Thousands of travellers are descending on Spain and Iceland for the total solar eclipse on 12 August, despite its narrow path of totality. Northern Spain alone is expecting an estimated 460,000 overseas tourists, with another 128,000 heading to Iceland, according to data from Amadeus Travel Intelligence.
Year-on-year flight bookings for Spain and Iceland are up 25%, with areas like Bilbao in northern Spain seeing the largest tourist uptick. The eclipse will also be visible from east Greenland and west Iceland.
Among those travelling is Singaporean astronomy enthusiast Koh Joo Beng, who has seen 14 solar eclipses and co-authored a handbook for the 2026 event. He will watch from a cruise in the Bay of Biscay with family and friends. Minnesota-based astrophotographer Marc Rassel, who has chased eclipses since 2017, plans to watch from Spain, describing the experience as unlike anything else.