance. The main action begins in the central square of Plaza Del Pueblo, where the municipality delivers fruits free of charge by truck. The firing of water cannons serves as a signal for battle. For an hour, the city center turns into a bloody red mess: tomato slurry reaches the ankles and covers the first floors of buildings - fortunately, local counters board up the windows first.

To avoid injury, it is forbidden to throw whole tomatoes here: they must first be crushed. A second salvo of water cannons signals the end of the battle and the beginning of a general cleansing. Local residents spray guests with hoses, and firefighters wash away traces of fighting from houses and streets. Tomatina is so spectacular that it has been given the status international festival. Due to its popularity, recently the city authorities have limited free access to Tomatina, making entry paid. A standard ticket costs 9 euros, and for 750 euros, wealthy people can take a seat on a tomato truck to kick off the battle.

According to local legend, the first Tomatina arose spontaneously in 1945, thanks to a scandalous incident. During a street procession in honor of a traditional city holiday, a group of young people started a fight that engulfed the entire street. The incident took place in the area of ​​a vegetable patch and the rivals used tomatoes as throwing weapons. Although the police still managed to separate the fighters, they decided to repeat the tomato battle again the next year, but as a fun citywide pastime. Since the 1980s, Tomatina received official status, and the municipality of Buñol began to organize it. The festival soon became known throughout the world, becoming one of the tourist symbols of Valencia.

The journey from Valencia to Buñol by car will take about half an hour.

What is Tomatina (La Batalla del Tomate)? Features of the celebration tomato festival in Spain. Program, place and dates of Tomatina 2020.

Rivers of tomato juice flow through the streets of provincial Buñol during the Tomato Festival in Spain. In one hour, event participants destroy 150 tons of red fruits, throwing them at everyone around them. Two hours after the start of the battles, the central square of the city with all the houses is painted bright red, and the level of tomato juice reaches the ankles.

Tomatina is a cult phenomenon that has no hidden meaning. It’s just that thousands of residents and guests of the city gather to throw tomatoes for fun.

How did the Tomato Battle come about?

Today there is a noble version of the origin of the event, according to which Buñol residents, as a sign of protest against the dictatorial regime of Franco’s rule, began to throw tomatoes at each other. But history is silent about the harm this would cause to the dictator himself. The second version, which dates back to 1945, is considered more plausible, when a group of guys staged a brawl in the Plaza del Pueblo. The conflict occurred near the market, and the young people did not come up with anything better than using fresh vegetables as projectiles.

Tomato battle is loved by young people and guests of the country

Thanks to the tenacity of the townspeople, who deliberately renewed the brawl year after year, the authorities were forced to officially establish La Batallа del Tomate as a local holiday. The free concert was so liked by everyone who managed to see it that a year later the performance was repeated.

Tomatina Festival - dates 2020

Every year the event starts in the last week of August. Tomatina 2020 falls on August 30th. It will last a whole week. Competitions, music and dance festivals, competitions, free treats, and nightly fireworks shows are planned. But the highlight, of course, is the tomato fight.

Tomatina celebration program

The popular tomato battle in Spain is held in three stages:

1. A seven-meter pillar, generously greased with soap, is installed in the city square. A delicious piece of jamon is suspended above it. The goal is to take possession of the ham to start the celebration. After clumsy attempts for an hour or two, there will definitely be a trickster in the crowd who will manage to get the coveted piece of pork;
2. At exactly 11 a.m., a firecracker explosion is heard from the town hall, signaling the start of the tomato battle. The square is filled with trucks filled to the brim with ripe vegetables. In addition to the fruits the cars are carrying the most ardent fans of the holiday, who did not spare 300 euros for the right to be in the VIP box as close to the projectiles as possible. They are the first to start throwing tomatoes at the crowd. The crowd below is also not at a loss, running up to the trucks to replenish the combat arsenal;
3. After 2 hours of fierce battles for the participants of the battle, washed with tomato juice, merrily tumbling in a sea of ​​crushed fruits, a second signal is heard from the roof of the town hall. He announces a ceasefire. Cleaning vehicles are moving into the square to wash away the “bloody” consequences of the massacre.

