How to Watch the 2026 Solar Eclipse Without Losing Your Sense of Humor
Who watched the solar eclipse last year? It was… fine. But a friend of mine drove all the way to Vermont to see it and came back declaring it was up there with childbirth. She really did say that. Which I suppose is either the highest compliment to the eclipse or mildly insulting to her children, but either way, it stuck with me.
The next big one is on August 12, 2026, and if you are planning a trip to see the total solar eclipse in Spain, my pick of viewing points would have to be Mallorca. Because if you are going to watch the sun disappear, you might as well do it somewhere with lemons growing on the terrace, cliffs plunging into the sea, and a pool you can collapse into afterward.
(You could go to Iceland, but the risk of clouds is high, and there is only so much dried fish a person can eat while waiting for the sun to come back.)
And here is why I am saying this now: at some point, this will be all over social media. The videos, the reels, the think pieces about “where to see the eclipse in Europe.” When that happens, the hotels will sell out and the prices will skyrocket. Right now, you can still take your pick, whether that means a fortress hotel, a hillside retreat, or a brand-new seaside terrace, before the internet gets there first.
Best Towns in Mallorca for the Eclipse
Deià
Poets and painters have been coming here for decades, mostly to write tortured verses about sunsets. For the eclipse, swap the sunset for two minutes of totality and you can join the tradition without having to rhyme anything with “darkness.”
Sóller & Port de Sóller
You get citrus groves, a charming wooden tram, and a bay that looks suspiciously like it was designed for Instagram. If the Mallorca eclipse underwhelms, you can always photograph your gin and tonic instead.
Pollença
There is a Roman bridge, a staircase with 365 steps, and a view from the top that could make you forget you came here to stare at the sky in the first place. (Bring good shoes. And possibly an oxygen tank.)
Cap de Formentor
Technically not a town, but a jaw-dropping promontory where the cliffs look like they have been Photoshopped. The western horizon is clean, the ocean is endless, and the only problem is that half the island may have the same idea.
Best Luxury Hotels in Mallorca for the 2026 Eclipse
If you are planning to watch the 2026 solar eclipse in Mallorca, here are the luxury hotels in Mallorca worth anchoring your trip around:
Four Seasons Resort Mallorca at Formentor: The grand dame of Mallorca, newly reopened and reimagined, with private terraces and a beach club.
Cap Rocat: A 19th-century fortress turned boutique hideaway, with sweeping sea views and plenty of drama to match the skies.
Belmond La Residencia, Deià: Golden-stone romance in the Tramuntana mountains, with views that poets and Instagrammers will fight over.
Jumeirah Port Sóller Hotel & Spa: Clifftop over the bay, with excellent pools and a concierge who can point you to the right horizon.
Son Bunyola: Richard Branson’s restored finca estate on the northwest coast, set among olive groves and dramatic coastline.
Can Ferrereta: A stylish boutique retreat in Santanyí, blending contemporary design with historic architecture in one of Mallorca’s prettiest towns.
Final Thought
The solar eclipse in Spain will last just a couple of minutes. But where you are when it happens, whether sitting on a terrace in Deià, standing on the cliffs at Formentor, or sipping cava on your balcony, will turn it into a memory you will talk about for years. And if you book now, you will also get to tell the very smug story of how you planned it before the internet caught on.
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