Spain Tours

In our opinion, the best time to travel to Spain will be early August 2026. That’s because a most unusual event takes place on August 12th—a total eclipse of the Sun. It’s a spectacle you don’t want to miss. And what better place to witness the total solar eclipse than in the heart of Spain, from your unique vantage point on a sunny plateau ringed by mountains and dotted with medieval towns?

TravelQuest invites you to join our 2026 Spain Total Solar Eclipse Tour—Northbound. During our 10-day Spain trip, we visit some of the country’s most celebrated cities—Madrid, Segovia, Burgos, and Bilbao—while also winding through lesser-known regions to explore aspects of this fascinating nation that mainstream tours miss. And on August 12, 2026, our select group will view the total eclipse of the Sun from a site in rural Castilla that our astronomers believe is most likely to offer unobstructed views during the brief but unforgettable sunset sequence.

TravelQuest has been offering Spain tours to curious travelers for more than 20 years. In that time, our local partners who help us create these trips have become trusted friends. These gifted storytellers, with their passion for sharing their country’s rich history and natural beauty, have always made our Spanish journeys truly magical. And our 10-day total solar eclipse trip to Spain is no exception.

Explore this and other types of eclipse travel

Into Wine Country

Visits to wineries are a feature of our Spain travel. Wine has been produced in the region for more than 3,000 years, ever since the Phoenicians planted vineyards in southwestern Spain. There are some three million acres of vines under cultivation in Spain, making the country the third-leading wine producer in the world (behind France and Italy). Lunches and dinners that are part of our Spain tour itinerary include many excellent Spanish wines.

Our first winery visit is to one that many consider the best in the famed Ribera del Duero wine-growing region. Ribera del Duero is one of 11 “quality wine” regions within the autonomous community of Castile and León. Later, after we view the solar eclipse, we enter La Rioja in the ancient kingdom of Castilla. This is Spain’s smallest region and home to many of the country’s most renowned wines. You can sample some excellent vintages during our visit to a traditional winery. Toward the end of our Spain travels, we journey along the north coast to the town of Zarautz. Here we’re welcomed at a local winery by members of a Basque family who have created distinctive Txakoli wines for generations.

Step Back in Time

When we travel to Spain, we can’t help but go back in time, as Spanish history has a fascination all its own. In Madrid, El Escorial, Segovia, Valladolid, and Burgos, we see the influence of the kings of Spain and the Roman Empire. But those several hundred years of history pale in comparison to the finds at Atapuerca, a small village some 12 miles northeast of Burgos.

Atapuerca was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000 after archaeologists unearthed evidence of the earliest hominid settlement in Western Europe. Around one million years ago, the caves of Atapuerca provided shelter for hominid and animals. Several limestone caves have preserved a large number of hominid fossils, the oldest dating back to 1.2 million years ago. You have a unique opportunity to see these discoveries up close, as we talk to some of the experts whose work has transformed our understanding of how human life evolved on the continent.

Solar Eclipse in Spain

You can tour Spain any time, but rarely can you add a solar eclipse to your Spanish itinerary. If you’re captivated by the idea of seeing the Sun vanish behind the Moon, then the best time to travel to Spain is August of 2026. That’s when a total solar eclipse sweeps across the northern part of the country. Because the eclipse occurs late in the day on the 12th, there is time to explore the breathtaking monastery of Silos, where the monks’ performance of Gregorian chants helps set an appropriately contemplative mood ahead of the astronomical wonder we’ll experience at sunset.

According to Jay Anderson, TravelQuest’s eclipse meteorologist, Spain in August is mainly a land of sunshine and warm temperatures, offering the best prospects for a cloud-free eclipse of any location along the Moon’s path. Completely sunny days are common in Spain during the late summer. Still, in choosing TravelQuest’s observation site in rural Castilla, we’ve avoided areas that are prone to afternoon cloud buildups to ensure a clear sight line to the setting Sun. We’ll also be far enough inland to avoid coastal cloud, in a viewing spot tucked behind mountains that impede incoming weather systems. Although it will be a short eclipse at 1 minute 45 seconds, its ghostly appearance above the sunset horizon, over a generally sunlit landscape, will add a special drama to the spectacle.

Join Us as We Travel to Spain in 2026

Post-eclipse, our Spain trip takes us along a less-traveled route to the village of Frias. Here we find a medieval castle complete with an impressive 12th-century bridge, quaint houses hanging over the hillside streets, and a population of 200 residents who proudly protect their patrimony while sharing it with visitors. As we continue north, passing through sweeping grainfields of the central plateau and green coastal landscapes, we are greeted by the grandeur of San Sebastián’s Belle Époque architecture and the storied history of this seaside promenade.

Ultimately, we end our tour of Spain in Bilbao with a visit to the Guggenheim Museum, the masterpiece of Canadian-born U.S. architect Frank Gehry. A global landmark, this museum of modern art is as much a sculpture as a building, with a titanium-sheathed exterior in which, in Gehry’s words, “the randomness of the curves is designed to catch the light.”

So join us, as we embrace the spirit of discovery on the Iberian Peninsula during our 2026 Spain Total Solar Eclipse Tour—Northbound. Our original southbound tour sold out quickly, and we expect this identical northbound version to also sell out rapidly. Our trip to Spain blends cultural and astronomical adventures, and provides unique access and expert insights that are hallmarks of the TravelQuest experience.