Tomato battle in Bunyol - how to get there

The town of Buñol, where La Batalà del Tomate (The Tomato Battle) takes place, is adjacent to Valencia. There are three ways to get to the Tomatina festival site.

Panorama of Buñol, home of the Tomatina festival

• Bus number 265A will take you there in an instant;
• Another way to get to Buñol is to take the C3 commuter train from Valencia to Sant Isidre;
• Happy car owners will be able to get there on their own along the A3 motorway. Continue towards Madrid/Aeropuerto and then exit at VP-3031/Buñol.

Where to stay during Tomatina period

When planning a trip to the Tomatina festival, it is logical to start looking for hotels in Buñol. But we do not recommend it from the bottom of our hearts. Firstly, all the decent options (and this is a guest house Torre de Alborache and hotel Hotel Condes de Buñol 2* near the station) are booked a year in advance. You can check the dates around August 30, 2017 yourself - there are no longer any available rooms. Secondly, Valencia is only half an hour away from the main events, and it is much more interesting than Buñol.

Pay attention to the hotels in Valencia within walking distance from the railway station, from where trains depart to Buñol:

• Hotel Conqueridor. The hotel is close to the train station (about 300 m) and metro station. If you are interested not only in Tomatina, then nearby is Piazza di Spagna, from where buses depart to the beach and to the airport - wherever you want :) The rooms are large, with air conditioning and wi-fi. Price from 4,500 rub.

  

  Let's go to the Tomato Battle: Hotel Conqueridor

• Zenit Valencia. 4 star hotel close to the metro, city center and, most importantly, train stations (after all, our goal is to participate in Tomatina!). Cozy rooms, spacious bathrooms, panoramic terrace. Price from 4,500 rub.

  

  How to get to the Tomato Battle: Zenit Valencia

• Sohotel Ruzafa. This is an apartment hotel where guests can either use a shared kitchen or book a room with a kitchenette. Each studio has a bathtub, hairdryer and bath amenities. The hotel is ideal for a trip to the Tomato Battle 2017 (the station is nearby). Price from 2,900 rub.

  

It’s also a good idea to stay right in the center (you can always get to the train stations by public transport):

Our visitors are concerned with a pressing question: if they settle in Valencia, and not in Buñol, what to do with the clothes ruined after Tomatina?

Spain, Buñol

Tomatina: bright photos and videos, detailed description and reviews of the 2020 Tomatina event.

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The walls of houses covered with a scarlet mess flowing down the streets and squares, people running through this liquid and covered with it from head to toe - this is not a horror film, but one of the most fun and vibrant Spanish holidays - Tomatina (la Tomatina). It takes place in the small town of Buñol on the last Wednesday of August as the apotheosis of a week-long harvest festival. By 11:00, trucks with tomatoes arrive at the main square near the town hall, and as soon as the sound of exploding firecrackers is heard, more than 40 thousand people begin to grab the “shells” and attack everyone around.

Windows and shop windows are covered with plastic shields during the battle. The holiday has no territorial boundaries; it goes from the main square to neighboring streets, but the time limits are clearly defined: you can throw tomatoes for exactly one hour. During this time, participants destroy about 150 tons of tomatoes, and the level of juice on the ground reaches their ankles.

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A little history

The first time Tomatina took place was in 1945: local residents threw vegetables at each other not far from the market. A year later, they stocked up on “weapons” in advance and again staged a brawl, this time more numerous. And so it happened: every year everyone officially threw vegetables, gradually switching to tomatoes, the juiciest and safest. There is no sacred meaning in this: everyone is just having fun and enjoying the harvest. Since the 80s The government took over the supply of shells for Tomatina, which significantly increased the scale of the battle. In 2002, the festival was given international status, and now tourists specially come to Buñol to take part in it.

