How to watch a total solar eclipse safely: every stage, and when the glasses come off

How to watch a total solar eclipse safely comes down to the right glasses at the right moments: certified solar viewing glasses that meet ISO 12312-2 whenever any of the Sun's bright face is showing, off only during totality, and back on the instant sunlight returns. Spice Escapes takes a small hosted group to Vejer de la Frontera, inside the path of totality for the 2027 eclipse, with the University of Cambridge Public Astronomer as the expert for the week.

From the first bite to the last light, stage by stage

In Vejer de la Frontera, the total solar eclipse of 2 August 2027 runs for about two hours and twenty minutes, with about four minutes of totality at its heart.

The times below are local, from Spain's Instituto Geográfico Nacional, which puts the Sun in the eastern sky about 38 degrees up.

About 9.40: first contact, glasses on

Through eclipse glasses you watch the Sun thin to a crescent for just over an hour. NASA says it is never safe to look directly at a partial eclipse without proper eye protection. For a view without glasses, hold up a kitchen colander, as the Royal Observatory Greenwich suggests, and look for little crescents in its shadow.

Just before 10.45: glasses still on

NASA says shadow bands can run across the ground or the sides of buildings: long, fast-moving dark bands separated by white spaces. Then come Baily's beads, points of sunlight shining through the valleys along the Moon's edge, and the diamond ring, one bright spot like the stone in a ring.

10.45 to 10.49: totality, glasses off

Once the diamond ring has gone and no direct sunlight is left, NASA says you may look with the naked eye, the only safe time to do so. You may see the corona, the Sun's outer atmosphere, as streams of white light around the black Moon, and a thin pink circle of the chromosphere at its edge. The sky darkens as if at dawn or dusk, you may see a sunset glow all round the horizon and bright stars or planets, the air cools, and an eerie silence often settles.

From 10.49 to about 12.00: glasses back on

NASA's advice is to have your glasses back on before the first flash of sunlight at the Moon's edge, and at the latest the moment any bright Sun shows. The partial phase then runs in reverse until about midday.

Eclipse glasses in the UK: what to buy and how to check them

NASA says safe solar viewers should meet the international standard ISO 12312-2 and are thousands of times darker than sunglasses, which are not safe however dark. Look for "ISO 12312-2" printed on the glasses, as the Royal Observatory Greenwich advises, and the CE or UKCA mark the College of Optometrists recommends.

• Check them first. NASA says to discard any torn, scratched or damaged pair, and the Royal Observatory warns that an old pair may not be safe, especially if the lenses are creased.
• Never look through binoculars, a camera or a telescope while wearing them, as NASA warns the concentrated light burns through the filter and causes serious eye injury. During the partial phases, the College adds, even the quick glance up to line up a phone photo puts your eyes at risk.
• Harm to the retina is painless and may go unnoticed for several hours, the College says, so contact your optometrist if you notice blurring, distortion or changes to your colour vision afterwards.

Bring your own pair: the holiday's notes on what to bring point to a buying guide from BBC Sky at Night Magazine.

Your first eclipse, with a host and an astronomer in the group

Chasing the Eclipse is 7 nights in Vejer de la Frontera, the whitewashed hilltop town where Spice Escapes secured accommodation inside the path. It runs 31 Jul 2027 – 7 Aug 2027, from £2,899, with Rob Thompson as your host, and the expert for the week is Dr Matthew Bothwell, the University of Cambridge Public Astronomer at the Institute of Astronomy.

On eclipse day the plans are centred around the eclipse, with plenty of time to enjoy the atmosphere and the excitement of being there together. Your part is glasses ready and eyes up. You stay at Hotel Tugasa Convento San Francisco, a restored 17th-century Franciscan monastery in Vejer, and the rest of the week offers the chance of days in Jerez and Cádiz, a guided walk round Vejer and perhaps dinner together at Casa del Califa.

Groups are around fifteen people, and some reach twenty. Most people book on their own, and most go home with new friends. A host travels with the group, so on the morning you can leave the arranging to them. A room to yourself carries a single supplement or room-to-yourself cost, explained on our single supplement page. New to travelling on your own? Start with our guide for first-time solo travellers and our solo holidays for the over 50s. The week is one of our culture and discovery holidays, and our guide to Andalusia sets the scene.

Spain on other dates, without the eclipse

If that week will not work, these two hosted holidays in Spain are worth a look, though neither has an eclipse. More are on our holidays in Spain page.

A short break in Seville

Surprising Seville is 4 nights in the capital of Andalucía, running 4 Mar 2027 – 8 Mar 2027, from £549, hosted by Jackie Whyte, with a 48-hour hop-on hop-off bus ticket included.

A painting week in the north

For a week of learning to look closely, the Spanish Drawing and Painting Break with Tuition is 7 nights in northern Spain, running 24 Apr 2027 – 1 May 2027, from £929, with tuition from Dale Scott. Availability today: 9 places left.

Questions people ask

How long does totality last in 2027?

In Vejer de la Frontera, where the Spice week is based, Spain's Instituto Geográfico Nacional gives about four minutes. The longest anywhere on the path is six minutes and 23 seconds, much further east.

When is it safe to take eclipse glasses off?

Only during totality, once the diamond ring has gone and no direct sunlight is left. Put them back on the moment any bright Sun reappears, and keep them on through both partial phases.

Are sunglasses safe for watching an eclipse?

No. NASA, the College of Optometrists and the Royal Observatory Greenwich all say ordinary sunglasses are not safe for looking at the Sun, however dark. Use glasses marked ISO 12312-2, or project the Sun through a pinhole onto card.

What should I look for when buying eclipse glasses in the UK?

Look for "ISO 12312-2" printed on the glasses and the CE or UKCA mark. Check them for scratches, creases or tears before use, and throw away any damaged pair.

Where to book, and who to ask first

The live dates and price, and a Book button that takes you into Spice's own booking, are on the Chasing the Eclipse holiday page. Places are limited and the accommodation sits inside the path, so booking early is the surest way to be there. Availability today: 20 places left.

Questions first, about the day, the glasses or travelling on your own? Rob Thompson, who owns Spice Escapes and hosts this week, is the person to talk to. Ask through our contact page, or ask Rosie, the chat on the holiday page.