Here are some fun Spain travel tips you’ll enjoy. If you are in Spain at the end of August, you won’t want to miss the biggest food fight in the world.  It happens only in the town of Bunol, Valencia each year.

Around 30,000 people from all over Spain and the world flock to this town just to throw at each other more than two hundred thousand pounds of tomatoes that are dumped from the backs of huge trucks.

The Tomatina festival starts with a contest where players race up a pole to get a smoked leg of a spanish ham. It was officially recognized in 1959 when the government relented due to popular demand. The trucks that carry the massive amounts of tomatoes go around the streets dumping their squishy cargo. The people then go crazy and start throwing tomatoes at each other until there is nothing left to throw.

It is a town-wide tomato fight that escalated into large proportions when the rest of the world found out how much fun it was.  Legend has it that this tradition started in 1945 when a fight erupted between two young people who were attending the carnival in the town square.

The following year, a different group of young people came together at the square and started a tomato fight using their own tomatoes that they brought. Many copycats followed suit but were prevented by the local police and eventually it was banned. The people could not get enough of the tomato fights and they clamored for it to be brought back. The government now fully supports the festival.

Spain Travel Tips For The Best Tomato Fight:

• Have protection for important body parts because you might never know what will happen.
• A shockproof and waterproof camera is great for the memories.
• Bring some pain medication too. You might need it.
• Bring with a good pair of goggles for eye protection.
• It is best that you wear old clothing so that you can just throw them away after the festival.
• Enjoy every moment!

Participants put on goggles and start shouting for the throwing to begin.

They start and stop the tomato throwing at a given time announced by a ‘banger’ or bells. When they hear the signal, they start pelting each other with the squishy tomatoes.

Not only will you get wonderful memories, you will also get better skin because tomatoes are well known for being great antioxidants. While you are there try the acorn cured hams (which are cured with, you guessed it…tomatoes).

Of course you need to get there first. If you are looking for cheap tickets you’ll want to learn how to avoid all those fees that airlines keep adding to your ticket price.  This Fly Cheap Guide shows you back door secrets to fly cheap.