Fuengirola Total Eclipse
A beach town on the Costa del Sol train line, with three minutes of totality.
Fuengirola is a lively beach town on the Costa del Sol, with a long seafront promenade and a Moorish castle at the river mouth. It is also the end of the train line from Málaga. On Monday 2 August 2027 it sees 3 minutes 10 seconds of totality, from 10:47:13 to 10:50:23 local time (CEST, UTC+2).
That ranks 25th of the 43 places in Spain in our dataset. The central line runs over the sea 91 km to the south, and the northern edge of the path is 28 km away. Fuengirola has 1m 20s more than Málaga, and only 7 seconds less than Marbella.
Its big advantage is the train. The Cercanías C-1 runs from Málaga through the airport, Torremolinos and Benalmádena to Fuengirola. For anyone based in Málaga, that is the simplest way to more than three minutes of totality without a car.
The eclipse from Fuengirola, minute by minute
All times are CEST (UTC+2) on Monday 2 August 2027.
- 09:41 First contact The Moon takes its first bite out of the Sun’s edge. Nothing is visible without eclipse glasses. Put them on now.
- 10:47:13 Totality begins: second contact The last sliver breaks into Baily’s beads, then the diamond ring. When the ring goes out, glasses off.
- 10:48:48 Mid-eclipse Deepest darkness. The corona surrounds a black Sun 39° above the horizon; look for planets and the horizon glow.
- 10:50:23 Totality ends: third contact A second diamond ring flares on the opposite limb. Glasses back on the instant it appears.
- 12:02 Fourth contact The Moon leaves the Sun’s disc and the eclipse is over.
| Eclipse type | Total |
|---|---|
| Duration of totality | 3m 10s |
| Maximum obscuration | 100% |
| Eclipse magnitude | 1.009 |
| Sun’s altitude at maximum | 39° |
| Sun’s azimuth at maximum | 96° |
| Mid-eclipse (UTC) | 08:48:48 |
Fuengirola in numbers
Every contact to the second, where the town sits in the path, and how often early August has been clear here.
| Partial eclipse begins | 09:41:53 |
|---|---|
| Totality begins | 10:47:13 |
| Mid-eclipse | 10:48:48 |
| Totality ends | 10:50:23 |
| Duration of totality | 3m 10s |
| Partial eclipse ends | 12:02:18 |
| Distance to the central line | 91 km |
| Distance to the nearest edge (northern limit) | 28 km |
| Rank by duration | 25th of 43 places in Spain in our dataset |
Chance of a clear sky
Period: 26 July to 9 August of every year from 2001 to 2024. The bars show the daily mean cloud cover on 2 August of each year: the taller the bar, the more cloud. On 15 of those 24 days the sky was almost clear.
under 20% 20 to 50% 50% or more
Source: NASA POWER (CERES SYN1deg satellite data), daily mean cloud amount for the 1° grid cell (about 100 km) around Fuengirola. It is an average over the whole day and a large area, so it cannot see a sea fog on one beach or the cloud at the hour of the eclipse. It is climatology, not a forecast.
Fuengirola on the eclipse map
The gold band is the path of totality. Click anywhere to test a spot of your own; a few kilometres genuinely matters.
Where to watch in Fuengirola
At totality the Sun is 39° above the horizon, at an azimuth of 96°, almost due east. Here the coast faces the sea to the east, so from the beach you look straight out over the water towards the Sun. The hills behind the town are to the west and north, so they do not matter.
The promenade and the town beaches
The seafront promenade runs for several kilometres, past the centre and Los Boliches. The beaches in front are wide and face east. Pick any spot. Arrive early for space on the sand, as on any August morning.
Sohail Castle
Sohail Castle stands on a low hill by the mouth of the Fuengirola river, at the southern end of town. The beaches around it are a good choice, with the castle as a backdrop. Check in advance if you want to watch from the castle grounds themselves; we do not know its opening arrangements for that morning.
Carvajal, towards Benalmádena
At the northern end, towards Benalmádena, Carvajal beach is usually a little calmer. It is also a bit further east, so it may lose a few seconds against the centre.
Torremolinos and Benalmádena
The two resorts between Málaga and Fuengirola are also in the path, with less totality the closer you are to Málaga.
Torremolinos: 2m 42s
In our data Torremolinos gets 2 minutes 42 seconds, from 10:47:37 to 10:50:20 CEST. That ranks 27th of the 43 places in Spain. The northern edge of the path is 20 km away. The beaches of La Carihuela and Bajondillo face the sea, with an open view east. Fuengirola has 28 seconds more, a short train ride away.