The authorities tried to cancel the holiday, but residents defended it. In 1959, the municipality allowed Tomatina to take place, putting forward 4 conditions:

• Signal firecrackers determine the start and finish of the battle; throwing tomatoes before and after it is prohibited.
• You cannot tear the clothes of other participants.
• You can only throw tomatoes.
• Maintain distance from trucks transporting tomatoes.

Tomatina 2017

In 2017, the tomato battle will take place on August 30, and before and after it there will be fun in the city. Already on August 28 will begin holiday events: competitions, free food, musical performances and fireworks shows. The night before the battle there will be a paella cooking competition. In the morning, on the main square in front of the town hall, a 7-meter pole greased with soap will be installed, on top of which is a piece of jamon. Anyone can try to take possession of it. Over time, the layer of soap will be erased, and finally a trickster will be found who has climbed onto the pole.

The holiday itself begins with the shooting of firecrackers from the roof of the town hall. Trucks with ripe tomatoes and the most ardent fans of the holiday enter the square, who did not regret 790 EUR for the opportunity to be the first to start the “shelling”. Exactly an hour later, a second shot is heard, signaling the end of the battle. Guests leave the place of fun, fire trucks arrive and eliminate the consequences of the massacre. After this, participants swim in the river, or are hosed down by local residents for a couple of euros. Prices on the page are for October 2018.

Before throwing tomatoes, they need to be crushed so as not to accidentally injure someone. For the same reasons, you should not carry glass bottles or anything that could be dangerous in a crowd.

For a holiday, you should wear something that you can easily say goodbye to: it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to wash tomato juice off your clothes. Gloves and safety glasses are also recommended, as well as shoes that fit firmly on your feet - the flip-flops will get lost in the first few minutes. It is better to take as few things with you as possible, and put everything valuable in a storage room (they are located on the way from the railway station to the square) for 2-3 EUR.

Tickets and accommodation

Tickets can be purchased at the office. the festival website, and not only the usual entrance fees, but also with additional services, for example, accommodation or transfers, showers, T-shirts. Many agencies offer special programs for visiting the holiday: observation from the balcony, travel by truck, as well as tours from Valencia, Madrid, Barcelona and other cities. There is an office. representative of the festival in Russia.

The entrance ticket costs 10 EUR and is exchanged for a bracelet upon entry. All tickets are personal, you will need to present an identification document. They cannot be returned or transferred to another person.

Regular tickets run out quickly; now agencies only offer comprehensive programs. Children are allowed entry, but few parents expose their children to such danger.

The holiday is very popular in Europe, and Buñol is a small town, so finding accommodation for the festival dates will not be easy; everything is sold out almost a year in advance. You can live in small towns nearby, for example, in Chiva or Ceste, and come to the holiday by bus, but it is more convenient to live in Valencia, where there is a choice

Good afternoon. The Tomatina festival in Spain is the most colorful event of the summer. Imagine hundreds of tons of fresh tomatoes that you can throw at each other, and you won’t get anything for it. In addition to the epic battle itself, they cook paella all night, storm wooden poles and swim in a pool of tomato juice. It will be fun without wearing white.

Spain. Valenicia. City of Buñol

The Spanish tomato fight La Tomatina takes place annually on the last Wednesday of August.

The holiday is very popular, attracting hundreds of tourists from all over the world. For example: in 2011, a city with a population of 9,000 people counted 40,000 people during Tomatina.

That's why housing costs book in advance.

Unprohibited

At exactly 11:00 in the city of Buñol, a signal is heard - a firecracker explodes on the roof of the town hall.

This means that the most picturesque and original holiday, La Tomatina, has begun, when tens of thousands of people throw ripe tomatoes at each other.

