An Autumn Among the Clouds: Hot Air Balloons in Valdichiana

An Autumn Among the Clouds: Hot Air Balloons in Valdichiana

From 30 September to 3 October, 18 pilots take on the wind above the Tuscan hills

For four days, at dawn and at sunset, the sky above Castiglion Fiorentino fills with colourful balloons drifting silently over the hills of the Valdichiana. From 30 September to 3 October 2026, the Aviosuperficie Serristori airfield hosts the 36th Campionato Italiano di Mongolfiera (the Italian Hot Air Balloon Championship) and the 2nd Tuscany Cup – Città di Castiglion Fiorentino: a real competition, with Italian and international pilots, but also a spectacle you can enjoy simply by looking up.

The Event

Dates: Wednesday 30 September to Saturday 3 October 2026

Competition flights visible from the area: roughly 7:00–8:30 am and 4:30–6:30 pm (weather permitting)

Tethered flights open to the public: Friday 2 and Saturday 3 October, 5:00–8:00 pm

Tethered flight prices: €15 per person, €10 for children aged 4 to 10

Venue: Aviosuperficie Serristori, Castiglion Fiorentino (AR)

Info and pre-booking: preferably via WhatsApp at +39 348 251 2314 (replies between 9:00 am and 7:00 pm)

The Story: From First Ascents to the National Title

The bond between Castiglion Fiorentino and hot air balloons is recent, but it has grown quickly. The first balloon flight over the Valdichiana dates back to the summer of 2021, when the Municipality and the Aero Club Serristori organised it together with the "Città dell'Aria" association, as an unusual way to admire the area from above.

The Aero Club Serristori, which has just celebrated thirty years of activity, was founded in September 1996 and was the first flying school in Italy open to people with disabilities. Over the years it has welcomed aeroplanes, helicopters and every form of flight; in 2025 it opened its doors to ballooning too. That autumn, the airfield hosted its first international hot air balloon championship, with crews from all over Europe and hundreds of people watching the take-offs from the Cassero and the terraces of the old town.

In 2026 came the step up: Castiglion Fiorentino became the host of the Campionato Italiano, now in its 36th edition, alongside the second edition of the Tuscany Cup. The event is organised by Balloon Team Italia in collaboration with the Municipality.

How a Hot Air Balloon Race Works

A balloon race isn't won by going faster than everyone else. Pilots can't steer: the only tool they have is climbing and descending to catch winds blowing in different directions. During each task, the race judge sets targets on the ground, and competitors must get as close to them as possible to score points. Precision, reading the wind, and a touch of luck.

This year there are seven competition flights, with 18 pilots taking part (more than last year) and entries from Austria, Hungary and England. The first flight is scheduled for the morning of Wednesday 30 September, the last for late morning on Saturday 3 October.

Climb Aboard: Tethered Flights

For anyone who wants to experience the thrill of flight, on Friday 2 and Saturday 3 October, from 5:00 to 8:00 pm, the airfield opens tethered flights to the public: vertical ascents in which the balloon stays anchored to the ground. You rise into the late-afternoon light, with the Valdichiana opening up beneath your feet, then drift gently back down. An experience suitable for children too, subject as always to weather and safety conditions.

Don't miss the afternoon take-offs either: at the airfield you can watch up close as the balloons are inflated and lift off, one after another.

Why It's Worth the Trip

The championship brings one of the most photogenic sports in the world to the Valdichiana, at the time of year when the Tuscan countryside has its most beautiful light. For the area, it's also a new way to tell its story: seeing Castiglion Fiorentino, Cortona and the surrounding hills from a perspective usually reserved for the birds.

Where to Stay for the Hot Air Balloon Championship

Villa Santa Margherita is in Cortona, just a few minutes' drive from Castiglion Fiorentino: the ideal base for rising early to catch the dawn take-offs, or for heading back at your leisure after a tethered flight at sunset.Discover our rooms and availability for the days of the Championship.