IF you are looking for something different for a birthday, anniversary or even a team-building day out in Spain, a hot air balloon ride might be one of the best experiences you can book.
That was exactly the idea when Olive Press reporter Eimear decided to surprise her mum with a sunrise balloon flight over the Andalucian countryside for her birthday.
We flew with Cadiz en Globo, which offers balloon experiences across locations including Cordoba, Antequera, Ronda, Granada, Sevilla and Cadiz.
We chose the flight departing near Arcos de la Frontera, famous for its dramatic hilltop setting and postcard-worthy scenery.
From the moment we arrived, it quickly became clear why the location is one of the company’s most popular routes.
As the balloon slowly lifted off the ground just after sunrise, the views stretched across the Peña de Arcos, the Guadalete river and the historic whitewashed town below.
Meanwhile, unlike the noisy rush of helicopters or planes, the journey felt calm and peaceful.
At times, it almost felt like a little Andalucian safari from the sky, with horses, cows, sheep, chickens and even dogs visible far below us.
Our pilot, Jesus, mixed expert flying with a steady stream of jokes and historical trivia that kept everyone entertained throughout the hour-long trip.
Along the way, he explained that the very first planned passengers of a hot air balloon were not scientists or adventurers, but condemned criminals.
According to him, King Louis XVI originally believed the dangerous experiment should first be tested on prisoners in case the altitude or fumes proved deadly.
If they survived, they were supposedly promised a full royal pardon.
However, the idea outraged French scientist Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier, who argued it would be a disgrace for criminals to go down in history as the first humans to fly.
After lobbying the French court with the help of powerful aristocrats, Pilâtre de Rozier eventually convinced the King to allow him and a military officer to become the first official passengers instead.
Somehow, it was exactly the sort of random but fascinating story that felt even better while floating thousands of feet in the air.
The flight itself lasted around an hour before the balloon finally descended into a quiet countryside field.
By then, a support team was already waiting on the ground to collect passengers and transport everyone for breakfast nearby.
The morning then finished at Meson de La Molinera with coffee, breakfast and a celebratory glass of cava.
To round off the experience, passengers also received a humorous flight diploma declaring them officially brave enough to take to the skies in a hot air balloon.
For anyone living in or visiting Andalucia, it is the kind of experience that somehow manages to feel both relaxing and adventurous at the same time.
And while the views are spectacular, it is the calm silence of drifting above the Spanish countryside at sunrise that stays with you long after landing.
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