Seasonal travelBy Clever Tourists · Published · Last updated
On Monday 2 August 2027, a total solar eclipse crosses southern Spain in the late morning. Totality begins about 10:45 CEST, and Spain's National Geographic Institute (IGN) gives the longest Spanish figure as 4 min 48 s in Ceuta. On the mainland, Tarifa gets about 4 min 39 s, Cádiz about 2 min 55 s and Málaga under 2 minutes. Seville, Granada city and Madrid get only a partial eclipse. That last point catches people out: 98% is not close to totality. Almost all of Cádiz province is in the path, and the Strait of Gibraltar is the best-known area for it. We were in Cádiz and Tarifa in late August 2022, the same season.
All times are Spanish summer time (CEST). Durations differ slightly by source and vary across each town.
| Place | Partial begins | Totality begins | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ceuta | 09:41 | 10:45 | 4 min 48 s |
| Tarifa | 09:41 | 10:45 | 4 min 39 s |
| Melilla | Not listed | 10:48 | 4 min 34 s |
| Gibraltar | 09:41 | 10:45 | 4 min 27 s |
| Algeciras | 09:41 | 10:45 | 4 min 27 s |
| Marbella | 09:42 | 10:46 | 3 min 18 s |
| Cádiz | 09:41 | 10:45 | About 2 min 55 s |
| Málaga | 09:42 | 10:48 | 1 min 48 s to 1 min 57 s, sources differ |
| Jerez de la Frontera | 09:41 | 10:46 | 1 min 40 s |
The sky doesn't go dark at 98%. Only the path of totality gives you the full effect, so if you're travelling for this, make sure you're inside it.
• Almería: 99.9%
• Granada: 99.2%
• Seville: 98.4%
• Madrid: 86%
• Barcelona: 82%
IGN says parts of Granada and Almería provinces, in the far south, are in the path, but the cities above are not. It also says at least 70% of the sun is covered anywhere in Spain, including the Canary Islands.
• Tarifa and the Strait: the longest totality on the mainland and our pick on paper, but it has a weather risk. Sonnenfinsternis.com says the main danger is local cloud and haze on the easterly Levante wind.
• Cádiz: a walkable city with the eclipse in the sky to the east-southeast, and less than 3 minutes of totality. Our Andalusia itinerary covers it.
• Marbella and the Costa del Sol: plenty of hotels, with about 3 min 18 s in Marbella and much less by Málaga.
• Inland: moving a few kilometres inland can make a large difference if Levante cloud sits on the coast, according to the same source. A car and a flexible plan help.
The sun will be about 38° above the horizon, so a clear view to the east-southeast matters more than high ground.
• Book now. It's early August on Spain's southern coast, the middle of high season, and we'd expect demand on top of that. Look for free cancellation.
• Bring certified eclipse glasses. You need them for all the partial phases. IGN publishes safety advice, so read it before you go.
• Add the next one. IGN says an annular eclipse is visible from Spain on 26 January 2028, and no further total eclipse until 2053.
• Compare with Morocco. Tangier gets about 4 min 51 s. See our Tangier eclipse guide.
Totality begins about 10:45 CEST in Tarifa, Cádiz and Gibraltar, and 10:48 in Málaga, on 2 August 2027.
No. Seville gets a partial eclipse of about 98.4%.
Yes, for less than 2 minutes. IGN gives 1 min 48 s, and other sources give up to 1 min 57 s.
IGN gives Ceuta the longest in Spain at 4 min 48 s. On the mainland, Tarifa gets about 4 min 39 s.
IGN says no other total eclipse will be visible from Spain until 2053, though an annular eclipse follows on 26 January 2028.
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