Sight guide · Vilnius · Lithuania
Visiting Hot-air balloon flight over the Old Town
Vilnius is one of the few European capitals where hot-air balloons fly over the historic centre, usually in the calm hours around sunrise and sunset in the warmer months.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: BigHead, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Hot-air balloon flight over the Old Town is an experience in Old Town, Vilnius. Allow 3–4 hours including transfers; it is expensive. Flights must be booked in advance with a licensed operator and depend on the weather.
Key facts
- Type
- Experience
- Area
- Old Town
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours including transfers
- Cost
- Expensive
- Book ahead
- Recommended
- Good for
- views, couples and photo spot
- Best months
- March–April and October
About Hot-air balloon flight over the Old Town
Vilnius is one of the few European capitals where hot-air balloons fly over the historic centre, usually in the calm hours around sunrise and sunset in the warmer months. A flight drifts over the Old Town's domes, the rivers and the surrounding forests and typically lasts about an hour.
Tip: Book with a flexible date: flights are often cancelled at short notice for wind or rain.
Plan your visit
- Time needed: 3–4 hours including transfers.
- Cost: Expensive.
- Book ahead: Flights must be booked in advance with a licensed operator and depend on the weather.
- Where: Old Town, baroque churches, university courtyards and cobbled lanes from Cathedral Square to the Gate of Dawn.
Best time to visit Hot-air balloon flight over the Old Town
To avoid the biggest crowds, aim for the quietest of the good months:
- April: 12°C (54°F) highs, about 8 rainy days, quiet crowds.
- March: 4°C (39°F) highs, about 9 rainy days, quiet crowds.
- October: 10°C (50°F) highs, about 10 rainy days, quiet crowds.
For the view at golden hour: in mid-April the sun sets at about 20:22 local time (calculated for Vilnius).
When to visit Vilnius has the full month-by-month picture.
Fit it into your trip
Hot-air balloon flight over the Old Town is not on our short itineraries, so plan it as an extra once you have seen Old Town walk: Pilies street to the Gate of Dawn and Vilnius Cathedral and Cathedral Square.
- No. 18 of the 19 sights in our Vilnius things-to-do list.
Near Hot-air balloon flight over the Old Town
Also in Old Town, so you can walk between them:
- Bernardine Garden — 45 minutes, free
- Jewish Vilnius and the Choral Synagogue — 1.5–2 hours, free
- MO Museum — 1.5–2 hours, mid-priced
If you like Hot-air balloon flight over the Old Town
- Užupis — Užupis, 1–2 hours
- Hill of Three Crosses — Kalnai Park, 1 hour
Staying near Hot-air balloon flight over the Old Town
Stay in Old Town ($$$) to walk here: baroque churches, university courtyards and cobbled lanes from Cathedral Square to the Gate of Dawn. All areas to stay in Vilnius.
Questions travellers ask
+How long do you need at Hot-air balloon flight over the Old Town?
Plan 3–4 hours including transfers. With Bernardine Garden nearby, it fits a half-day in Old Town.
+Is Hot-air balloon flight over the Old Town free?
No, it is expensive. Booking ahead is advised.
+When is the best time to visit Hot-air balloon flight over the Old Town?
March–April and October, the quietest of the good months. Book with a flexible date: flights are often cancelled at short notice for wind or rain.
+Do I need to book Hot-air balloon flight over the Old Town in advance?
Flights must be booked in advance with a licensed operator and depend on the weather.