It seems that this town near Valencia turns into a modern art installation for one day. The central square, city streets, walls and shop windows are covered with an even layer of tomatoes. Although, it’s worth saying right away: all this tomato madness lasts exactly 2 hours.

Several times they tried to ban La Tomatina, but this caused such a storm of protests among the local population that the authorities gave up.

The only time Tomatina was canceled was during Franco's reign. The dictator recognized it as having absolutely no religious significance, and therefore useless.

Good tone for a tomato battle

Okay, they couldn’t ban the battle at all, but they worked out the rules of engagement.

1. You cannot tear or damage your opponents' clothes.
2. Throwing anything other than tomatoes is prohibited.
3. No bottles, stones, sharp objects.
4. Before throwing a tomato, remember it in your hand so that it lands “soft” on your opponent.
5. It is impossible to prevent the movement of trucks on the streets.
6. No obvious aggression, just fun.

The first point about clothing may alarm you. How can you not ruin your clothes when you are bombarded with ripe tomatoes for 2 hours? So don't wear anything valuable. Many people come to tomato fights in swimsuits, shorts, or anything they don’t mind.

Where it all began

The festival itself is a celebration of the harvest, the end of summer. Held in honor of the patron saint of the city, Saint Louis Bertrand.

There are several versions of how it all began.

According to the first version, the young people decided to make fun of the authorities who were playing musical instruments On the market. Young people grabbed tomatoes from trays and threw them at the musicians. They played very poorly.

The musicians also began to respond to the crowd with vegetable shells. It all ended in a massacre. Somehow I liked it and it stuck.

According to another version, it all started in 1945. A parade took place in the city with “giants”-strongmen who carried huge figures on their shoulders. The people themselves were hidden under long clothes. It seemed as if giants were walking along the main square.

Due to a strong crush, one of these “giants” fell, became confused, and became very angry. Out of anger, he began to grab vegetables from the trays and throw them at the crowd. And so a fight ensued. The parade was quickly forgotten; everyone enjoyed throwing tomatoes at each other.

And that is not all

Since the 80s, participants in the massacre do not need to spend money on tomatoes. Like spoiling someone else's goods on the market.

Everything is quickly delivered to Plaza del Pueblo and distributed to everyone. The shells are brought in by trucks, but it seems there are never enough of them.

But that's not all that Tomatina will surprise you with.

• The holiday itself officially begins after someone manages to climb onto a tall wooden pole smeared with soap. Its height is approximately 2 floors.
• The winner receives a luxurious prize - pork ham (jamon).
• Musicians perform in the streets and fireworks go off.

• After 2 hours of battle have passed, everyone has the opportunity to swim in the pool of tomato juice.
• At the same time, there is a fun fair, everyone dances, eats, and completely gives themselves over to the fun.
• The city doesn't sleep at night. An annual competition is held: cooking the best paella followed by tasting.

Video

Time of Tomatina

By the way, you will need to buy a ticket. There are two options:

• directly in the city before the start of the festival.
• can be ordered through the website http://latomatina.ru.

Attention! The number of tickets is limited.

What is the price

Participation fee: 10 euros.

Official site: www.tomatina.es

How to get there

• By car

From Valencia
Take Avenida del Cid towards Madrid, along the A¬3 highway. At exit 332 (Salida 332), follow the signs for Buñol. Bright posters usually appear before the holiday, so don’t miss it.

From Alicante
From the city, follow the signs for Valencia, take the A7 highway to exit 332 (Salida 332), you can easily find your way there.

From Madrid
On the A¬3 highway, direction Valencia city. Take exit Salida 319. Continue on to Buñol.

• Get there by train

From Barcelona
Barcelona-Valencia, the train leaves from Estación de Sant station to the city of Valencia, where there is a change to Buñol. The journey will take 3 hours.

From Madrid
From Madrid to Valencia by AVE train, the journey takes 1 hour 35 minutes.

Address: Spain, Buñol

Buñol on the map

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