Hot air balloon ride over Monsaraz with champagne toast

Rise over medieval villages and Europe's largest artificial lake

A hot air balloon flight over Monsaraz in Portugal's Alentejo region, where you help fill the balloon, fly for 1 to 90 minutes following the wind, and watch the medieval schist villages, golden cornfields and Alqueva dam unfold below. The experience ends with a champagne toast and a personal flight certificate.

Step-by-step itinerary

Balloon ride over Alentejo landscape

• Balloon filling and preparation
• Climb into balloon basket
• Fly over fertile fields and golden cornfields
• View medieval villages of Monsaraz
• See Alqueva dam and lake

The experience

Monsaraz sits on a hilltop in the Alentejo, and from the ground it looks one way. From a hot air balloon it looks entirely different. You start by helping the Windpassenger team fill the balloon, watching it take shape as the burners fire up and the envelope rises overhead. Then you climb into the basket with up to nine other passengers and lift off, drifting according to the wind rather than a fixed route. Below, the landscape shifts from the green of fertile fields in the north to golden cornfields and olive groves in the south, and the medieval schist walls of Monsaraz itself pass underneath. The Alqueva dam spreads across the horizon: at 250 square kilometres, it is Europe's largest manmade lake.

The flight lasts between one and ninety minutes, and the whole experience runs three to four hours from start to finish. A professional guide speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese or German throughout, handling the burners and the landing while you watch the Alentejo unfold. Once the balloon touches down, the team helps secure it, and you gather for a champagne christening to mark the flight. You receive a personal flight certificate to take home, and return transport gets you back to your starting point.

What’s included

• Flight in the hot air balloon for one to ninety minutes.
• help filling the balloon on the ground.
• professional guide in your choice of language.
• champagne christening at landing.
• personal flight certificate.
• return transportation to the departure point.
• VAT and all licenses required for balloon operations.

Information

Lasts 3h–4h, runs Friday to Sunday at 06:00, from € 239 per person, with live guides in 5 languages and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesFriday to SundayDeparts at 06:00Last departure this season: 15 Nov

AgesAdult (12 to 95 years) · Child (7 to 11 years) · Under 7: can't be booked

GroupUp to 24

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, German, Portuguese and Dutch

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated 10 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Windpassenger

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to participate in the setup and feel the full arc of the experience from ground to sky, rather than simply being a passenger. The small group size, maximum ten people, means you get attention from the guide and room to move in the basket.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, German, Portuguese and Dutch.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (7 to 11 years). Children under 7 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What do I actually do during the balloon ride itself?

You help the team fill the balloon on the ground, climb into the basket once it is inflated, and then fly for one to ninety minutes while the guide manages the burners and the descent. The wind decides the direction, not a predetermined path.

How big is the Alqueva dam, and what does it look like from the air?

The Alqueva dam covers 250 square kilometres and stretches 83 kilometres in length, making it Europe's largest manmade lake. From the balloon, you see its full expanse of water cutting through the Alentejo landscape, with almost 200 kilometres of its coastline within the municipality of Reguengos de Monsaraz.

What happens after we land?

Once the balloon touches down, the team secures it and you gather for a champagne christening to celebrate the flight. You receive a personal flight certificate, and then return transport takes you back to your departure point.