Hot air ballooning is one of the most original ways to explore the extremely diverse landscape of Catalonia. An unforgettable experience for those with a sense of adventure, the flight offers the chance to see the region from a stunning perspective, from the snowy Pyrenees to the deep blue Mediterranean.
Among the destinations for a hot air balloon trip, Costa Brava is definitely one of the top choices. Considered as one of the most picturesque coastlines of Europe, Costa Brava starts from the town of Blanes, north of Barcelona, and extends for over 250 kilometers until the French border. Full of hidden coves, rocky bays and small fishing villages, Costa Brava hides many sandy beaches and pebbled bays, hard to reach due to the rugged terrain, thus a ballooning experience will reveal many unexpected surprises.
The moonlike rock formations of the Montserrat mountain range are also a great spectacle to enjoy from the air. They rise abruptly from the ground right in the middle of the vineyards of the surrounding Penedès region. The first national park of Spain, and also home to a Benedictine monastery, important place of pilgrimage since the 12th century, Montserrat’s uniqueness can be best enjoyed from the bird’s-eye view of a hot air balloon ride.
La Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park is one of the best-preserved volcanic landscapes on the Iberian Peninsula. It has 40 extinct volcanoes and 20 lava flows. It is rich and varied in vegetation, but as almost all its surface is private property, it cannot be explored on foot.
A national park since 1967, The Catalan Pyrenees, also a national park, are famous for their dramatic panoramas, with their dramatic panoramas, ski slopes, sinuous trails, castles on the top of the hills and many caves. And right in the middle of the mountain range, on the border between Spain and France, there’s the famous valley of Cerdanya, a green valley with small villages entirely surrounded by the Pyrenees.
The balloon tours last from 60 to 90 minutes and also include a glass of Cava. Among the many companies specialised in hot air balloning, we only mention a few, like Ballooning, who pride themselves with being able to organise flights for up to 200 participants, Vol de Coloms who fly over the valley of Cerdanya and also offer their clients an authentic Catalan food tasting, Globubolg who also reach the areas of Vallés Oriental and Osona, or Barcelona Balloon Flights who will take you over the Montserrat, Costa Brava or the Pyrenees.
Cover image: Photo source: Globubolg, flying over Vallés Oriental