How long totality lasts on the Cádiz coast
Tarifa has the longest totality on this stretch: 10:45:11 to 10:49:49 CEST on Monday, August 2, 2027, about 4 minutes 38 seconds. The Sun will be 38° high in the east.
Cádiz city gets about 2 minutes 55 seconds, from 10:45:26 to 10:48:21, with the Sun at 37°. Jerez de la Frontera sits near the northern edge of the path and gets about 1 minute 22 seconds. Seville is outside the path.
What the levante and sea fog do
The levante is the easterly wind of the Strait. In summer it can blow steadily for days, which makes an open beach hard going and rules out a light tripod.
The Strait is also the cloudiest stretch of the western eclipse track. Low marine cloud and coastal fog are thickest in the morning and evening, and are often semi-transparent once the Sun has had an hour or two to work on them, though patches can last. In August-morning satellite data, Cádiz had sun-visible skies on 88% of days, while Tarifa and two nearby coastal sites averaged 74%.
Inland Spain is much clearer, with average cloud amounts below 15 percent.
Pick a main spot and a backup, not one spot
Tarifa's extra minutes are real, but a clear sky at 2 minutes beats cloud at 4. Decide on two options before you leave the hotel: one on the coast for the longest totality, and one you can reach by car if the forecast turns.
- BoloniaMain coastal spot in the plan; arrive by 07:45 for the 10:45 totality.
- Castillo de Medina SidoniaInland hilltop with wide views east; the fallback if coastal cloud is forecast.
Morning-of decision routine
Check the fog and cloud forecast before you leave, around 05:45. If coastal cloud is forecast, divert inland to Medina-Sidonia by 07:00. Park below the old town and walk up.
Inland fog and low stratus tends to dissipate more quickly than on the coast, which is why the plan's backup points inland.
Driving and packing notes
The N-340 is expected to gridlock on eclipse morning, so leave early and don't count on a late switch along the coast. Park, then walk wherever you can.
Pack ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses, water and offline maps. On windy coast sites, a windbreaker and something to shield your camera from blowing sand are worth the space.
If you stay in Cádiz the night before
Cádiz city is 2 minutes 55 seconds of totality and has a lower frequency of marine cloud than sites farther south, though more high-altitude cloud. It makes a reasonable base for either route, coast or inland.
Our day-by-day plan keeps eclipse day flexible between Bolonia and Medina-Sidonia, with Cádiz and Jerez before it. For more on the country, see Spain travel guides.
Frequently asked questions
How long is totality in Tarifa on August 2, 2027?
About 4 minutes 38 seconds, from 10:45:11 to 10:49:49 CEST, with the Sun 38° high in the east.
Is Cádiz or Tarifa better for the eclipse?
Tarifa has longer totality (about 4:38 versus 2:55 in Cádiz). Cádiz had clearer August mornings in satellite data, 88% of days versus 74% for Tarifa-area sites.
What is the levante?
An easterly wind in the Strait of Gibraltar that can blow for days in summer. It makes open beaches unpleasant and tripods hard to use.
Where do I go if the coast is clouded in?
Head inland. In our plan, that means Medina-Sidonia by 07:00, since inland fog usually clears sooner than coastal cloud.
