Tomato rivers flow through the streets and squares, the walls of houses and all around are covered with a dense, scarlet mash of tomatoes. No, this is not an explosion in a canned tomato factory, it's one of the brightest holidays in Spain - Tomato (Tomato).
On the last Wednesday in August, at 11 am, a special firecrack explodes at the town hall of Bunyol, signaling the beginning of tomato madness . More than 40 thousand people rush to the trucks approaching the main square, snatch ripe "shells" and attack them everyone who is nearby!
During the battle, the windows of cafes, restaurants and shops are closed with plastic shields. Tomato battles are not limited to the square, grabbing the nearest streets. If the edge of the holiday's territory is difficult to determine, then its temporary border is clearly defined - it can take exactly two hours to throw tomatoes.
The first time Tomatina showed herself in 1945. Then it was just a brawl involving vegetables from the nearest store as a weapon. But the next year the brawl was repeated, the vegetables in the shop were bought in advance, and the number of participants increased several times.
The holiday ends with a bath in the pool filled with tomato juice. The next few days on the washed square is the Tomato festival - a harvest festival and the end of summer.