Total Solar Eclipse · Spain

Total Solar Eclipse
over Spain

August 12, 2026 · northern Spain, from A Coruña to Palma

Updated: August 4, 2026

Countdown

The path of totality

The Moon's shadow — the umbra — will trace a band up to 290 kilometres wide across northern Spain from west to east. Only those within that corridor will see the Sun disappear completely. The entire southern half of the Iberian Peninsula will see a deep partial eclipse.

The path enters Spain along the Atlantic coast of Galicia, where the Sun will already be descending toward the horizon. The umbra sweeps along the Cantabrian coast and the Ebro valley, reaching maximum duration near León and Burgos, in Castilla y León. It then continues through Aragón, Catalonia and the Valencian Community, exiting over the Mediterranean above the Balearic Islands just before sunset. The whole southern half of the peninsula lies outside the band and will see only a partial eclipse; in Madrid, for example, the Sun will be more than 90% covered.

• Galicia · A CoruñaWhere the umbra enters Spain, over the Atlantic.entry
• Asturias & Cantabria · Oviedo, SantanderThe shadow sweeps the Cantabrian coast.totality
• Castilla y León · ValladolidMaximum duration near León and Burgos.✦ optimal
• Basque Country & La Rioja · Bilbao, LogroñoFull totality across the northern interior.totality
• Aragón · ZaragozaThe umbra descends along the Ebro valley.totality
• Catalonia & Valencia · Lleida, ValènciaToward the Mediterranean coast, Sun very low.totality
• Balearic Islands · PalmaThe band exits, almost at sunset.exit

Cities by autonomous community (local time · CEST = UTC+2)

Exact times vary depending on your position within the city. Check NASA Eclipse Explorer for your precise location.

✦ Near León and Burgos (Castilla y León) totality lasts longest in all of Spain. Only cities inside the path of totality are listed.

Where to watch the eclipse in Spain

The interior of the north typically brings clear August skies, making Castilla y León the destination with the best forecast. The Cantabrian coast and the Mediterranean shore are more scenic, but carry a little more cloud risk.

Castilla y León · León and Burgos — On the central line of the path, totality reaches its longest duration in Spain here (close to 1 min 50 sec). Open plateau skies, a good road network and the best weather forecast. Valladolid, the regional capital, is also inside the band.

The east · Zaragoza, València and Palma — The Ebro valley and the Mediterranean coast close the route. Here the Sun will already be very low, almost grazing the horizon, giving a spectacular totality over the sea — but it demands a completely clear western horizon.

Galicia · A Coruña — The Atlantic coast is the first in Spain to receive the shadow. A Coruña and the Rías offer a perfect sea horizon to the west, though the Galician summer adds more cloud risk. Plan B: head inland toward Castilla y León if the sky clouds over.

How to prepare

• Certified eclipse glasses — Essential for all partial phases. Insist on ISO 12312-2 certification. Buy them months ahead: in 2017 and 2024 they sold out within days.
• Arrive early — The roads into the best northern viewpoints will be gridlocked. Plan to arrive in the late afternoon, several hours before the partial phase begins (around 19:30 local time, CEST).
• Pick an open spot — Fields, parks or viewpoints with a wide horizon. The Sun will be very low — from about 10° in Galicia to barely 2° in the Balearics — during totality, so look for flat ground with no obstacles to the west.
• Download the weather forecast — The day before, check the hourly cloud cover on AEMET for your area. Have a plan B within 100 km.
• Charge all your devices — The mobile network will collapse during the eclipse. Download offline maps, save the emergency number and bring a power bank.
• During totality, take off your glasses — It is the only moment when it is safe to look directly. As soon as the Sun begins to reappear, put them back on immediately.
• Book now — Hotels inside the path of totality will be full 12-18 months in advance. Don't wait.

Frequently asked questions

Data based on calculations from the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. City times are approximate — check the exact ephemerides for your location.

Eclipse Guides