From July 23 to 27, the Latvian city of Valmiera will host its annual hot-air balloon festival, which has become one of the most colorful and breathtaking events on the Latvian calendar.
For spectators, the event will be a colorful festival, whilst for participants – a serious competition for the “Valmiera Cup 2014”.
The magnificent balloons will take to the sky in the mornings and the evenings on all five festival days above the scenic banks of the Gauja River, which passes through Valmiera. The balloons will even take to the sky at night one evening, where they will be illuminated to make for a breathtaking view.
Previous hot-air balloon festivals in Valmiera have attracted much interest within Latvia and abroad, with many hot-air balloon pilots from all over the world taking part. Over 20 hot-air balloons usually participate in the event. This year, 20 to 30 balloons are likely to rise over the city during the festival.
When speaking about hot-air balloons in Latvia, it is important to point out that this field of recreation is very highly develop in the country. That is why people should not only just go see these majestic balloons fly through the sky, but step into a basket and take a ride themselves above some of the country’s most beautiful scenery.
More information about hot-air balloon opportunities in Latvia can be found on Latvia’s official tourist information portal “Latvia.Travel” http://www.latvia.travel/en/article/hot-air-balloon-flights
