The best places to see the total solar eclipse of August 2, 2027 are Tarifa, at the southern tip of Spain, with about 4 minutes 39 seconds of totality, and Tangier, across the Strait of Gibraltar in Morocco, with about 4 minutes 50 seconds. Cádiz, Marbella and Málaga also sit inside the path of totality, with shorter durations. In Spain, totality arrives in the late morning, around 10:45 a.m., with the sun high over some of the clearest August skies in Europe.
Planning a private eclipse journey to Andalusia or Morocco? Talk to a planner, who replies within one business day. Rooms inside the path of totality are limited, so early planning matters.
Where does the 2027 eclipse last longest in Spain and Morocco?
The path of totality crosses the Strait of Gibraltar from west to east. In Spain it covers almost all of Cádiz province, much of Málaga province, the cities of Ceuta and Melilla, and the southernmost edges of Granada and Almería, according to Spain’s National Geographic Institute. Across the water it covers Tangier and the Mediterranean coast around Tetouan.
| Place | Country | Totality begins (local time) | Length of totality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tangier | Morocco | 9:44 a.m. | about 4 min 50 s |
| Tarifa | Spain | 10:45 a.m. | about 4 min 39 s |
| Cádiz | Spain | 10:45 a.m. | about 2 min 50 s |
| Málaga | Spain | 10:48 a.m. | about 1 min 50 s |
The longest totality anywhere on the path, about 6 minutes 22 seconds, falls near Luxor in Egypt, which is why astronomers call this the eclipse of the century. No total eclipse seen from land will last longer until 2114.
Should we watch from Spain or from Morocco?
Tangier and the coast near Tetouan give you the longest totality on this side of the path, close to 5 minutes, and the rare experience of watching from Africa with Spain on the horizon. Southern Spain gives you better odds of a clear sky. August cloud cover in Málaga province historically runs around 5 percent, while Tangier sees more morning cloud from the Atlantic. Tarifa balances both, with the longest totality in Spain and Morocco in view across the Strait.
Our advice for most travelers is to watch from Spain inside the path and add northern Morocco before or after the eclipse. The fast ferry from Tarifa reaches Tangier in about an hour.
Are Seville and Granada in the path of totality?
No. Seville and Granada both lie north of the path and see a deep partial eclipse without totality. Cádiz lies about 1 hour 30 minutes from Seville by road, and the coast near Málaga about 1 hour 30 minutes from Granada. Either city pairs well with the eclipse, as long as you sleep inside the path the night before. Roads into the path will be busy on the morning of August 2, and a hotel inside it removes that risk. Our note on starting in Seville or Granada explains how we order the rest of Andalusia.
Where should we stay for the eclipse?
Inside the path, our favorite bases are Vejer de la Frontera, a white town on a hill above the Atlantic coast, the old port city of Cádiz, Tarifa, and the Costa del Sol around Marbella, which combines luxury beach hotels with about 3 minutes 20 seconds of totality. Ronda also lies inside the path, with a shorter totality and cooler mountain air. Our planners choose from vetted luxury five-star and deluxe four-star boutique hotels in each base and secure rooms as early as your plans allow.
What time is the eclipse, and what will we see?
In Cádiz and Tarifa the partial phase begins at about 9:41 a.m., totality starts at about 10:45 a.m., and the partial phase ends around noon. The sun stands about 37 degrees above the eastern horizon, high enough to clear most buildings and hills. During totality the sky drops to deep twilight, the air cools, and the sun’s corona appears around the black disk of the Moon. Watch every partial phase through certified eclipse glasses, and take them off only during totality.
What about the 2026 and 2028 eclipses?
Spain sits in the middle of what astronomers call the Iberian eclipse trilogy. The first, on August 12, 2026, crossed northern Spain close to sunset. The second is the August 2, 2027 total eclipse over Andalusia and northern Morocco. The third, on January 26, 2028, is an annular eclipse, a ring of fire in the late afternoon, with a path across southern Portugal, including the Algarve and Madeira, and across Spain from Seville and Granada toward Valencia. A January trip in that path pairs well with Seville and the Algarve at the quietest time of year.
How do we plan a private eclipse journey with MPT?
We build the trip around the eclipse morning. A classic route spends three nights in Seville, moves to Vejer or the Cádiz coast for the eclipse, continues to Ronda, and ends in Granada with the Alhambra, much like our 10-day romantic Spain tour or the 7-day Andalusia tour. Travelers who want Morocco cross from Tarifa to Tangier after the eclipse and continue to Chefchaouen and Fez, as on our 16-day Spain and Morocco tour. In Spain a licensed guide and a licensed driver look after you, and in Morocco a private driver and a licensed guide, so the eclipse morning runs on your schedule from a viewing spot chosen in advance.
August is hot inland, and Seville afternoons often reach 35°C (95°F) or more. We plan visits for the morning and evening and keep the middle of the day for the hotel pool. The coast inside the path stays milder.
Questions about the 2027 eclipse in Spain and Morocco
When is the next total solar eclipse in Spain?
Monday, August 2, 2027. Totality crosses southern Spain in the late morning, about a year after the August 12, 2026 eclipse over northern Spain. An annular eclipse follows on January 26, 2028.
Where is the longest totality in Spain in 2027?
Tarifa, at the southern tip of mainland Spain, with about 4 minutes 39 seconds. Gibraltar sees about 4 minutes 25 seconds, Marbella about 3 minutes 20 seconds, Cádiz about 2 minutes 50 seconds and Málaga about 1 minute 50 seconds.
Can you see the 2027 total eclipse from Morocco?
Yes. Tangier sees about 4 minutes 50 seconds of totality from about 9:44 a.m. local time, and the coast near Tetouan sees slightly longer.
Is Seville in the path of totality in 2027?
No. Seville sees a deep partial eclipse. Cádiz, inside the path, lies about 1 hour 30 minutes from Seville by road, and we suggest sleeping inside the path the night before.
What time is the 2027 eclipse in Spain?
In Cádiz and Tarifa totality begins at about 10:45 a.m. local time, and in Málaga at about 10:48 a.m. The partial phases start about an hour earlier and end around noon.
How far ahead should we book an eclipse trip to Spain?
As soon as possible. Rooms inside the narrow path of totality are limited, and August 2 falls in Spain’s busiest vacation month.
Eclipse times and the path of totality: Spain’s National Geographic Institute (IGN) and Time and Date.
Travel planning is complicated. We make it easy. Tell us your dates and how you would like to watch, and a planner replies within one business day.
