On August 2, 2027, the skies above parts of southern Spain, Northern Africa, the Middle East and the Horn of Africa will plunge into darkness as a total solar eclipse blocks all direct sunlight. Witnessing a solar eclipse in its totality is powerful, and not only because it’s quite a sight. The temperature also drops, wild animals transition to their nocturnal routines and stillness fills the air. Experience it for yourself at one of these destinations in the path of totality.
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (totality time: 5 minutes, 54 seconds)
The Island Mosque is near Jeddah’s corniche
(Image credit: Pavel Tochinsky / Getty Images)
You have the best of both worlds in Jeddah. The city is going through an “exciting wave of regeneration,” with a fresh crop of “museums, cafes, galleries and cultural festivals” giving it an “unmistakably modern edge,” said Condé Nast Traveler Middle East. Not everything is shiny and new — the “beguiling” old town, Al Balad, still draws crowds for its souks, ancient buildings and lively street scene. Because Jeddah is on the Red Sea, it also offers “year-round warm waters” and the “enviable” chance for diving and snorkeling excursions.
The Karnak Temple is the largest-ever religious site built
(Image credit: SW Photography / Getty Images)
Luxor, with its “rich cache of historical treasures,” is “often touted as the world’s greatest open-air museum,” said The Times of London. Visitors can bask in the glory of “mighty monuments” like the Avenue of Sphinxes, the “vast” Karnak Temple Complex and Luxor Temple, “fronted by colossal statues” of the “prolific” pharaoh Ramses II. While the temperatures will be sweltering here during the summer, experts say there is a “near zero-chance” of clouds over Egypt during the eclipse, said Space.com (The Week’s sister site).
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On this Smithsonian Journeys and Ponant Explorations adventure, 264 guests will glide along the southern shores of Spain and Portugal on the Le Boréal. The day of the eclipse, the ship will stop in the band of totality off the southern coast of Spain, with guests invited to take in the awe-inspiring event from the top deck. The cruise starts in Lisbon on July 30, 2027, and includes stops in Marbella and Málaga, with one excursion or activity included at every port.
Hundreds of miles away from the packed streets of Cairo is “far-flung” Siwa Oasis, a historic outpost in the Western Desert “full of natural wonders” like salt lakes and “spring-fed pools framed by date palms,” said Afar. Take your time exploring the “spectacular ruins” of the Shali Fortress and “striking remains” of the Temple of Umm Ubayda, and set aside at least one day for floating in the salt lakes and “sand bathing,” an ancient ritual where you are “buried to the neck in hot sand” for therapeutic purposes. It will be hot in August — expect temperatures of 104 degrees Fahrenheit and above — but worth it to see the eclipse from this “refuge from the clamor of daily life.”
Tangier is a great place to purchase colorful Moroccan ceramics and pottery
(Image credit: Edwin Remsberg / Getty Images)
This “laid-back coastal city” has a “distinctly Mediterranean feel,” with its mild climate, sea breezes and buildings featuring “whitewashed walls and candy-colored wooden shutters,” said Lonely Planet. The Kasbah is Tangier’s “historic heart,” where visitors enjoy “panoramic views of the sea and city skyline,” boutiques, museums and cafes. The city is also home to thriving botanical gardens and the Rmilat Forest, where eucalyptus trees brought to Morocco from Australia “now stand alongside palms, pines, poplars, willows and oaks.”
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The strong wind makes kite flying on the beach a must-do
(Image credit: Frank Wijn / Getty Images)
Tarifa earns its nickname “City of Wind” honestly. This is continental Europe’s southernmost point, and the “strong” gusts off the Atlantic make it a “mecca” for activities like kitesurfing and windsurfing, said Travel and Leisure. If you prefer your toes in the sand, lounge on the beach for the afternoon, then take a stroll around the “laid-back” beach town.
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
