Where to See the 2026 Total Solar Eclipse

The path of totality for the Aug. 12 eclipse will cross Greenland, Iceland and Spain

people wearing protective glasses while looking at a solar eclipse

If you want to be in the path of totality for the Aug. 12, 2026, total solar eclipse, you will need to head to Europe. Here, eclipse watchers check out the total solar eclipse in Washington, D.C., on April 8, 2024.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Kristen Pope,

AARP

Published February 03, 2026

As the Wyoming sky darkened and the air cooled, strange shadows festooned the ground. I looked up through my eclipse glasses as the moon fully covered the sun in a total solar eclipse. People gasped and cried out. For a few brief moments in August 2017, only the wispy corona, the outermost part of the sun’s atmosphere, was visible around the outer edge of the sun. The moon moved and revealed a burst of brightness, looking like the stone of an engagement ring with the corona as the band. After a few moments, the full sun emerged, returning everything to the way it was before but leaving an indelible mark on viewers.

Witnessing a total solar eclipse is a recommended bucket list item for anyone who is fascinated by natural phenomena and there’s one happening in August, visible in parts of Europe.

A total solar eclipse will occur Aug. 12; Greenland, Iceland and Spain are among the best spots to witness it.

The AARP 2025 Travel Trends report shows a “bucket list trip” as the primary motivation for 22 percent of international trips planned in 2025.

A few things to keep in mind

Follow safety guidelines: It is crucial to wear proper protective eyewear to safely view a solar eclipse. Follow safety guidelines from the National Solar Observatory and the American Astronomical Society.
Make sure your eclipse glasses are from a reputable company: The American Astronomical Society provides a list of recommended suppliers. “This is not a time to look for cheaper knockoffs,” Filippenko says.
Check the weather: Keep a keen eye on the forecast and be prepared to pivot if conditions at your initial location look unfavorable.
Plan for traffic: Be mindful that the roads could be crowded with other eclipse viewers seeking out the best views. Allow plenty of time for traffic if you’ll be driving.

“It is one of life’s most memorable experiences, in my opinion,” says Alex Filippenko, a distinguished professor of astronomy at the University of California, Berkeley. Filippenko has witnessed 20 total solar eclipses; the August eclipse will be his 21st. “No matter how much people describe it, and no matter how many photographs, or even videos, you look at, the actual event is far better. It’s simply an awe-inspiring, highly moving experience. It’s certainly one of nature’s most magnificent spectacles.”

What to know about booking

Some avid solar eclipse chasers — called umbraphiles — can plan and book years in advance, so be sure to make bookings as soon as possible. Be on the lookout for cancellations and wait lists for some of the more popular tours and destinations. Whether you’re planning on reserving a hotel, tour, campsite or cruise ship cabin, the most important fact to consider is whether your viewing location will be in the path of totality, where the moon will fully cover the sun, says Filippenko, who calls that a “crucial” part of the experience.

“Ninety-nine percent coverage isn’t enough because even a little bit of the sun’s disk is very bright, making the sky too bright to see the solar corona,” Filippenko says.

Filippenko saw his first total solar eclipse in Oregon in 1979. He says he was “simply blown away with emotion” as hundreds of people cheered. “I really didn’t know what to expect, since photographs back then weren’t very good, videos were essentially nonexistent, or of very poor quality, and eclipse chasing was a rare hobby among people,” he says.

After confirming a destination is within totality, you’ll then want to evaluate the odds of cloud cover, precipitation and even wildfire smoke, as well as how high the sun will be in the sky during totality. If it will be low, ensure that a mountain, tree or building won’t block your view. Since an eclipse lasts for only a few minutes, make sure you select a destination you want to visit and spend time in.

The following countries are the best places to see the August 2026 total solar eclipse.

A cruise ship is one of the best ways to view the total solar eclipse in Greenland.

Arterra/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Greenland

The path of totality will cross eastern Greenland. The best way to see the total solar eclipse here is from a cruise ship. A number of companies, such as National Geographic–Lindblad Expeditions, HX Expeditions and Quark Expeditions, are offering sailings to eastern Greenland that will include a chance to see the eclipse, if weather and sea conditions cooperate.

Paul D. Maley, retired NASA engineer and the science expedition coordinator for the Johnson Space Center Astronomical Society, has witnessed 30 total solar eclipses, and he’s already planning for future years. “These are just momentous events that will raise the hair on the back of your neck,” he says. While he’s traveled all over the world to see eclipses, he says that some locations are certainly easier to access than others.

“The more you go into the interior of Greenland, the better your chances are to get clearer skies,” he says. However, Maley says limited roads and transportation options make this unfeasible for most. A cruise vessel is likely a more practical option for most eclipse chasers there.

buildings with a body of water and mountains in the background in Reykjavík, Iceland

Reykjavík, Iceland, will be in the path of totality for the first time since 1433.

Getty Images

Iceland

Among the best viewing locations in western Iceland are the Westfjords, known for gorgeous cliffs and fjords, the Snæfellsnes peninsula, where you can see the Snæfellsjökull glacier, and the Reykjanes peninsula, which is home to the famous Blue Lagoon geothermal spa. The capital, Reykjavík, will experience totality for the first time since 1433.

Visit Iceland, the country’s marketing organization, estimates a 40 percent chance of clear weather. Maley describes Iceland as a “big cloud magnet,” so he suggests being adaptable. “If you have a vehicle, you can move around and hopefully find an area that would potentially have less clouds or maybe even be in the clear,” he says.

the exterior of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar

The path of totality will pass through Zaragoza, Spain, where travelers can visit the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar.

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Spain

Filippenko and Maley plan to be in Spain for the 2026 eclipse. The eclipse crosses through a broad swath of the country, so numerous cities with a wide variety of accommodations are in the path of totality, including León and Zaragoza. The path of totality is just beyond Madrid and Barcelona, leaving plenty of spots to explore before and after the eclipse.

“Spain is the most cost-effective place to go to, and it has reasonably good prospects of seeing the eclipse,” Maley says. “It’s not guaranteed, because the sun is very low on the horizon,” he says, noting clouds or wildfire smoke could obscure the view. “There’s always a weather risk when it comes to solar eclipses, but I’m willing to take it.”

If you miss the 2026 eclipse — or if you see it and are so inspired to see another — don’t worry, you only have to wait a year. An Aug. 2, 2027, total solar eclipse will follow a path through southern Spain, northern Africa and parts of the Middle East. Certain locations, such as Luxor, Egypt, will see more than six minutes of totality. Maley says the 2027 eclipse will be the “longest eclipse for the rest of our lifetimes.”

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Kristen Pope is a freelance writer who covers travel, outdoor recreation, wildlife, stargazing, conservation and science for publications like National Geographic, Smithsonian, Travel + Leisure and many others.

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