Marbella Total Eclipse
The big resort town of the Costa del Sol, with over three minutes of totality.
Marbella is the best known resort on the Costa del Sol, with an old town of white streets, a long seafront and Puerto Banús to the west. On Monday 2 August 2027 it is inside the path of totality. The Sun is fully covered for 3 minutes 17 seconds, from 10:46:51 to 10:50:08 local time (CEST, UTC+2).
That ranks 23rd of the 43 places in Spain in our dataset. The central line runs over the sea 88 km to the south, and the northern edge of the path is 31 km away. Three minutes and more is a proper total eclipse: the sky darkens, the corona appears and the temperature drops. You do not need to go anywhere else to see it.
You can get more time by going west. Estepona has 3m 37s and Sotogrande 4m 05s. Going east costs time: Fuengirola has 3m 10s and Málaga only 1m 50s.
The eclipse from Marbella, 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.
- 10:46:51 Totality begins: second contact The last sliver breaks into Baily’s beads, then the diamond ring. When the ring goes out, glasses off.
- 10:48:29 Mid-eclipse Deepest darkness. The corona surrounds a black Sun 39° above the horizon; look for planets and the horizon glow.
- 10:50:08 Totality ends: third contact A second diamond ring flares on the opposite limb. Glasses back on the instant it appears.
- 12:01 Fourth contact The Moon leaves the Sun’s disc and the eclipse is over.
| Eclipse type | Total |
|---|---|
| Duration of totality | 3m 17s |
| Maximum obscuration | 100% |
| Eclipse magnitude | 1.009 |
| Sun’s altitude at maximum | 39° |
| Sun’s azimuth at maximum | 96° |
| Mid-eclipse (UTC) | 08:48:29 |
Marbella 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 | 09:41:42 |
|---|---|
| Totality begins | 10:46:51 |
| Mid-eclipse | 10:48:29 |
| Totality ends | 10:50:08 |
| Duration of totality | 3m 17s |
| Partial eclipse ends | 12:01:53 |
| Distance to the central line | 88 km |
| Distance to the nearest edge (northern limit) | 31 km |
| Rank by duration | 23rd 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 Marbella. 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.
Marbella 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 Marbella
At totality the Sun is 39° above the horizon, at an azimuth of 96°, almost due east. The mountains behind Marbella are to the north, so they play no part. From the beaches you look east along the coast and over the sea. Any open spot works.
The town beaches and the promenade
The seafront promenade runs along the beaches in front of the centre. It is the easy choice if you are staying in town: walk down, find some space and stay put. It will be busy, as on any August morning, so arrive early if you want a spot on the sand.
The old town and the Plaza de los Naranjos
The old town is a maze of narrow white streets around the Plaza de los Naranjos, the orange tree square. The square has cafes and shade for the long partial phase. Buildings around it may block part of the sky, so for totality itself move to a spot with a clear view east, or walk down to the sea, which is not far.
Puerto Banús and San Pedro
West of the centre, Puerto Banús and San Pedro de Alcántara have their own beaches. Being a few kilometres further west they should get a few seconds more than the centre, though our figure is for Marbella town. It is not a reason to move.
The dunes to the east
East of the centre, around Cabopino, there are natural dunes and quieter beaches. They offer more space, but they are further east, so expect slightly less totality than in town.
Should you drive west for more time?
From Marbella, Estepona adds 20 seconds, Sotogrande 48 seconds and Tarifa 1m 21s. The road west is the A-7 along the coast, or the tolled AP-7 inland. In August both are already busy, and on eclipse morning many people from Málaga, Torremolinos and Fuengirola will be heading the same way.
- If you want more time, move the day before. Book a night in Estepona or Sotogrande and watch from there.
- If you drive that morning, be parked by about 08:30. The partial phase starts at 09:41:42 in Marbella.
- Do not leave at 10:50. The partial phase runs until 12:01:53, and everyone leaves at once. Have lunch and drive later.
- Or simply stay. 3m 17s is a full total eclipse. A calm morning on the beach beats a stressful drive for twenty extra seconds.
Check the DGT live traffic map before you set out.
Getting there
- By air. Málaga airport is the nearest, usually under an hour by road. Gibraltar airport is another option from the west.
- By car. The AP-7 or A-7 from Málaga. Spain drives on the right.
- By bus. Long-distance buses connect Marbella with Málaga and its airport, and with Estepona and Algeciras. Check timetables in advance.
- By train. Marbella has no railway. The Cercanías line from Málaga ends at Fuengirola.
Where to stay
Marbella has a huge range of hotels and apartments. August is peak season even without an eclipse, so book early.
Marbella centre
Walk to the beach, watch 3m 17s of totality and never need the car. Search Marbella for 1 to 3 August 2027.
San Pedro de Alcántara and Puerto Banús
A little further west, with plenty of apartments and hotels. Search San Pedro de Alcántara for 1 to 3 August 2027.
Estepona
For 20 seconds more, stay in Estepona and watch there. See our Estepona guide. Search Estepona for 1 to 3 August 2027.
Fuengirola
East of Marbella, with 3m 10s and a train to Málaga airport. See our Fuengirola guide. Search Fuengirola 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 Marbella, 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. Summer mornings on this coast sometimes start hazy. More detail is on our weather page. Check the AEMET forecast in the days before.
Beyond the eclipse
- The old town. The Plaza de los Naranjos and the white streets around it.
- The promenade. A long seafront walk from the centre.
- Puerto Banús. The marina, if boats and people watching are your thing.
- The mountains. The Sierra Blanca rises right behind the town. In August the heat and fire risk are high, so walk early and check for closures.
For the whole coast, see our southern Spain guide and the eclipse day planner.
Marbella eclipse questions
How long is totality in Marbella?
3 minutes 17 seconds, from 10:46:51 to 10:50:08 local time (CEST, UTC+2) on Monday 2 August 2027. The partial phases run from 09:41:42 to 12:01:53.
Is Marbella inside the path of totality?
Yes, comfortably. The northern edge of the path is 31 km away, and the whole town sees a total eclipse.
Is it worth driving from Marbella to Tarifa for the eclipse?
Tarifa gets 4m 38s, 1m 21s more than Marbella. If that matters to you, spend the night before there. Driving on the morning means joining a lot of other people on the A-7 and AP-7.
What are the chances of a clear sky in Marbella?
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
Estepona
The first Costa del Sol town inside the path, with well over three and a half minutes.
Full guide → Total: 3m 10s Southern SpainFuengirola
A beach town on the Costa del Sol train line, with three minutes of totality.
Full guide → Total: 4m 05s Southern SpainSotogrande & San Roque
Marina, golf and quiet beaches at the east end of the Campo de Gibraltar.
Full guide →