On Aug. 12, the Earth, moon and sun will precisely align as seen from a narrow 180-mile-wide path of totality through eastern Greenland, western Iceland and northern Spain. Headline destinations will be Greenland’s Scoresby Sund — where expedition cruise ships full of eclipse chasers are bound for — western Iceland, including the capital Reykjavik, and across northern Spain, where totality will occur low in the sky near sunset.
The longest totality, lasting 2 minutes and 18 seconds, will occur offshore near Iceland, but from Spain’s Balearic Islands — Mallorca (Majorca), Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera — this total solar eclipse will occur just minutes before sunset. It will be a rare chance to experience a “double sunset” — and travel operators are trying to cash in on this rare, but risky, natural wonder. The Government of the Balearic Islands and AstroMallorca have also launched Horizonte Eclipse 2026, a new, free tool to determine whether the peak of the eclipse will be visible from a specific location, taking into account not only the geographic location but also the actual horizon profile. It’s worth checking whatever you decide on for this eclipse — because there’s no guarantee your hosts have checked. Similar tools for mainland Spain include SunsetAtlas, ShadeMap and Eclipse Horizon Checker.
Here are seven luxury last-minute travel options for the first total solar eclipse visible from Europe since 2015, and the first from mainland Europe since 1999.
Gran Meliá’s Solar Eclipse Experience
Premier luxury brand Gran Meliá has announced two ultra-exclusive journeys to celebrate the spectacle, starting at $230,000 each. The itineraries will take place across Mallorca and Menorca and consist of arrival in the Balearics by private jet, private transfers, a four-night stay in both Mallorca’s Hotel de Mar and Menorca’s Villa le Blanc Gran Meliá, with an exclusive eclipse viewing at sea aboard a private yacht or llaüt. More details. Totality here is at 8:30 p.m. CEST (sunset 8:46 p.m.) and will last about 1 minute 10 seconds, depending on location.
Vestige Collection’s ‘Under the Eclipse’
Menorca boasts one of the best night skies in Europe, and though that has little to do with observing a total solar eclipse close to sunset, it will help with viewing the peak of the Perseid meteor shower just hours after totality. Vestige Collection is celebrating the total solar eclipse with an exclusive three-night experience ($4,500) at sister hotels, Son Ermità & Binidufà in Menorca. Within Menorca’s Starlight Reserve, this 800-hectare private estate will host a specially curated, eclipse-inspired dinner before watching the eclipse from one of the island’s most secluded viewpoints. Totality here is at 8:30 p.m. CEST (sunset at 8:45 p.m.) and will last exactly 60 seconds.
Toast Totality With A Glass Of Rioja
The path of totality just so happens to pass through the Rioja Alta region of Spain, plunging vineyards and villages into darkness. Hotel Palacio de Los Ángeles is hosting an “Eclipse & Wine” astronomy-meets-gastronomy event. The premium Venta Moncalvillo Eclipse Experience consists of a four-hour tasting menu at the Echapresto Brothers’ two-Michelin-starred restaurant, followed by champagne, live music, and eclipse viewing atop Monte Moncalvillo, one of the region’s most privileged vantage points. Totality here is at 8:28 p.m. CEST (sunset 9:18 p.m.) and will last about 1 minute 24 seconds.
Glamping Under The Perseid Meteor Shower
As luck would have it, the annual Perseid meteor shower — one of the year’s most prolific — peaks just hours after the total solar eclipse. However, you’ll need dark skies to see its 50-ish “shooting stars” per hour after midnight. Zielo de Levante, an adults-only glamping retreat in Tírig, Spain, is perfect for an astronomical double-header, featuring geodesic domes with panoramic sky views, telescopes, private plunge pools — and a very low, dramatic total solar eclipse. It’s bang on the centerline, thus maximizing the duration of totality. Totality here is at 8:30 p.m. CEST (sunset 9:02 p.m.) and will last 1 minute 39 seconds exactly.
Take A Sky Safari
A flat western horizon and a big view of the sky are what you need to guarantee sight of the total solar eclipse and Perseid meteor, respectively, within the path of totality through Spain. TAIGA Lake Caspe is perfectly positioned, overlooking the Embalse de Mequinenza reservoir in Spain’s Aragon region. A waterfront glamping retreat, it offers safari tents, camping and a swimming pool, with easy access to expansive open skies. Totality here is at 8:29 p.m. CEST (sunset at 9:03 p.m.) and will last exactly 1 minute 19 seconds.
Where To See Total Solar Eclipse 2026
Each region along the path offers a very different experience, with some particularly dramatic landscapes poised to host totality.
- Eastern Greenland’s Scoresby Sound — a place of Arctic wilderness, icebergs and relatively stable skies — will see expedition cruise ships packed with eclipse chasers.
- In Iceland, the eclipse crosses the west of the country, bringing totality to easily reachable locations. Key options include Reykjavík, Snæfellsjökull National Park and the Blue Lagoon, where an organized viewing experience will take place in geothermal waters. There’s also the Iceland Eclipse Festival in Hellissandur, one of the closest land-based locations to the point of greatest eclipse.
- Most eclipse chasers will head to Spain. The path crosses populated and accessible regions, including cities like Gijón, A Coruña, Palencia, Burgos, Segovia, Soria, Zaragoza and the Balearic Islands. These locations offer some of the best weather along the entire path, though the low sun angle requires a clear western horizon.
Where And When Is The Next Total Solar Eclispe In The U.S.?
The next opportunity to witness totality in the U.S. will be March 30, 2033. On that day, the moon’s umbral shadow will carve a broad path across the Arctic, stretching from far eastern Russia into northwestern Alaska. At its maximum, the path of totality will span approximately 485 miles (781 kilometers), where totality will last for up to 2 minutes and 37 seconds. Prime viewing locations will include Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow), Kotzebue, Nome and Prudhoe Bay, though it’s one of the least accessible U.S. eclipses of the 21st century — though its timing near the March equinox, peak season for the aurora borealis, will likely attract many eclipse chasers.
Disclaimer: I am the author of Complete Guide to the Total Solar Eclipse 2026: Greenland, Iceland and Spain.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
