Transportation From Impruneta to San Casciano in Val di Pesa for Hot Air Balloon Ride

M

mclark0229

New member
My wife and I have booked a hot air balloon ride (through Tuscany Ballooning) for our Honeymoon while in Italy. We will be staying at Relais Villa l'Olmo in Impruneta and the launch site for the Balloon is in San Casciano in Val di Pesa. According to google maps, these two locations are a mere 6 miles away from eachother.

I am wondering what we should do for transportation to/from the launch site? We will not have a rental car. I've inquired with the hotel and balloon company and they have both offered to set up a private car rental with driver for 150E and 185E respectively. I have a really hard time paying that much money for a round trip of 20 km! I'm wondering if there is a better (read: cheaper :p) way? I've looked into a bus and I think there is one that could get us there but we must meet the balloon folks at 6 am and I don't think the buses will be running that early from everything I see. I've even considered trying to get our hands on a few bicycles and riding over there but that seems a little too 'adventurous' for newbies like us at 5:30 am in the dim morning light on unknown Tuscan windy roads. And a 6 mile walk that early in the morning probably isn't in the cards either.

Can anyone think of a way we can make this work for anything less than 150E? The one thing I'm having a hard time figuring out in Taxi services. Would some sort of taxi be feasible? Anyone have any experience trying to get taxis in small towns like these?
 
getting around

You have probably already done this, but I am going to ask anyway ... have you asked the hot air balloon people, sometimes for a small extra fee, they will include picking you up. They might not have offered it on the site - but if you ask them they can help you make (cost effective) arrangements.

Buon Viaggio
 
Yes, I've spoken to the hot air balloon folks. They have been very nice and helpful and provided me with a quote from a transportation company they work closely with for the required pickup and dropoff. Only problem is, the quote is 185 E. Like I said in the original post, I really find it outrageous to pay that amount of money for a 20 km round trip. But, it is Tuscany and we are making the decision to not rent a car, so I completely understand that we are at the mercy of the folks offering the services. Just putting a line out here to see if anyone could get creative and help us save a few bucks! :D
 
Most likely you are not paying for the distance but the time they are waiting for you are on the trip.

For that time frame you could look into just going there with the taxi and then coming back on your own both San Casciano and Impruneta are beautiful little towns. ... either are a great place for a second breakfast and an early morning stroll. I access if you could get to the town from the landing site you could find a taxi in town that would be more economical.

Th situation is likely that they are probably not landing in the city center :-), so you still need to get from the landing site to the town.
 
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