La Tomatina

When: 29th August, 2012 Where: Bunyol, Valencia, Spain

Did you say you loved tomatoes? Tomato soup, tomato ketchup, tomato salad- or anything, for that matter, with loads of the carotene-rich vegetable/fruit in it? Then Valencia (Spain) is where all your tomato-tinted dreams will come true in August every year. On this particular day, the streets of the town of Bunyol become the scene for what may qualify as one of the biggest food fights anywhere on Earth: the festival of La Tomatina. La Tomatina (as its name signifies) centers around the humble tomato, 1,25,000 kilos of which are used by the town's populace- and visiting guests- to pound, batter, and completely cover each other with squishy tomatoes.

La Tomatina's origins are pretty humble: it began as a common brawl outside a restaurant way back in 1944- but the decades since then have seen it develop into one of Spain's biggest, most popular and most fun tourist draws. Bunyol's actual population is only about 9,000, but during La Tomatina, that figure swells to a respectable 30,000- all of them with a ferocious red gleam in their eyes, eager to pelt everybody in sight with tomatoes. The tomato festivities begin at 11 am with the launching of five tomato-packed rockets- and then, for the next 2 hours, everybody goes more than a little mad. The rules for the tomato fight are simple enough: no ammo other than tomatoes is allowed, and all tomatoes must be squished before being thrown.

Two hours of tomato-throwing take their toll on participants and streets alike, and after everybody's washed and changed and Bunyol's streets have been hosed down, La Tomatina continues- with plenty of wine, lots of music and feasting- all of it in the still-tomato-redolent environs of Bunyol. So if you're looking for a bit of good ol' street fighting, and that too with your favourite vegetable, come to Bunyol for La Tomatina!

In 2013 the La Tomatina festival will be celebrated on 28 August.

How to get there by Air Madrid as well as Barcelona has a busy international airports, served by airlines from all over the world. Contact a travel agent for seasonal discounts and fares.

How to get there by Rail If you’re traveling from within the Union, you can get tickets for the Eurail to enter the country by land. Other international trains normally connect to Spain via France.

How to get there by Road You can drive into Spain from bordering France or Portugal. Driving is on the right hand side of the road and you will require an International driving license and a proof of insurance Green card. The general condition of roads is good. The toll roads are marked A and they are known as autopistas. The national and main roads are marked N and the country roads are marked C. Gasoline is expensive as also toll charges which are on the higher side.

How to get there by Sea There are ferry shuttle services to Gibraltar connecting Tangiers and Morocco.

Getting Around By car The fast improving road and superhighway system of Spain is making it a great country to discover by car. Just a few pointers : drive to the right, don’t honk in cities, fasten your seat belt and no kiddies in the front seat. Remember these few rules for the Spaniards are serious about them and you just might end up with fines to pay – which are high, just like the highway tolls. Its also important to keep in mind that car theft isn’t uncommon, and you are safer off parking your car in a staffed parking lot rather than out on the road. By bus Spain has a great bus network, although there is no national or state run bus company. Cheaper and more frequent than trains, buses allow you to experience the interiors. On major routes, advance book tickets around tourist season. By train

There are many options to choose from even within this category.

There are 3 kinds of trains that the national RENFE offers : Tolgas – fastest, most comfortable and costliest. Expresos and rapidos ( a little contrary to their names) are

slowest but cheaper. Buy the RENFE Tourist Card, for great value and unlimited travel for 3,5 or 10 days. The most recent development in the Spanish transportation network has been the opening of the superfast AVE train network which connects Madrid to Seville and Cordoba.

By air

Some might find Spanish airfares high by world standards, but they are a quick and comfortable way of getting around the country. There are several shuttles between Madrid and Barcelona, as well as other locations. The carriers include not only the domestic service but also a number of subsidiaries and private airlines.