Seeing the total solar eclipse on August 12, 2026 is a plan that I do not intend to miss, something that has not happened for 120 years. If I do it, I do it right, turning my eclipse hunt into a full northern getaway. Specifically, to this charming little Asturian town with seafaring traditions and a beautiful viewpoint where you can watch the show.
According to experts, Asturias is a privileged point to see the solar eclipse of 2026, because it is located within the band of totality. Furthermore, this community is where the phenomenon will last the longest, with an estimated time of 1.48 minutes of total darkness. For this reason, we have looked for a high and beautiful point to see it and we have found it: Luarca is the place.
Luarca is a charming town full of whitewashed houses, which were built like a stepped cornice over the sea. In front, you have the bluest Cantabrian Sea and behind you are the green and magical meadows of Asturias. Almost as magical as its little fishing port, where the colorful boats rattle to the rhythm of the waves.
Other beautiful places to see in Luarca are the La Pescadería neighborhood, surrounded by the sea with an access bridge, or the La Atalaya chapel, a 13th century temple on top of a cliff with incredible views of the Cantabrian sunset. This is an ideal place to view the eclipse.
This chapel is attached to the Luarca lighthouse and is an exceptional balcony that, on summer nights like the eclipse, offers maximum visibility to the sky and will be the box of honor to witness, live, the beautiful historic solar eclipse. Be careful, because here it will be longer than anywhere else in Spain: 110 seconds of absolute darkness.
