Barcelona: Hot Air Balloon & 2-Hour Sailing with Cava

Float over vineyards at dawn, then sail past Sagrada Familia at sunset

You float in a hot air balloon over the Catalan countryside for just over an hour, celebrate with Cava and a certificate, then sail for two hours along Barcelona's coast seeing Sagrada Familia, Montjuïc, and the old port from the water. Hotel pickup and small-group sailing (max 11 people) are included, and the whole day takes seven hours from start to return.

Step-by-step itinerary

Hot air balloon and sailing tour

• Fly over Montserrat mountain
• View Hotel W from the sea
• See Montjuic Mountain and castle
• Admire Port Vell port
• Glance at Columbus Monument
• Enjoy Barceloneta Beach view
• Marvel at Sagrada Familia from sea
• Sail along Mediterranean coast
• Drink and snack on boat
• Celebrate with Cava and certificate

The experience

Most people choose one or the other: a balloon ride or a boat day. This tour stacks both into seven hours, which sounds ambitious until you realize the timing actually works. You start before sunrise with hotel pickup, drive an hour inland toward Montserrat, and launch into the Catalan countryside while the light is still soft. The balloon drifts for one hour and fifteen minutes, speed and direction decided by wind rather than a pilot's plan, which is the whole point. You'll see the landscape tilt and shrink below (vineyards, small towns, the ridge of the mountain), and then land, pop a bottle of Cava, get your certificate, and head back toward the coast.

The sailing part starts around midday. A boat with a maximum of eleven people leaves from Barcelona's waterfront, and for two hours you're moving slowly along the Mediterranean, watching the city reveal itself from the water. Hotel W slides past first: that white sail-shaped building that looks like it might tip over. Then Montjuïc with its castle and gardens, Port Vell with its working harbor, the Columbus Monument standing at the end of the old port, Barceloneta Beach crowded and gold in the afternoon light, and finally Sagrada Familia rising up from inland, impossible to miss. You're sipping drinks and picking at snacks the whole time, which is the only way to see a city you already know and still feel like you're discovering it.

The logistics are built in: private transportation collects you from your hotel, a guide handles the balloon setup and deflation, and the sailing boat is small enough that you're not packed in with a hundred other tourists. The weather has to cooperate. If it doesn't, you get a different date or your money back. Seven hours is the real duration, not counting the drive time, so you're not back until evening, which means you lose most of a day but gain something you can't replicate anywhere else in the city.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and return transportation.
• professional guide throughout.
• hot air balloon flight for 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Cava toast and flight certificate with photos.
• 2-hour Mediterranean sailing tour with maximum 11 passengers.
• drinks and snacks during the sail.
• welcome backpack containing cookies, fruit juice, and bottled water.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:00Last departure this season: 31 Dec

Book up to1d before

GroupUp to 11

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

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.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Sailing Tours Barcelona

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see Barcelona from two completely different angles (sky and sea) without arranging transport, timing, or logistics yourself. The fixed schedule and small group size mean you're not juggling two separate bookings or wondering how to get between them.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

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.

How long is the actual hot air balloon flight?

One hour and fifteen minutes in the air. The full balloon experience, including setup, Cava celebration, and deflation, takes longer, but flight time is 1h 15m.

What's included in the tour?

Hotel pickup, professional guide, hot air balloon flight, Cava toast, flight certificate and photos, the 2-hour sailing tour, drinks and snacks on the boat, and a welcome backpack with cookies, fruit juice, and bottled water.

How many people go on the sailing part?

Maximum 11 people per boat, so it stays small and not crowded.

How long is the whole experience?

Seven hours total, including the one-hour drive to the balloon launch site, the flight, the return drive to Barcelona, and the two-hour sail.

What if the weather is bad?

If weather cancels the tour, you're offered a different date or a full refund.

Do I need to be fit for this?

The tour is suitable for most fitness levels. It's not recommended for pregnant travelers or those with serious cardiovascular or heart conditions.

Can children go?

Yes. Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller during the ground portions.

Where does the balloon launch?

Approximately one hour from Barcelona, in the Catalan countryside near Montserrat. The exact location is determined by wind conditions.