On 12 August 2026 the whole of Cantabria falls inside the path of totality of the first total solar eclipse visible from mainland Spain in more than a century. In Liébana totality lasts a little over a minute, at around 20:27.
But there is one detail almost nobody is mentioning, and one we know well here, surrounded by mountains: you may not see it from where you are. This is what is worth knowing before the day.
The Sun will be very low
During totality it will be only 8-10 degrees above the horizon, almost at sunset. Ten degrees is roughly two fists at arm’s length.
That means nothing can stand between you and the west: not a rise in the ground, not a line of trees, not the hillside opposite.
How to tell whether your spot works
Go to your chosen place a few days before, at the same time. If on 8 or 9 August you can watch the Sun set from there, on the 12th you will see the eclipse.
If by 20:25 the Sun is already behind the mountain, find somewhere else. It is the most reliable check there is, and it costs nothing.
The cable car will not get you there in time
Going up to the Mirador del Cable is the first thing everyone thinks of. Worth knowing: in August the cable car closes at 19:00, with the last ascent 15 minutes before that.
With those hours it is not possible to be at the top at 20:27. If Cantur lays on a special service, it will be announced on their website.
Protect your eyes, seriously
During the partial phases, looking at the Sun without certified protection damages the retina permanently. And it does not hurt while it is happening.
Use ISO 12312-2 certified glasses. Sunglasses, smoked glass and X-ray film will not do. Only during the minute of totality can you look with the naked eye.
What to bring
Certified glasses, one per person. Warm clothes: at 20:30 in the mountains it gets colder than people expect.
A head torch, because night falls quickly after totality. And be in place a good hour early: the partial phases begin at around 19:30.
If it clouds over
In Liébana in August it can happen. It is worth having a plan B half an hour away by car, facing a different part of the valley, and deciding that same afternoon based on the forecast.
A total eclipse does not come round again: the next one visible from Spain is in 2027.