A total solar eclipse will sweep across parts of Europe on August 12, creating a rare opportunity to pair a summer vacation with one of nature\u2019s most spectacular celestial events. While August is already peak travel season, the eclipse has made destinations from Iceland to Spain especially popular among astrotourists, with lodging searches along the path of totality up 245% year over year, according to Expedia Group. Whether you\u2019re planning a dedicated eclipse getaway or adding the event to an existing Mediterranean or Nordic itinerary, there’s still time to book a last-minute trip if you know where to stay, where to watch and how to prepare.<\/p>\n
Which Eclipse Destination Is Best? Spain: Sunny Weather And A Variety Of Viewing Locations<\/p>\n
Your solar eclipse viewing experience will look vastly different depending on which country you choose. If you want predictable sunny weather, a wide range of accommodations and a variety of viewing locations, Spain is your best bet. While 40% of the country falls within the path of totality, some of the best places to see it from are Bilbao, Zaragoza, parts of Catalonia and the island of Mallorca. Mallorca is forecasted to be one of the most popular viewing destinations, thanks to its high mountain peaks and sandy coastline and the eclipse\u2019s rare convergence with the sunset. While many hotels are fully booked, there is still limited availability at the Grand Hotel Son Net<\/a> and The St. Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort<\/a>, which are featured in our guide to the Best Hotels In Mallorca<\/a>.<\/p>\n Old town Palma de Mallorca, with a view of the famous Cathedral La Seu.<\/p>\n Getty Images<\/p>\n Want to read this story later?<\/p>\n Get a link sent straight to your inbox.<\/p>\n Remind Me<\/p>\n We’ve sent this story to your inbox.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re unable to book a hotel along the path of totality, you can still experience the eclipse by using Barcelona<\/a> or Madrid<\/a> as your base and traveling to see the event by train or rental car. Barcelona is a little over an hour\u2019s drive to Reus, while Madrid is about a 75-minute high-speed train ride away from Zaragoza. Even closer, the northernmost suburbs of Madrid like San Sebasti\u00e1n de los Reyes are in the path of totality and just 30 minutes from the city center. <\/p>\n In Barcelona, consider Hotel Neri<\/a>, set in an 18th-century aristocratic house in the ancient Gothic Quarter, or The Hoxton, Poblenou<\/a> for something more design-centric and modern. Our top hotel picks for Madrid include the elegant Rosewood Villa Magna<\/a> and the family-friendly Petit Palace Lealtad Plaza<\/a>. Another major advantage of going this route is being able to combine your trip with a stay in Portugal, France or elsewhere in Europe. (While the northeastern tip of Portugal is technically located within the path of totality, we don\u2019t recommend traveling there solely for eclipse viewing, as totality will only last for roughly 26 seconds.) But other European destinations will still be close enough to catch a good view: Paris will experience a deep solar eclipse with 92% of the sun covered by the moon, with Lisbon and Florence expected to have about the same.<\/p>\n Iceland: Cinematic Landscapes, But Fewer Lodging Options<\/p>\n There are fewer lodging options in Iceland, driving higher prices and less availability. Overall, average daily hotel rates are approximately $610 in Reykjav\u00edk compared to $285 in Valencia and $405 in Mallorca, according to Melanie Fish, VP of public relations for Expedia Group Brands. However, Iceland presents a unique setting that could make it worth the added expense. Glaciers, lava fields and black-sand beaches create an especially cinematic backdrop. \u201cWith Iceland\u2019s already dramatic, otherworldly landscapes, it will be an incredible place to experience the eclipse,\u201d says Matt Stevens, VP of United Airline\u2019s international network, whose flights from Chicago, Washington, D.C. and Newark to Reykjav\u00edk are nearly completely booked (The airline also reports bookings to Spain and Iceland are up 50% overall). <\/p>\n Kirkjufell Mountain on Iceland’s Sn\u00e6fellsnes Peninsula.<\/p>\n Getty <\/p>\n While Reykjav\u00edk lies in the eclipse\u2019s path, the totality phase will last about one minute. For a longer experience, astrotourists should head to Western Iceland, including the Sn\u00e6fellsnes Peninsula, Reykjanes Peninsula and the Westfjords, which are between one to four hours away by car. If you don\u2019t want to rent a car, there are a number of day tours<\/a> available. We recommend staying in the industrial-chic Exeter Hotel,<\/a> located in downtown Reykjav\u00edk\u2019s Old Harbour district. <\/p>\n How To Safely Watch The Solar Eclipse<\/p>\n The number one consideration when observing a total solar eclipse is eye safety. \u201cThe only safe way to look directly at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun is through special-purpose solar filters, like eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers,\u201d says Dr. Susanna Kohler, director of communications and media relations at the American Astronomical Society (AAS). \u201cThese filters are at least a thousand times darker than normal sunglasses and are necessary to protect your eyes from serious injury.\u201d <\/p>\n The AAS recommends using eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers that meet the ISO 12312-2<\/a> safety standard and maintains a list<\/a> of approved manufacturers (including this highly rated pair from Rainbow Symphony<\/a>). The only time it\u2019s safe to view the sun with the naked eye is during the brief totality phase. \u201cWhile the sun is entirely eclipsed, it is safe to view it without eye protection\u2014and that\u2019s the most magical time to witness,\u201d says Kohler. \u201cYou should then put the glasses back on when the sun reemerges.\u201d<\/p>\n One final tip: Plan your eclipse day logistics well in advance. \u201cFor anyone traveling for this summer\u2019s eclipse, plan where you\u2019ll watch the eclipse ahead of time and get there early to stake out your spot,\u201d Fish says. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A total solar eclipse will sweep across parts of Europe on August 12, creating a rare opportunity to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":808884,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[205721,49,48,8862,66,10133,7413],"class_list":["post-808883","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-science","tag-astrotourism","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-iceland","tag-science","tag-solar-eclipse","tag-spain"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/808883","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=808883"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/808883\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/808884"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=808883"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=808883"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=808883"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}