Southern Spain will draw skywatchers on August 2, 2027, when a total solar eclipse sweeps across a narrow band of the region. The path of totality crosses southern Spain before continuing through Gibraltar, North Africa, the Middle East and the Horn of Africa. In Spain, the corridor covers much of Cádiz province, parts of Málaga, the southern coastal edges of Granada and Almería, and the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla. Granada, Seville and Córdoba lie outside the basic track and will see a partial eclipse. The rest of Spain, including the Canary Islands, will also see only a partial eclipse.
The central line crosses the Strait of Gibraltar and the Alboran Sea before continuing across Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt, then toward Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Somalia. The shadow is estimated to be roughly 235 to 260 kilometres wide. In Almería, residents of the city will need to travel by boat into the bay to experience totality. Those in Cabo de Gata or Roquetas de Mar will be able to watch from land. Granada province will see totality along the coast, including in towns such as Motril, Salobreña and Almuñécar. Málaga is also within the path, but its city centre sits close to the northern edge, where totality is expected to last less than two minutes.
The duration varies sharply across the Spanish corridor. Ceuta is expected to experience about four minutes and 48 seconds of totality, while Tarifa, among the mainland’s best viewing locations, may see roughly four minutes and 40 seconds. Cádiz city is forecast to receive about two minutes and 54 to 56 seconds; Málaga, roughly one minute and 48 seconds to two minutes. In Cádiz, totality is expected to begin at about 10:45 a.m. CEST, with the Sun around 37 degrees above the horizon. In Málaga, it is forecast to begin around 10:48 a.m., with the Sun about 39 degrees high. Beyond Spain, the eclipse reaches its maximum duration, approximately six minutes and 23 seconds, near Luxor in southern Egypt.
Unlike the 2026 eclipse, which occurs near sunset, the 2027 event takes place in the morning in Spain. The Sun will be high enough to offer a clearer view above the horizon where skies are unobstructed. The global eclipse is expected to last 313 minutes, beginning at 9:30 a.m. over the Atlantic and ending at 2:43 p.m. in the Indian Ocean. In Spanish locations, the partial phases begin roughly 80 minutes before totality and end about 80 minutes afterward, making the overall observing event close to three hours. The exact experience will depend on the observer’s position within the path and local cloud cover.
This eclipse is the second in a trio of major Iberian solar eclipses, following the 2026 event and preceding an annular eclipse in January 2028. The 2028 eclipse will enter Spain via the Canary Islands, cross Huelva and Cádiz, and exit through Girona. Unlike a total eclipse, an annular eclipse occurs when the Moon does not completely cover the Sun, leaving a visible “ring of fire.” The alignment of the Perseids meteor shower and the 2026 total solar eclipse was previously highlighted in a report on the rare double event.
Solar eclipses are rare and highly anticipated events in Spain, and the 2027 eclipse combines a geographically narrow path with an unusually long period of totality in some locations. Tarifa, Cádiz, Málaga, Ceuta and Melilla are among the Spanish viewing centres expected to attract observers. August cloud-cover averages can help with long-range planning, but they cannot guarantee clear skies on eclipse day. Certified solar viewers are impressive during every partial phase; unaided viewing is safe only during the brief interval when the Sun is completely covered. The next chance for a total solar eclipse in Spain after this trio will not occur for several decades, making the 2027 event a impressive occasion for residents and visitors.
