Hot Air Balloon Ride / Picnic - Tuscany

[Firenze2025-4]

Hi, hoping for some advice/suggestions.

I’m looking for ideas and/or someone to help me with planning a small activity for four adults early in the morning on Tuesday, July 2. On this day, we have the morning hours free. I'm not sure what time, but around 11:00 a.m. or a bit later, we will be heading to the Antinori winery for a tasting and maybe lunch or an early dinner.

Ideally, I wanted to surprise my group with a hot air balloon ride early morning, but it is a big expense, together with the separate charge of €250 for the hot air balloon company driver to pick us up in Firenze city Centre, and take us back. A driver that could pick us up from the City Centre, take us to the hot air balloon site, and then take us from the hot air balloon landing site to the winery would be ideal. Any suggestions? And also as to the price of such a journey?

So I’m considering alternative options to the hot air balloon ride if the final amount is too expensive and thought of maybe an early morning picnic with a beautiful view, in Tuscany before heading to the winery. Any suggestions or ideas on where, or which company/person could help in this regard are most welcome.

Thank you!

 

[Lourdes]

Ciao!

I take it you and your friends are staying in Florence and not going to spend some time out of Florence, other than for the wine tasting to the Antinori estate you're planning?

It definitely is not a small expense, I am wondering if the tour company that organizes the departure from outside of Florence would be willing to organize the transfer as well? Otherwise, why not rent a car for the day and drive yourself?

Another possibility would be to do the hot air balloon ride OVER Florence itself, rather than over the countryside. There are several that offer the possibility to do it over Florence, with departure along river. This one in particular says the take off is right in the city and the company takes care to return you to Florence to the same spot, since it is most likely you land outside of Florence.

If the wine tasting at Antinori is part of the day's plan, then maybe doing the ride in Florence is still doable - with a dinner included but not necessarily right there. This area is best visited with a car, so maybe a car rental should be considered. Antinori owns the Badia di Passignano restaurant just a few more km down from the winery - https://www.osteriadipassignano.com/badia-a-passignano/ - and I had a great lunch there with lots of the various Antinori wines along the way, it was a memorable culinary experience. I would highly recommend it, considering if you're looking to create a memorable day you should go all out and do this as well. If you don't want to drive, you could have an NCC driver or taxi take you and pick you up, that way you all can enjoy your wines rather than worry about someone abstaining to drive back. Consider NCC drivers are more or less the same as a taxi as far as cost, but at least you can contact them ahead of time and arrange all the times and details and not do it as a last minute thing.

 

[sarahblock]

Hi, hoping for some advice/suggestions.

I’m looking for ideas and/or someone to help me with planning a small activity for four adults early in the morning on Tuesday, July 2. On this day, we have the morning hours free. I'm not sure what time, but around 11:00 a.m. or a bit later, we will be heading to the Antinori winery for a tasting and maybe lunch or an early dinner.

Ideally, I wanted to surprise my group with a hot air balloon ride early morning, but it is a big expense, together with the separate charge of €250 for the hot air balloon company driver to pick us up in Firenze city Centre, and take us back. A driver that could pick us up from the City Centre, take us to the hot air balloon site, and then take us from the hot air balloon landing site to the winery would be ideal. Any suggestions? And also as to the price of such a journey? Uno Online?

So I’m considering alternative options to the hot air balloon ride if the final amount is too expensive and thought of maybe an early morning picnic with a beautiful view, in Tuscany before heading to the winery. Any suggestions or ideas on where, or which company/person could help in this regard are most welcome.

Thank you!

Hi there,

Your plan sounds amazing! Since you are heading to the Antinori winery around 11:00 AM, combining the hot air balloon ride with your winery trip actually makes perfect geographic sense. Most hot air balloon flights in the Florence area take off from San Casciano in Val di Pesa or Tavarnelle, which are both located in Chianti—right on the way from Florence's city center down to the Antinori winery in Bargino.

Paying €250 just to have the balloon company take you back to Florence is a waste of both time and money, since you'd just have to turn around and drive right back to Chianti for the winery.

Instead of using the balloon company's transport, look into hiring a private NCC driver (Noleggio Con Conducente) for a point-to-point service. You can ask them for a quote to pick you up early from Florence city centre, wait for you during the balloon ride (which usually finishes with a light champagne breakfast around 8:30-9:00 AM), and then drop you off directly at Antinori. It might still cost around €200–€300 total for the morning, but it covers all your transportation for 4 adults instead of paying €250 just for a return trip to Florence. You can reach out to local companies like Tuscany Driving, Chauffeur Service Florence, or ask your accommodation if they have a trusted NCC contact.

Hope you can make the surprise happen!