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The Iberian Peninsula will be the best place to enjoy the solar eclipse on 12 August, a historic astronomical event that hasn’t occurred in this part of the world for over a hundred years and which marks the start of a trio of eclipses visible in the skies over Spain in 2026, 2027 and 2028.
One of the best places to view the eclipse on the Costa del Sol will be the summit of Mount Calamorro, very close to Málaga, which you can reach very comfortably via Benalmádena Cablecar.
The footpaths leading from the Benalmádena Cablecar top station are among the best places in Málaga to view the eclipse, thanks to their altitude, panoramic views and an almost completely unobstructed western horizon.
Without a doubt, the best plan to experience the eclipse is to reach the mountain summit with Benalmádena Cablecar and enjoy the full experience: spectacular views, a falconry exhibition* and an unforgettable astronomical event surrounded by nature!
On the night of 12 August, the year’s most significant meteor shower, the Perseids, reaches its peak activity in the sky. In 2026, the new moon will make the sky darker, making it easier to spot some of the more than one hundred shooting stars per hour that will occur during the peak of this meteor shower.
Although they can be seen anywhere in the sky, the best way to view the Perseids is to look towards the constellation of Perseus, in the north-west. In this part of the sky, it will be easier to see the remnants of Comet Swift-Tuttle as they burn up upon entering our atmosphere, creating a trail across the sky against which to make a wish, as is traditional in Spain.
To watch the meteor shower, there’s no need to protect your eyes or use any special equipment – you just need to let your eyes adjust to the darkness… and make sure you don’t miss this unmissable astronomical event of summer 2026!
To round off the experience, we recommend dinner at Benalmádena’s highest restaurant, at an altitude of over 700 metres!
Located next to the Benalmádena Cablecar top station, don’t miss its terrace with unbeatable views both day and night. Whether you choose to have lunch, afternoon tea or dinner with us, you can add your discounted set menu when booking your tickets online and redeem it during your visit. With that, you’ve got everything you need for an unforgettable day out!
To view the solar eclipse on 12 August, it is best to find a spot with an unobstructed view to the west, with no mountains or buildings to block the sun’s position during the eclipse. That’s why Mount Calamorro, very close to Málaga, is an ideal spot to experience this astronomical event. To reach its summit, at an altitude of over 700 metres, you can take Benalmádena CableCar, enjoying a unique experience with panoramic views of the entire Málaga coastline both before and after the solar eclipse.
The Iberian Peninsula is the only inhabited area in the world from which the total solar eclipse of August 2026 will be visible. However, on the Costa del Sol, the Moon will not completely cover the Sun; instead, the percentage of coverage will vary between 93.4 per cent in Manilva, the first town to the west of the Málaga coastline, and 94.9 per cent in Nerja, to the east of our province’s coastline. As seen from the summit of Mount Calamorro in Benalmádena, 94.22 per cent of the Sun will be obscured by the Moon’s shadow, according to data provided by the Spanish National Geographic Institute.
You can purchase your certified glasses at Benalmádena Cablecar sales points for just €3, subject to availability and whilst stocks last.*
Looking directly at the Sun without adequate protection can cause serious and irreversible eye damage. During the eclipse, the safest course of action is never to look directly at the Sun with the naked eye, nor through cameras, binoculars or telescopes unless they are fitted with a professional filter, nor through sunglasses, X-rays or tinted or smoked lenses. The only safe way to view the Sun during the eclipse is to use glasses certified or approved to the ISO 12312-2 standard, always after checking, against the light, that they are not scratched or cracked.
Another method is to use indirect projection techniques to view the shadow cast by the eclipse. For example, let sunlight pass through a small circle cut out of a sheet of paper or card, and you’ll see the shape of the sun projected onto the ground at every stage of the eclipse!
If you want to enjoy the eclipse at the highest point in Benalmádena – the summit of Mount Calamorro – the easiest way is to take Benalmádena Cablecar, which run from 10.00 to 23.00 in August. You can go up at any time of day and stay at the summit for as long as you like to enjoy the natural surroundings, activities such as the birds of prey display by the Fundación Valle de las Águilas*, and have lunch or dinner at the restaurant, planning your day to make the most of the solar eclipse. The last journey from the summit back to the centre of Benalmádena is at 23:15.
You can easily reach the Benalmádena Cablecar departure station by public transport, using the commuter train which stops at Benalmádena - Arroyo de la Miel; the intercity bus routes from Mijas (121), Torremolinos (121 or 126); or the local buses L1 or L2. If you prefer to come in your own car, enter the address “Explanada del Tívoli s/n” into your sat-nav; there is a large area of free parking very close to exit 1003 of the A7 motorway.
The solar eclipse on 12 August 2026 will become visible on the Iberian Peninsula at around half past seven and will completely cover the Sun almost an hour later. In A Coruña, the first provincial capital where a total eclipse will be visible, the official start time of the eclipse is 7.31 pm; it will reach its peak at 8.28 pm and end at 9.22 pm, shortly before sunset. Meanwhile, the last provincial capital in Spain where the eclipse will be visible is Palma de Mallorca, where it will begin at 19:38, reach its peak at 20:32 and end at 20:32.
If you wish to watch the eclipse from the summit of Mount Calamorro in Benalmádena, the official start time of the partial eclipse is 19:43:25, according to data provided by the Spanish National Geographic Institute. It will reach its peak at 20:38:35, with 94.22 per cent of the Sun obscured, and will end at 21:12:52, when it will no longer be visible due to the sunset on the horizon.
With the aim of raising awareness of astronomy, the research community has dubbed the series of events that will be visible from Spain for three consecutive years the ‘Eclipse Trio’ of 2026, 2027 and 2028. The Iberian Peninsula will host ‘the astronomical event of the century’, which will enable further scientific study of these phenomena.
* You can purchase your certified glasses at Benalmádena Cablecar sales points for just €3, subject to availability and whilst stocks last. Looking directly at the Sun without adequate protection can cause serious and irreversible eye damage.
* About the birds-of-prey presentation on the top of Mount Calamorro: check the opening times and days for the Teleférico Benalmádena. The Birds-of-prey presentation at the top of Mount Calamorro is operated by the Valle de las Águilas Foundation and is not included in the Benalmádena Cablecar admission ticket. Payment for this activity is required in cash, at the entrance to the presentation area. Timetable subject to change or modification, please check closer to the date of your visit. The display is subject to change or cancellation due to weather, capacity, safety, veterinary or public health reasons. During the presentation it is not permitted to walk on the walkway over the grandstand area. It is not permitted to bring animals into the presentation area neither the walkway over the grandstand area. For more information, visit the Valle de las Águilas Foundation Facebook page or call them on 670553114. For the safety and well-being of the birds of the Valle de las Águilas Foundation, the use of drones in the park is prohibited.
