Key events

‘It’s going to be spectacular’: Millions flock to Spain seeking best view of total solar eclipse

Ashifa Kassam

The online forums are abuzz as people debate potential cloud cover and trade tips on the best viewing points. Hours before wide swathes of Spain were set to experience the country’s first total solar eclipse in more than a century, the excitement was palpable.

A man displays a range of eclipse glasses that will be distributed during a municipal information day so that Madrid residents can safely observe the eclipse. Photograph: David Canales/SOPA Images/Shutterstock

“It’s going to be spectacular,” said César González, an astronomer and science communicator at the Madrid Planetarium. “A total solar eclipse is one of the best spectacles in nature.”

Officials have estimated that as many as 6 million people could flock to the eclipse path on Wednesday, which stretches about 200km from A Coruña in Spain’s northwest to the Mediterranean island of Mallorca. A small strip of Portugal and parts of Greenland and Iceland will also experience the rare total eclipse.

Tens of millions more will be watching across western Europe, with the path of the eclipse virtually blocking out the sun in many countries including the UK, France, Belgium, Switzerland and northern Italy.

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Welcome to the greatest show off earth

Jakub Krupa

Got your eclipse glasses at the ready?

A sign in a shop in Falmouth, one of many in the town advising shoppers that no stock remains of solar eclipse glasses. Photograph: Hugh Hastings/Getty Images

Do not fret if not. Not everyone is prepared like this guy.

Frenchman Leyssalle Anthony, 39, prepares a telescope to view the total solar eclipse from the beach, in Arija, Spain. Photograph: Borja Suárez/Reuters

We’ve got you covered.

Welcome to the live coverage of today’s total eclipse, which will be seen in parts of Europe, including Iceland, the UK, and Spain.

Over the coming hours, we’ll bring you:

• Tips on how to view the phenomenon safely

• First-hand reports from places where crowds are gathering

• A quick look at the science behind the shadow

• The best pictures and videos from key viewing spots

And yes, there will be a live stream, too.

It’s Wednesday, 12 August 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.

Good afternoon.

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