Watching the 12 August solar eclipse in the Algarve

Wednesday 12 August 2026 is Portugal's biggest solar eclipse in over a century. The last total eclipse visible from Portugal was in 1912, and the next will not come until 2144, which is most of the reason this one is worth planning around.

Totality itself only reaches a small part of northeastern Tras-os-Montes, for about 26 seconds. From the Algarve, what we get instead is a deep partial eclipse: 92 to 93 percent of the Sun covered. It will not go dark, but the Sun takes on a distinct crescent shape, and with totality out of reach down here, this is still the most dramatic sky event most of us will see from home.

When to look up

From the Algarve, the partial phase runs from 18:33 to 20:24, with maximum coverage around 19:30. That timing is a gift: the Sun will be low over the western horizon in the last stretch of golden hour, so an eclipse and a sunset happen in the same window.

How to watch it safely

Never look at the Sun without certified eclipse glasses. Sunglasses are not a substitute, and no unfiltered telescope or camera should be pointed at it either. Projection methods, such as a pinhole projector, are a safe alternative if you do not have certified glasses to hand.

The free organised sessions below provide certified eclipse glasses and solar-filtered telescopes to everyone who registers, which is the easiest way to watch it properly without sourcing your own kit.

The organised sessions

Several free observation sessions are running across the region on the day, each with certified glasses and solar-filtered telescopes for registered participants.

In Faro, there is a session at Parque Ribeirinho de Faro. Near Lagos, Barragem da Bravura is running one over the reservoir.

Tavira has three separate sessions on the day: Praça da República in the town centre, Praia do Arraial, and Praia do Barril.

Further west, Paderne Castle is combining the eclipse with a Perseid meteor shower observation session, starting earlier in the afternoon at 16:00 so there is time to settle in before the eclipse begins and stay on for the meteors after dark.

If you would rather watch it yourself

Any open, west-facing spot works: a beach, a headland, anywhere with a clear run down to the horizon. Just remember the same safety rules apply whether you are at an organised session or watching from a blanket on the sand: certified glasses only, and never the naked eye.

The same evening, the Perseid meteor shower is near its peak, so for anyone who stays out, the night carries on well after the eclipse ends and the Sun goes down.

Registration and the wider picture

Registration for the sessions and the national eclipse programme runs through cienciaviva.pt and eclipse2026.pt, which is also where to check for any updates closer to the day.

What we would do

Pick whichever of the sessions above is closest, register ahead of time so the glasses are guaranteed, and get there in good time for 18:33. With maximum coverage landing around 19:30, right as the Sun drops toward the horizon, this is one eclipse where turning up early for the golden hour light is as much the point as the eclipse itself.