Savvy travelers are already planning their adventure trips for next year’s total solar eclipse on August 12, 2026. The path of totality—the breathtaking effect of the moon completely obscuring the sun—which passes over Greenland, Iceland, Portugal, and Northern Spain is so far north that most of the world will not see it.

Cycle the Camino de Santiago

In Spain, ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours, a family-run company headquartered in Italy, is running a 15-day Cycling the Camino de Santiago trip with front-row seats to this amazing celestial event, where guests will experience totality for more than one minute.

Founded in 1972 by Rick and Paola Malpezzi-Price, and now run by their daughters, Maria Elena and Monica, ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours offers a wide range of bicycling vacations, including guided tours in Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean, and new self-guided tours in Italy. With a range of touring styles and tour levels, exceptional local leaders, thoughtfully designed routes, and meaningful cultural immersion.

The Cycling Camino De Santiago departure, from Roncesvalles to Santiago, is a rare opportunity to combine a legendary pilgrimage route with an unforgettable astronomical phenomenon.

“This is one of those experiences that feels almost mythic,” says Maria Elena Price. “For many, a Camino journey is still very much about spiritual enlightenment and personal transformation. Now, add to that the experience of being in the path of totality, which if you’ve never experienced before, is hard to put into words the effect it has on you. To begin this trip with a total solar eclipse unfolding around you is magical and memorable, to say the least.”

Meeting up in Pamplona, Spain, on August 10, 2026, the group will shuttle to the village of Roncesvalles to prepare bikes and visit the 13^th-century monastery that is the traditional starting point for the Camino and where pilgrim’s get their official passport. The ride itself starts the next day with a downhill run from Roncesvalles following the Iratí River, stopping to visit the 12^th-century Romanesque Church of Santa María Eunate along the way. On day three of the trip, August 12, guests will stay at the Hotel Castillo El Collado, a historic castle-like hotel in the medieval hilltop town of Laguardia, with 360° views of the surrounding countryside. The eclipse will begin at approximately 7:30pm local time, with totality occurring around an hour later for a little over a minute.

Hilltop Winery Viewing

Experienced travel leader Wilderness Travel has also announced its program for the 2026 Total Solar Eclipse, continuing their long-tradition of operating unique journeys guided by the world’s pre-eminent subject matter experts.

The 2026 solar program will take guests to the Iberian Peninsula, directly in the path of totality, to an exclusive hilltop viewing location in Lerma, Spain. This location was chosen in collaboration with esteemed eclipse meteorologist Jay Anderson for the finest weather potential and sweeping views across the flat Meseta Norte. In addition to stupendous views of the eclipse, guests can expect to enjoy fascinating culture, history, food, wine, and insightful programming on eclipses and cosmic wonders, curated by distinguished lecturer Dr. Alex Filippenko, Professor of Astronomy at UC Berkeley.

Guests will explore the community of Lerma before heading to the private eclipse-viewing site at an expansive hilltop winery set at a formal ducal palace built for King Felipe III – located virtually on the centerline. Because the Total Eclipse will occur low on the horizon just one hour shy of sunset, guests can look forward to several effects being different from when totality is high overhead. Intensified atmospheric scattering should greatly enhance the colors of the eclipse and the surrounding horizon. The sun, which will appear magnified by the “moon illusion,” will cast elongated shadow bands upon the landscape.

In addition to the once-in-a-lifetime chance to view this perfect eclipse, throughout the rest of the itinerary guests will enjoy great food, wine, local history, culture, and architecture in addition to programming curated by Dr. Filippenko on eclipses and other astronomical phenomena.

Travel experiences to witness next year’s total solar eclipse will fill up fast. Don’t miss the opportunity to view this celestial wonder from directly in the path of totality.

The wildfire broke out on Tuesday afternoon in southern Spain, and has forced hotels and bars to be evacuated as well as several beach resorts

Holidaymakers and residents have been forced to flee beach resorts across southern Spain after a rapidly spreading wildfire broke out close to the popular coastal town of Tarifa in Cadiz, Andalusia.

The inferno started at approximately 4pm on Tuesday when flames erupted from a motorhome at Torre de la Pena campsite, quickly racing across the drought-stricken, mountainous landscape and threatening residential areas, campsites, and tourist hotspots.

Fierce winds have intensified the blaze, shrouding neighbouring beaches in thick black smoke and forcing authorities to close the N-340 highway between Las Pinas and Pedro Valiente, the Mirror reports.

Emergency crews, including five helicopters, two water-bombing aircraft, a coordination plane, and multiple ground teams, are battling against the flames.

Multiple caravans have already been destroyed by the fire, whilst venues including the Wawa Hotel and popular beachside bars known as chiringuitos have been forced to evacuate.

Authorities have confirmed no injuries have occurred so far.

Tarifa’s Mayor Jose Antonio Santos told La Sexta that the blaze represents “the fastest-spreading fire I’ve ever seen”, describing the circumstances as “unprecedented” for the region.

Local publication Europa Sur has confirmed that restaurants and hotels across roughly 3km from La Pena to Casas de Porros have been evacuated, reports the Irish Mirror.

Beachgoers have received urgent warnings, whilst Algeciras Mayor Jose Ignacio Landaluce has pledged support for the emergency response.

The public is being urged to avoid The vicinity, particularly as key access routes are still shut.

The fire is dangerously close to the Estrecho Natural Park, and precautions are being taken to protect nearby communities, including Valdevaqueros. INFOCA, the Andalusian wildfire response agency, is leading coordination efforts on the ground.

Operations at Gibraltar Airport – the closest airport just 48km away – remain unaffected, with all scheduled flights running on time.

This recent blaze follows a string of wildfires across the Iberian Peninsula, including a significant one near Madrid last month. Officials throughout Spain and Portugal remain on high alert as the ongoing extreme summer heat and dry conditions pose a serious wildfire risk.

Wednesday, August 6, 2025