Hot Air Balloon Ride Over Segovia with Pickup from Madrid

4.47

(36 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

We were already half awake when the van pulled up outside our hotel in Madrid — it was barely light out, but somehow that made the whole thing feel more like an adventure. The drive to Segovia was quiet, just a few of us bundled up and trading sleepy hellos. I remember the first hint of sunlight catching on the fields as we got closer; it smelled faintly of earth and something sweet, maybe wildflowers or just morning air. Our guide, Javier, had this calm way of explaining everything without making it sound rehearsed — he pointed out the silhouette of Segovia’s cathedral before we even reached the launch site, which felt like a small secret only locals know.

I didn’t expect how gentle the takeoff would be. One minute we were standing in dew-soaked grass, next we were floating — really floating — over Segovia. The city looked smaller than I’d imagined from above, all terracotta roofs and that spire reaching up through the mist. Someone laughed when I tried to pronounce “acueducto” properly (I still can’t), and for a second it was just quiet except for the burner’s whoosh and distant dogs barking below. The hot air balloon ride over Segovia lasted about an hour but honestly time got weird up there; I kept thinking about how old those stones must be and how many mornings like this they’ve seen.

After landing (softly — my knees barely noticed), we all gathered around for brunch right there in the countryside. There was fresh bread, cheese, little bites I couldn’t name but tasted salty and good, plus a glass of cava that felt well-earned even though it wasn’t even 9am yet. Javier handed out flight certificates with a grin like he’d done this a hundred times but still enjoyed every group’s awkward cheers. On the drive back to Madrid I watched the clouds shift over Segovia’s skyline until I dozed off for a bit — not sure if it was the early start or just being full of new memories.