Portugal witnesses first total solar eclipse since 1912, with totality in Bragança and pilgrims watching at Fátima

A century-long wait ends

Portugal witnessed its first total solar eclipse since 1912 on Wednesday, 12 August 2026. The Moon began moving between the Sun and Earth at 18:33, and totality arrived shortly after 19:30, when the lunar disc completely obscured the Sun. The phenomenon was total (100%) only in a restricted area of the Parque Natural de Montesinho, near Bragança in the northeast. Across the rest of continental Portugal, the eclipse reached between 92% and 99%, while the Azores and Madeira saw coverage of 74% to 77%. The next total solar eclipse visible in Portugal will not occur until 2144.

Bragança turns to night

Thousands gathered at the aeródromo de Bragança to experience totality. As the Moon progressively covered the Sun and daylight faded, the crowd shouted "it's almost there" and "just a little bit left". When the Sun disappeared completely just after 19:30, spectators reacted with applause, shouts, and tears. Gustavo Leal drove 120 kilometres from São João da Pesqueira, in the Viseu district, to reach Bragança after finishing his workday. He described the sensation as indescribable and noted a slight breeze when the light vanished.

I felt a slight breeze, which was nice, but when the light disappeared it gave me an eerie feeling.

Pedro Costa, a Lisbon resident who also travelled to Bragança, called it a great spectacle and something unique that totally met his expectations, recording the moment on camera. Jacinta Afonso, from Alfândega da Fé, said no words could capture what she saw.

It was magnificent, there are no words, the tears started falling, it was even better than I expected.

Austelina Rego, a Bragança resident, said she asked the breeze to carry away everything bad and was certain it had. After 20:00, people began folding their blankets and leaving the aeródrome.

Economic boost for the interior

Isabel Ferreira, president of the Câmara de Bragança, said the eclipse brought an enormous economic return to the region, benefiting hospitality, restaurants, local commerce, and heritage promotion. She estimated that accommodation and hotel revenue alone exceeded 300,000 euros per night, with local lodging and hotels selling out early.

Surely, in accommodation and hospitality alone per night it was more than 300 thousand euros.

Ferreira called Bragança the "capital do eclipse solar" in Portugal and said the designation gave the city a deserved centrality that the interior often lacks.

Pilgrims and faith at Fátima

The eclipse coincided with the traditional Peregrinação dos Emigrantes at the Santuário de Fátima. A family of nine from Braga, now living in Monaco, watched from the steps of the Basílica de Nossa Senhora do Rosário. Laura Costa said they had bought eclipse glasses for everyone.

We managed to buy glasses for everyone and who knows, maybe we'll witness a miracle today.

Nine-year-old Mia Alves Martins exclaimed that it was very beautiful and that she also wanted to see shooting stars, as only a small orange line remained visible and the temperature dropped slightly. Among older pilgrims, the eclipse recalled the "Milagre do Sol" of 13 October 1917 at Fátima, when witnesses reported the Sun spinning like a wheel of fire and appearing to fall toward Earth. Carla Martins said the experience at the sanctuary was unplanned but felt like a sign.

Across Iberia and beyond

The eclipse was also total in parts of Spain and Iceland, making the Iberian Peninsula a focal point for observers. The European Space Agency broadcast the event live from the Observatório Astrofísico de Javalambre in Teruel, Spain. Sergio travelled from Italy with his family to northern Spain solely to witness the eclipse. Some attendees at Bragança were already considering travelling to southern Spain for the next total solar eclipse, expected in August 2027.