A Night Under the Stars: The Solar Eclipse and Perseids in Gandia
12 August 2026 promises to be a very special summer evening in Gandia.
As the sun begins to sink towards the Mediterranean, residents and visitors will have the opportunity to witness one of nature’s most remarkable spectacles — a solar eclipse that will see 99.9% of the Sun obscured from Gandia.
And when the eclipse is over, there may still be another show waiting overhead: the Perseid meteor shower.
An Extraordinary Eclipse Over Gandia
The eclipse will begin in Gandia at approximately 19:30 on Wednesday, 12 August, gradually transforming the familiar summer evening light as the Moon moves across the face of the Sun.
Maximum eclipse will occur at around 20:33, when an extraordinary 99.9% of the Sun will be hidden.
The eclipse will end at approximately 20:59, very close to sunset — creating the possibility of a truly memorable Mediterranean evening.
To mark the occasion, Gandia Town Council’s Tourism Department has organised special activities allowing people to experience the event safely while enjoying the natural surroundings of Gandia’s coastline.
At Platja de l’Auir, one of the area’s most beautiful and unspoilt beaches, a yoga session will begin at 19:30 beside the sea — an appropriately peaceful setting in which to experience such an unusual astronomical event.
How to Watch the Eclipse Safely
It is extremely important never to look directly at the Sun without suitable eye protection, even when almost all of it is obscured.
To help people enjoy the event safely, 10,000 certified eclipse glasses complying with the ISO 12312-2 safety standard have been distributed free of charge through businesses participating in the SICTED tourism quality programme.
From Monday, 10 August, while stocks last, glasses will also be available from Gandia’s Tourist Info offices:
- Faro 1 — Paseo Neptuno, opposite Calle Cibeles
- Faro 2 — Paseo Neptuno, opposite Calle Aragón
- Gandia Tourist Office — Avenida Marqués de Campo, 16
Proper eclipse glasses are essential. Ordinary sunglasses, regardless of how dark they are, are not safe for viewing the Sun.
And Then Come the Perseids…
The celestial entertainment does not necessarily end when the Sun disappears below the horizon.
The night of 12 August also falls during the peak period of the Perseid meteor shower, one of the best-known and most eagerly anticipated meteor showers of the year.
Known traditionally in Spain as the Lágrimas de San Lorenzo — the Tears of Saint Lawrence — the Perseids have been watched on warm August nights for generations.
Once darkness falls, moving away from bright street lighting and allowing your eyes time to adjust will give you the best chance of seeing meteors streaking across the summer sky.
A Very Special Summer Evening in Gandia
There is something rather wonderful about the timing.
First, an almost completely eclipsed Sun setting over Gandia. Then, as darkness takes its place, the possibility of shooting stars overhead.
For guests staying with us at Villa Florencia Casa Rural, it is another reminder that some of the most memorable experiences in this part of Spain are not found on an itinerary.
Sometimes you simply have to look up.
Wednesday, 12 August 2026
Eclipse begins in Gandia: 19:30
Maximum eclipse: 20:33 — 99.9% of the Sun obscured
Eclipse ends: 20:59
And afterwards?
Keep watching the sky.
