Buñol, Spain is mostly famous for the Tomatina Festival which is the biggest tomato street fight in the world, which should be on everyone’s bucket list.
We recently spent a few days there and even though it was not on the dates of the festival, we loved it there nonetheless as there are so many things to do in Buñol Spain that don’t include tomato fights.
Buñol is definitely one of the best day trips from Valencia, but if you’re road-tripping or campervanning in Spain, you can easily spend a few days in the quaint village.
Especially if you’re an outdoor lover like myself, you can enjoy some of the best hiking trails in Valencia‘s wilderness.
In this post, I’ll give you a suggested one-day itinerary of Buñol Valencia, Spain’s tomato fighting village. But I’ll also leave you some suggested things to in Buñol at the end in case you have more days to spare.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. That means that if you make a purchase through one of those links, I will get a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Hi, I’m Linn Haglund, the face behind Brainy Backpackers. I’ve been based in Spain for the last 10+ years, and travel locally and abroad whenever I have a chance. I’m passionate about responsible travel, slow and off the beaten path travel, and outdoor activities, especially hiking. I’m currently slow traveling in my van Persistence (Persi among friends) with my fiancée Mohammed and rescue puppy Atlas. I’m excited to help you explore this planet responsibly!
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How to get to Buñol from Valencia
If you travel to Buñol from Valencia by train, multiple trains are running throughout the day, from early morning, from Valencia Nord (Line C3) to Utiel. Buñol is the 5th stop, but they say the next station on loudspeaker and you can see it on screens throughout the train.
Make sure you check when the last train returns if you’re planning on a day trip as they don’t usually go too late (when we took the train to explore Cueva del Turche, the last train was just after 18:00.)
Driving to Buñol takes about 40 minutes. It can be a little tricky to find parking in the center, but we found parking by the police station which is free and within an easy walk from the hike to Cueva del Turche and the castle grounds.
If you prefer the comfort of a guided tour, I recommend this day tour from Valencia which includes a visit to the village and a hike to Turche Cave.
TOP TIP! The Tomatina Festival is held on the LAST Wednesday of August every year!
Book a GUIDED TOUR HERE!
Things to do in Buñol Spain in one day
Hike to Cueva del Turche waterfall
Start the day by hiking to Cueva del Turche waterfall. It takes about half an hour from the village and will leave you mesmerized once you get there. In the summer months, you shouldn’t miss out on a swim there before you hike back to the town.
The trail starts at the bottom of Calle Valle de Andorra, crossing the bridge at the bottom of the hill and you’ll see the trail signs on the road to your left.
Once you reach the first water fountain, there is a steep trail up to the right just before the fountain that you’ll follow to the road and from there it’s well signposted.
Once you reach a farm, walk past it on the left and you’ll come onto some steps weaving down to a dirt road that takes you straight to the waterfall a few minutes down the road (turn right not left on this dirt road.)
Grab some lunch in town
Once you return to Buñol town, there are plenty of bars and restaurants where you can grab a bite to eat before you continue your day trip.
We stopped by a few different places, but no one really stood out and all of them were good, so I suggest you just look out for your vibe and order some tapas.
The one thing that stood out to us, was the fresh food, not only in Buñol but in the surrounding villages too as there are plenty of farms around.
CHECK OUT OUR TRIP TO BUÑOL ON YOUTUBE
Visit Buñol Castle
Buñol Castle is really unique as there are still inhabited houses within the castle walls. It’s quite a large area to walk around, but the little old stone houses that are semi-integrated into the castle are so cute.
The views from the castle grounds are also spectacular as you have the entire village at your feet with pine-tree-covered mountains as a backdrop.
The Moors first built the castle between the 11th and the 12th centuries but it was fully refurbished after the Christian reconquest.
It is often used as a filming location and when we were there, they were just packing up after filming for a Hollywood movie. I’m not quite sure which one as the neighbors we talked to couldn’t answer that, but they were super proud of their kids who had a role in the movie.
Visit the San Pedro Apóstol Church
San Pedro Apóstol Church is the main church in Buñol and the one you see towering over the town from the castle. It dates back to the early 18th century and sits in the heart of the old town.
It looks quite ordinary from the outside, sitting on the side of the road as so many churches you come across in small Spanish Pueblos. But step inside and there are stunning frescos on the domed ceiling and beautiful marble and gold ornated columns and walls. I’d say it’s well worth a peek inside!
Stroll around the old town and look for street art and water fountains
One of the things I love the most when walking around towns and cities is to come across street art. And Buñol has some surprisingly impressive pieces!
So make sure you keep your eyes peeled for street art when walking around the old town. Besides, I loved the architecture and make sure you cross the Puente República bridge which was built between 1931 and 1933.
Another interesting thing to look out for is water fountains. There are so many and many of them are incredibly beautiful.
After road-tripping in Andalucia where there has been drought the last years and all public water sources have been bolted across the coast, it was so refreshing to have access to fresh water again!
But their beauty blew us both away! Many of the fountains were named after saints and some of them had a small information sign next to them.
If you have more time…
Visit Cueva de las Palomas
Cueva de las Palomas is a stunning waterfall next to Buñol. It is rocky around it with some places to sit down and a large cave next to it.
It is a stunning place overlooking a deep gorge with several water holes. It can be reached by car and a short hike. We came across it by hiking, but there is a parking no too far away and the trail seems fairly easy to follow.
Go swimming in Charco Mañán
Charco Mañán is another waterfall with several water holes where you can dip in refreshing mountain water.
We saw heaps of kids jumping from the cliffs around the waterfall but didn’t have a go at it ourselves (I hope it doesn’t mean I’m getting too old for that sh*t! I think I gotta have a go next time to make sure that’s not it!)
There is a parking spot right above the waterfall and you must follow the rocky trail down to the river.
Hike Ruta del Agua
If you’re adventurous, make sure you take a day hiking the spectacular Ruta del Agua from Buñol! This is by far one of the top hiking trails in Spain and is full of beauty from start to end.
The hike itself is under 9 km and doesn’t take more than 2.5-3 hours but you’ll pass several swimming spots, among them Cueva del Turche, Charco del Mañán, and Cueva de las Palomas.
I recommend wearing good river hiking shoes so you can walk in the water but also with enough grip to scramble up steep, dirt trails that get quite slippery if you don’t have adequate footwear.
And you will definitely need your swimwear because the places you’ll pass on this hike are absolutely mesmerizing! To avoid rushing back because you get hungry, as we did, make sure you bring enough food for the day and of course plenty of water.
Reflection on a day trip to Buñol from Valencia
Going on a day trip to Buñol from Valencia is absolutely fantastic with so much charm in the village itself, but especially with the incredible natural beauty that surrounds the town. Besides, it’s so easy to get there from Valencia.
We spent 3-4 days enjoying the town and the nature around it doing hikes and swimming at the waterfalls. So what are you waiting for? Pack your bag and don’t forget your swimwear!
Happy travels!