In our opinion, the best time to travel to Spain will be early August 2026. That’s because a most unusual event takes place on August 12th—a total eclipse of the Sun. It’s a spectacle you don’t want to miss. And what better place to witness the total solar eclipse than in the heart of Spain, from your unique vantage point on a sunny plateau ringed by mountains and dotted with medieval towns?

TravelQuest invites you to join our 2026 Spain Total Solar Eclipse Tour—Northbound. During our 10-day Spain trip, we visit some of the country’s most celebrated cities—Madrid, Segovia, Burgos, and Bilbao—while also winding through lesser-known regions to explore aspects of this fascinating nation that mainstream tours miss. And on August 12, 2026, our select group will view the total eclipse of the Sun from a site in rural Castilla that our astronomers believe is most likely to offer unobstructed views during the brief but unforgettable sunset sequence.

TravelQuest has been offering Spain tours to curious travelers for more than 20 years. In that time, our local partners who help us create these trips have become trusted friends. These gifted storytellers, with their passion for sharing their country’s rich history and natural beauty, have always made our Spanish journeys truly magical. And our 10-day total solar eclipse trip to Spain is no exception.

Explore this and other types of eclipse travel

Into Wine Country

Visits to wineries are a feature of our Spain travel. Wine has been produced in the region for more than 3,000 years, ever since the Phoenicians planted vineyards in southwestern Spain. There are some three million acres of vines under cultivation in Spain, making the country the third-leading wine producer in the world (behind France and Italy). Lunches and dinners that are part of our Spain tour itinerary include many excellent Spanish wines.

Our first winery visit is to one that many consider the best in the famed Ribera del Duero wine-growing region. Ribera del Duero is one of 11 “quality wine” regions within the autonomous community of Castile and León. Later, after we view the solar eclipse, we enter La Rioja in the ancient kingdom of Castilla. This is Spain’s smallest region and home to many of the country’s most renowned wines. You can sample some excellent vintages during our visit to a traditional winery. Toward the end of our Spain travels, we journey along the north coast to the town of Zarautz. Here we’re welcomed at a local winery by members of a Basque family who have created distinctive Txakoli wines for generations.

Step Back in Time

When we travel to Spain, we can’t help but go back in time, as Spanish history has a fascination all its own. In Madrid, El Escorial, Segovia, Valladolid, and Burgos, we see the influence of the kings of Spain and the Roman Empire. But those several hundred years of history pale in comparison to the finds at Atapuerca, a small village some 12 miles northeast of Burgos.

Atapuerca was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000 after archaeologists unearthed evidence of the earliest hominid settlement in Western Europe. Around one million years ago, the caves of Atapuerca provided shelter for hominid and animals. Several limestone caves have preserved a large number of hominid fossils, the oldest dating back to 1.2 million years ago. You have a unique opportunity to see these discoveries up close, as we talk to some of the experts whose work has transformed our understanding of how human life evolved on the continent.

Solar Eclipse in Spain

You can tour Spain any time, but rarely can you add a solar eclipse to your Spanish itinerary. If you’re captivated by the idea of seeing the Sun vanish behind the Moon, then the best time to travel to Spain is August of 2026. That’s when a total solar eclipse sweeps across the northern part of the country. Because the eclipse occurs late in the day on the 12th, there is time to explore the breathtaking monastery of Silos, where the monks’ performance of Gregorian chants helps set an appropriately contemplative mood ahead of the astronomical wonder we’ll experience at sunset.

According to Jay Anderson, TravelQuest’s eclipse meteorologist, Spain in August is mainly a land of sunshine and warm temperatures, offering the best prospects for a cloud-free eclipse of any location along the Moon’s path. Completely sunny days are common in Spain during the late summer. Still, in choosing TravelQuest’s observation site in rural Castilla, we’ve avoided areas that are prone to afternoon cloud buildups to ensure a clear sight line to the setting Sun. We’ll also be far enough inland to avoid coastal cloud, in a viewing spot tucked behind mountains that impede incoming weather systems. Although it will be a short eclipse at 1 minute 45 seconds, its ghostly appearance above the sunset horizon, over a generally sunlit landscape, will add a special drama to the spectacle.

Join Us as We Travel to Spain in 2026

Post-eclipse, our Spain trip takes us along a less-traveled route to the village of Frias. Here we find a medieval castle complete with an impressive 12th-century bridge, quaint houses hanging over the hillside streets, and a population of 200 residents who proudly protect their patrimony while sharing it with visitors. As we continue north, passing through sweeping grainfields of the central plateau and green coastal landscapes, we are greeted by the grandeur of San Sebastián’s Belle Époque architecture and the storied history of this seaside promenade.

Ultimately, we end our tour of Spain in Bilbao with a visit to the Guggenheim Museum, the masterpiece of Canadian-born U.S. architect Frank Gehry. A global landmark, this museum of modern art is as much a sculpture as a building, with a titanium-sheathed exterior in which, in Gehry’s words, “the randomness of the curves is designed to catch the light.”

So join us, as we embrace the spirit of discovery on the Iberian Peninsula during our 2026 Spain Total Solar Eclipse Tour—Northbound. Our original southbound tour sold out quickly, and we expect this identical northbound version to also sell out rapidly. Our trip to Spain blends cultural and astronomical adventures, and provides unique access and expert insights that are hallmarks of the TravelQuest experience.