Eclipse tour with an astronomer: a week in Vejer with a Cambridge expert

If you want an eclipse tour with an astronomer, someone who can tell you what you are looking at as well as when to look, Spice Escapes runs one hosted week built around exactly that. Chasing the Eclipse is based in Vejer de la Frontera, inside the path of totality in southern Spain, and the expert for the week is Dr Matthew Bothwell, the University of Cambridge Public Astronomer at the Institute of Astronomy.

This page is for the curious: people who would rather understand totality than simply tick it off.

The total solar eclipse of 2 August 2027, in plain terms

A total eclipse rests on a coincidence. The Royal Observatory Greenwich puts it neatly: the Moon is 400 times smaller than the Sun and 400 times closer to us, so from a narrow strip of the Earth it covers the Sun's bright face exactly. Outside that strip you see only a partial eclipse.

Spain's Instituto Geográfico Nacional says the band of totality crosses almost the whole of Cádiz province, where Vejer sits, and that there will be no other total solar eclipse visible from the country for more than a quarter of a century. For background on the region, read where Andalusia is and what it is known for, or see all our Spain holidays.

What an astronomer adds that a guidebook cannot

Most eclipse trips get you to the right place. What makes this one different is the company. Spice's listing describes Dr Bothwell as the expert for the week, so a scientist is in Vejer with the group rather than on a screen.

Before: knowing what to watch for

Totality lasts a few minutes and goes faster than anyone expects. NASA describes the moments just before it: points of light along the Moon's edge, called Baily's beads, which are sunlight shining through valleys on the Moon's horizon, then a single bright point known as the diamond ring. NASA notes the beads are so brief that not everyone sees them. Knowing where to look is the difference between catching them and hearing about them afterwards.

During: the minutes that matter

Once the bright face is covered, NASA says you may see the chromosphere as a thin pink circle round the Moon, and the corona, the Sun's outer atmosphere, as streams of white light. The sky darkens as if at dawn or dusk, the air cools, bright stars or planets can appear and an odd quiet often settles.

After: the conversation over dinner

Eclipses have changed science. The Royal Observatory Greenwich tells the story of the expeditions organised by Sir Arthur Eddington more than a century ago, which photographed stars near the eclipsed Sun and measured how far its gravity bent their light. The result supported Einstein over Newton. Talking that through with a working astronomer, the evening after you have seen the corona yourself, is the part people tend to remember longest.

Watching safely

Bring your own eclipse glasses and make sure they are certified. NASA says safe solar viewers must meet the ISO 12312-2 international standard, and that ordinary sunglasses, however dark, are not safe. Look directly at the Sun only during totality, when the Moon completely covers its bright face, and put the glasses straight back on as soon as any bright Sun reappears. The kit list on the holiday page points to a buying guide from BBC Sky at Night Magazine.

Chasing the Eclipse: the week in Vejer

Chasing the Eclipse is 7 nights, departing 31 Jul 2027 – 7 Aug 2027, from £2,899, with Rob Thompson as your host. Places left: 18 places left. Spice was fortunate to secure accommodation in the path, which is why places are limited.

You stay at the Hotel Tugasa Convento San Francisco, a restored 17th-century Franciscan monastery in the heart of town, with original mosaics and frescoes, panoramic views and a restaurant serving traditional Andalusian food.

The eclipse day is the centre of the week. Around it, the listing offers the chance of:

• a day in Jerez de la Frontera, where we could visit a sherry bodega and then see flamenco
• a visit to Cádiz, the old city almost surrounded by the Atlantic
• a guided walking tour of Vejer, which we can arrange
• dinner together at Casa del Califa, with Moroccan-inspired food

It is a culture and discovery week as much as an astronomy one.

If that week is not possible

There is only one eclipse. If you cannot go, these short breaks suit people who like to come home knowing more.

Ancient Athens is 4 nights, departing 10 Mar 2027 – 14 Mar 2027, from £579, hosted by Jackie Whyte, with an optional tour of the Acropolis and the Ancient Agora with a licensed guide. Places: 16 places left.

Kraków Discovery is 4 nights, departing 26 May 2027 – 30 May 2027, from £589, hosted by Jackie Whyte, with optional trips to the Wieliczka Salt Mine and Schindler's Factory Museum. Places: 9 places left.

Going on your own, with a group to share it with

Most people on Spice holidays book on their own. Groups are around fifteen people, and some reach twenty, with a host who travels with you, so there is always someone to sit with at dinner. Our guide for first-time solo travellers explains how the group works, and solo holidays for the over 50s shows the rest of the programme. Every holiday carries a cost for a room to yourself, explained on our single supplement page.

Questions people ask

Do I need to know any astronomy to enjoy an eclipse tour?

No. Curiosity is enough, and an expert is there so you can ask the simple questions.

Can I look at a total eclipse without glasses?

Only during totality, when the Moon fully covers the Sun's bright face. Before and after, you need certified solar viewing glasses meeting ISO 12312-2, and ordinary sunglasses are not safe.

Is a clear sky guaranteed?

No one can promise the weather on a particular morning. The Instituto Geográfico Nacional's records show a low chance of cloud in the region at that time of year, slightly higher in western Cádiz, and it stresses this is a statistical guide and not a forecast.

Why does a total eclipse happen at all?

The Moon is about 400 times smaller than the Sun and about 400 times closer, so the two look almost the same size from Earth. When they line up exactly, the Moon covers the Sun completely for a narrow strip of the planet.

See the dates and book online

Chasing the Eclipse is booked online. Go to the Chasing the Eclipse holiday page for the live dates and price, and use the Book button there. Places are limited because the accommodation is inside the path, so booking early is what secures a bed.

If you want to ask what the week with the astronomer includes before you book, talk to Rob Thompson, who owns Spice Escapes and hosts this holiday, through our contact page, or ask Rosie, the chat on the holiday page.