Buñol

With a population of 9,500 (2018), Buñol is the largest town in La Hoya, the mountainous western area of Valencia province. Every year 40,000 people or more gather in the town to throw over 115,000 kilograms of tomatoes at each other in the yearly Tomatina festival. The festival is a popular sight, and tourists from across Europe flock to the town to join in the fun.

Understand
Buñol (from Arabic al-Buniúl) has been inhabited continuously for at least 50,000 years, with archaeological remains from the Paleolithic, Iberian, and Roman eras. After the Christian Reconquista in the 13th century the town became a border post between the kingdoms of Valencia and Castile, and remained populated mostly by Moriscos until their expulsion from Spain in 1602, which brought on a regional economic collapse.

Today agriculture and industry are the primary economic activities. The climate is typical Mediterranean, with mild winters (and occasional snow) and hot summers.



By plane
Valencia International Airport. Has daily flights from major cities in Europe and has seasonal flights from New York City. From the airport, drive west along the Autovia del Este.

By bus
Autobuses Buñol runs frequent buses from Valencia, to the Buñol  on Av Beltran Vaguena, near the Plaza de la Diputación.

Get around
The central core of Buñol is small and easily navigable by foot. To go further distances, the town has a municipal bus service which connects the centre with the outlying barrios, traveling in a circular route. Buses operate Monday through Saturday, departing every half-hour or hour; a schedule and route map can be downloaded here.

Do
Buñol is a beautiful town, but the most beautiful are its natural places on the outskirts of the city which are great for walking around. is a large park where people usually go for a walk and play sports.

Buñol is famous for its two music wind ensembles, which are the most important in the province of Valencia.

Festivals

 * As a means of crowd control the town has begun selling tickets to the event, which much be purchased in advance online. It is advisable to wear old clothing to the event, and to protect your camera should you bring one. The Tomatina lasts only one hour, from noon until 13:00.
 * As a means of crowd control the town has begun selling tickets to the event, which much be purchased in advance online. It is advisable to wear old clothing to the event, and to protect your camera should you bring one. The Tomatina lasts only one hour, from noon until 13:00.
 * As a means of crowd control the town has begun selling tickets to the event, which much be purchased in advance online. It is advisable to wear old clothing to the event, and to protect your camera should you bring one. The Tomatina lasts only one hour, from noon until 13:00.

Eat
Due to its inland location, traditional Buñol cuisine is largely based on rice, vegetables, and game, and includes such dishes as arroz con bledas, aka arroz con acelgas (rice with chard and snails), olla podrida (vegetable and pork stew), and perdiz en escabeche (partridge in pickle sauce), a mainstay of Castilian cooking.