Solar Eclipses in 2026, 2025 and the Love Story of 1962: The Sky Just Became Your Ultimate Travel Planner

Remember 8 April 2024? That eerie light, the birds suddenly going silent, and all of us staring up at the sky armed with protective glasses? The total solar eclipse over North America was just a sneak peek of what's in store for Europe over the next couple of years. And if you're not paying attention now, come 12 August 2026, you might literally be left staring at a cloudy sky from the wrong spot.

Because this time, the hot spot is super close: Spain, specifically the Balearic Islands and the northern Spanish coast, will be the epicentre of this cosmic spectacle. Word from the islands is that hotels in Mallorca for that week in August are already selling like hotcakes. So, if you're hoping to snag a spot with a sea view and a clear line of sight to the southwest, you better get a move on. It's a bit like the recent total eclipses, but with Swiss travel agencies working overtime this time around.

Three dates you need to mark in your calendar

Before that big event, though, we've got the partial solar eclipse on 29 March 2025. Here in Switzerland, it'll only look like a little nibble taken out of the sun, but for true fans, every bit of darkness counts. Things will get really wild on 12 August 2026 – and not just in the sky, but on the ground too. Insiders are tipping that thousands from Switzerland alone will flock to Palma, Valencia, or the Catalonian hinterlands.

• 29 March 2025: Partial solar eclipse – visible in Switzerland during the morning, looking like a "bitten apple".
• 12 August 2026: Total solar eclipse – the main event for Spain. Zone of totality: includes northern Spain and the Balearic Islands. Mallorca is already a hot commodity.
• 2 August 2027: The next total eclipse in Southern Europe – but that's a story for another day.

Sure, you could say, "Aiyah, I'll just watch from my balcony." But a total solar eclipse is about immersion. It's about that fleeting seconds-long feeling when day turns into night and a reddish glow flickers on the horizon. That's worth travelling for. And judging by how fast bookings on the islands are filling up, plenty of people agree.

The love story of 1962 – what's that got to do with the moon?

And then there's this strange search term that's been trending for days: "love 1962". What does it have to do with a solar eclipse? Dig into the archives and you'll find 5 February 1962. That day, the sun darkened over large parts of Asia and the Pacific – but that alone doesn't scream romance. People who were there tell a different story, though: It was the era of the economic boom, of new beginnings, and many couples used the unique atmosphere of the eclipse to get engaged. My neighbour, born in 1940, swears she fell in love with her husband that afternoon – because he was the only one in the village square who could explain to her why the moon was kissing the sun. Maybe that's it: a solar eclipse sticks in your memory, and if you share it with someone, it becomes a matter of the heart.

That's exactly what will happen on 12 August 2026. Thousands of people will hold their breath together, and for many, that moment will become a memory for life – maybe even the start of a love story. So plan ahead, grab your loved ones, and get ready for a celestial spectacle that reminds us just how small we really are. And if you end up in Mallorca without a hotel room – don't sweat it, just grab a gin and tonic and watch from a beach bar. The view's unobstructed, and happiness is sometimes like that too.