Benalmádena
We have no exact figure for Benalmádena. It lies between Torremolinos and Fuengirola, so its totality should fall between their values, 2m 42s and 3m 10s. Benalmádena Costa and the marina are on the coast and the train line; the old village sits up the hill.
If you are staying in either resort, watching from your own beach is fine. If you want the longer totality, take the C-1 a few stops west to Fuengirola early in the morning.
Getting there
- By train. The Cercanías C-1 runs from Málaga Centro-Alameda via the airport, Torremolinos and Benalmádena to Fuengirola, which is the end of the line. On eclipse morning take an early train and expect crowds. Check the timetable nearer the date; extra services are possible but not confirmed.
- By air. Málaga airport is on the same train line, a short ride away.
- By car. The A-7 and the tolled AP-7 run past Fuengirola. On eclipse morning they will be busy with people heading west, so be parked by about 08:30. The partial phase starts at 09:41:53.
- By bus. Buses link Fuengirola with Marbella, Málaga and Mijas.
Do not leave at 10:50. The partial phase runs until 12:02:18 and the trains and roads back will be packed right after totality. Have lunch and travel later. Check the DGT live traffic map if you drive.
Where to stay
This stretch of coast has a very large supply of hotels and apartments. Sleep where you plan to watch.
Fuengirola
3m 10s from the beach, a walk from your door. Search Fuengirola for 1 to 3 August 2027.
Benalmádena
Between Torremolinos and Fuengirola, on the train line. Search Benalmádena for 1 to 3 August 2027.
Torremolinos
2m 42s, close to the airport and on the train line. Search Torremolinos for 1 to 3 August 2027.
Marbella
West along the coast with 3m 17s. See our Marbella guide. Search Marbella for 1 to 3 August 2027.
These are plain search links, not affiliate links. We do not copy prices, since they change daily and eclipse-week availability will move quickly. Where you can, book a rate with free cancellation.
Weather
In our satellite data 66% of days between 26 July and 9 August, 2001 to 2024, were almost clear in the grid cell around Fuengirola, with a daily mean cloud cover under 20%. 10% were half cloudy or worse, and the typical day had 14% cloud. On 2 August itself, 15 of the 24 years were almost clear.
These are averages over a large grid cell and over the whole day. More detail is on our weather page. Check the AEMET forecast in the days before.
Beyond the eclipse
- Sohail Castle. The restored Moorish castle at the river mouth.
- The promenade. Kilometres of seafront, good for an evening walk.
- Mijas. The white village of Mijas Pueblo sits in the hills above the coast, a short drive or bus ride away.
- Málaga. The city is an easy train ride for a day of sightseeing.
For the whole coast, see our southern Spain guide, the eclipse without a car and the eclipse day planner.
Fuengirola eclipse questions
How long is totality in Fuengirola?
3 minutes 10 seconds, from 10:47:13 to 10:50:23 local time (CEST, UTC+2) on Monday 2 August 2027. The partial phases run from 09:41:53 to 12:02:18.
How long is totality in Torremolinos?
2 minutes 42 seconds, from 10:47:37 to 10:50:20 CEST. Fuengirola, further west on the same train line, gets 28 seconds more.
Can I reach Fuengirola by train from Málaga for the eclipse?
Yes. The Cercanías C-1 runs from Málaga through the airport, Torremolinos and Benalmádena to Fuengirola. Take an early train and expect crowds.
What are the chances of a clear sky in Fuengirola?
In satellite data for 26 July to 9 August, 2001 to 2024, 66% of days were almost clear and 10% were half cloudy or worse. On 2 August, 15 of 24 years were almost clear.
Sources
- Our sources and methodology: how the times, durations and cloud figures on this page are made.
- NASA eclipse map for 2 August 2027 (Fred Espenak, NASA/GSFC).
- Xavier Jubier’s interactive map, with lunar limb corrections.
- NASA POWER, the source of the cloud climatology.
- Instituto Geográfico Nacional (IGN), the official Spanish eclipse page, with times for every municipality.
- AEMET municipal forecast, the official Spanish weather service.
- DGT live traffic, for road conditions on the morning.
Compare with nearby options
Málaga
A major airport city just inside the northern edge of the path.
Full guide → Total: 3m 17s Southern SpainMarbella
The big resort town of the Costa del Sol, with over three minutes of totality.
Full guide → Total: 3m 37s Southern SpainEstepona
The first Costa del Sol town inside the path, with well over three and a half minutes.
Full guide →