Catalonia prepares for a flood of visitors for the total eclipse of 2026.
The Government is already evaluating which municipalities will be most affected by the phenomenon in order to organize accommodation and mobility.
BarcelonaIt's been over 120 years since a total solar eclipse darkened the sky prematurely in Catalonia. next August 12, 2026 This exceptional astronomical phenomenon will be visible, especially in Terres de l'Ebre and Lleida, cloud cover permitting. Although there is still more than a year to go before day turns into night for just over a minute and a half, the Generalitat (Catalan government) is already preparing to organize the expected crush of astronomy enthusiasts in the "total visibility" zones; that is, from where the eclipse will be easiest to observe. Pending the details of these locations, the luckiest city would be Roquetes (Baix Ebre).
The 2017 eclipse in the United States interested 88% of American adults and is considered economically equivalent to celebrating 50 Superbowls. Given the boom in eclipse tourism, the government hopes to make the south of the country a major attraction next August. Therefore, it plans to approve the creation of the interdepartmental eclipse commission on Tuesday. Its objectives include identifying the best visibility points and planning accommodation and mobility in privileged municipalities. In addition, will baptize In 2026, the eclipse year will be established, and the phenomenon will be introduced into school curricula through workshops, materials, and observations. A night before the scheduled time, there will be localities that will become observation points. According to the Regional Minister for Research and Universities, Núria Montserrat, the various research institutes are already working on creating a map to identify these areas. "See it," explains director Ignasi Ribas.
The total eclipse will occur at 8:30 p.m., when the sun is just 4 or 5 degrees above the horizon. Sunset is at 9 p.m., and it will only be observable in places with a horizon. "There will be no clouds, no mountains in the background to cast shadows," adds Ribas. This episode will avoid Barcelona (and Madrid as well), but Valencia and Palma de Mallorca will be within the path of totality of the eclipse. In fact, Mallorca will be the most privileged place to observe it.
Complicity of the municipalities
Once the recommended areas have been identified, the councilor explains, the "complicity" of these municipalities will be sought to determine their mobility and equipment needs to ensure not only that eclipse tourists enjoy this historic event, but also that the area's cultural and gastronomic resources, as well as routes, can be promoted in the days leading up to and following the eclipse. If the last eclipse (March 29) only caused a 14% obscuration and already generated great interest, this one will allow "Catalonia to have a special moment and projection in Europe and the world," says Montserrat.
One of the main challenges will be mobility, since the fact that it will not be visible from Barcelona will lead to a high volume of travel to the southern regions. The other is the pressure on the territory: this large influx of visitors is expected to impact tourist accommodations and public spaces, where observation facilities will be necessary. In addition, it will be important to take preventive health and safety measures, as direct sunlight can cause eye damage. The eclipse will also allow for observations of high scientific value and showcase the only Catalan observatory within the visible range, the Ebro Observatory.