On the evening of Wednesday 12 August 2026, the moon will pass directly in front of the sun over the Balearic Islands, producing a total solar eclipse visible across the archipelago. It is an event without precedent in recent memory for this part of the Mediterranean.
If you are staying in Mallorca this August, there are some important practicalities to understand before the day.
When Does the Eclipse Happen?
The moon will begin to cross in front of the sun at 19:38. By around 20:30, it will have covered it completely. Totality, the period of complete darkness, will pass across the Balearic Islands between 20:30 and 20:34, beginning first in Menorca and progressing southward to Formentera. The duration of totality will be longest in Mallorca, at around a minute and a half, and shortest in Formentera, where it will not reach 30 seconds.
That timing is important to understand. The eclipse occurs in the early evening, with the sun very low in the western sky near the horizon. This means that your viewing location matters enormously. In many parts of northern Mallorca, including around Port de Pollença and Pollença, the mountains of the Serra de Tramuntana will sit directly in the western horizon at that hour, blocking the view entirely. Anyone staying in the north of the island will need to travel south, or take to the sea, to see anything at all. Choosing the right option well in advance is essential.
The Nine Official Viewing Zones in Mallorca
The Govern selected the nine official Zones of Official Observation after analysing more than a hundred possible locations, applying three criteria: visibility of the eclipse, accessibility and capacity, alongside the ability of emergency services to operate at each site. The authorities have been clear that these zones were not chosen as the best astronomical vantage points, but as locations where safety can be guaranteed for large numbers of people.
The nine zones are spread across seven municipalities in the south and centre of the island. None are in the north. Here they are, with their approximate capacity:
Circuit de Son Matamoros (70,453 people), Platja de Palma (47,818), Ronda de Porreres (10,781), Platja de Santa Ponça (8,477), Camp de futbol d'Algaida (6,231), Camp de futbol de Pina (5,731), De Maioris a Tolleric (4,749), Aparcament MA-3220 a Petra (2,775) and Maioris (667).
The largest single site, Son Matamoros, accounts for roughly a quarter of the total island capacity on its own. The Platja de Palma is the second largest. For guests in northern Mallorca, Porreres, Algaida and Pina are likely to be the most accessible options, though all will require a drive of at least 45 minutes to an hour from Port de Pollença under normal conditions. On eclipse day, allow considerably more time.
The authorities have repeatedly emphasised the same message: the best way to enjoy the eclipse is to avoid unnecessary travel. If you are going to travel, plan early and plan specifically.
Road Restrictions: Plan Well Ahead
The Govern has announced restrictions on around 20 roads on eclipse day, primarily affecting access to the Serra de Tramuntana, natural spaces, viewpoints, beaches, and other high-footfall areas. The restrictions apply broadly between 15:00 and 21:00, though the Govern has reserved the right to bring them forward if conditions require it.
The Ma-10, the main road through the Serra de Tramuntana, will be closed to general traffic from 15:00. Only residents, guests who can demonstrate they need to reach their accommodation, essential services and regular public transport will be permitted through.
Monitoring of key access points begins the day before, on Tuesday 11 August. On eclipse day itself, traffic management intensifies from 10:00, with continuous monitoring of road conditions and visitor numbers throughout the afternoon.
Palma will also activate its own civil protection plan, with access and parking restrictions at the Platja de Palma, traffic regulation on the Ma-19 and measures to protect access to hospitals and the airport.
All restrictions include exceptions for residents, essential services, public transport and justified travel. If you are driving south to a viewing zone, leave in the morning. Do not rely on being able to move freely after midday.
Watching from the Sea: An Option for Northern Mallorca
For guests staying in Port de Pollença, there is one option that the road restrictions and mountain geography cannot affect: watching from a boat. With a clear western horizon over open water, the bay and the sea beyond offer an unobstructed view of exactly where the sun will be at the moment of totality. Chartering a boat or joining a sailing excursion for the evening of 12 August is likely to be one of the best experiences available to anyone based in the north of the island.
Boat trips and charters for the evening of 12 August are already being offered from Port de Pollença. If this is something you would like to arrange, we recommend booking as soon as possible as availability will be limited.
Protecting Your Eyes
Eclipse glasses are essential for the partial phases before and after totality. Between approximately 19:38 and 20:30, and again from around 20:34 until the partial eclipse ends, looking at the sun without certified glasses risks serious and permanent eye damage. Only during the brief window of totality itself is it safe to look directly at the sun without protection.
The Govern's official guidance specifies ISO 12312-2:2015 certified glasses. Wet glasses do not work. Pay particular attention to children and elderly members of your group. Certified eclipse glasses are already becoming harder to find across the island. If you have not already obtained a pair, do so as soon as possible.
For Guests Staying in Northern Mallorca: Your Two Options
To summarise the practical position for anyone staying in Port de Pollença or Pollença: the Serra de Tramuntana will block the western horizon at the moment of totality, so watching from your villa or from the waterfront in the port will not give you a view of the eclipse itself.
Your two realistic options are to travel south to one of the nine official viewing zones, departing early in the morning given the road restrictions that take effect from 15:00, or to arrange a boat excursion from the port for the evening of 12 August with a clear western horizon over open water.
Both require planning now. The official planning tool at the Illes Balears Tourism website is the most reliable way to check visibility and capacity at the official zones and to plan your day.
At Prestige Villas, we will continue to share updates and local recommendations as the date approaches. This is a once-in-a-generation event and, with the right preparation, an unforgettable one.
All official information and viewing zone details are available at the official Illes Balears Tourism website. Emergency number: 112.