Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Flight with Tuscan Breakfast

Sunrise is the operating constraint here and the reason to book. The balloon lifts while the light is still low and flat, when the Chianti hills hold shadow in every fold and the cypress trees stand out against them. Season and weather decide the rest: some mornings the flight passes over mist sitting in the valleys, others it climbs through light cloud into clear sky. The route stays inside the Chianti area near Florence, above vineyards, olive groves, medieval villages and the hills between them. Lower down, deer, wild boar, horses and grazing cattle turn up often enough to watch for, and people in gardens and fields sometimes wave, usually after their dogs have already barked at the balloon. The flight runs about an hour. Breakfast follows on the landing field, with Tuscan food and sparkling wine served where the basket comes down. Photographs of the flight are included and groups are kept small. The operator describes its balloon as one of the most photographed in Tuscany and its pilots as among the most experienced in Italy. Allow around three hours in total, counting the meeting and the drive back to the starting point. Cancel 24 hours or more before departure for a full refund.