For one hour every August, the small town of Buñol outside Valencia turns into a sea of red pulp as some 20,000 people throw an estimated 150 tonnes of overripe tomatoes at each other. The festival starts when someone climbs a greased pole to grab a ham at the top, and ends when a single cannon blast signals everyone to stop — at which point fire trucks hose the streets clean.

Pro tip: wear shoes you don’t care about, goggles save your eyes, and squash tomatoes before throwing (festival rule). Tickets are capped at 20,000 — book the official package well in advance.