Yes, Tangier sees a total solar eclipse on Monday 2 August 2027, and a long one: about 4 minutes 50 seconds of totality, from 08:44:45 to 08:49:35 Moroccan time (GMT, UTC+0). The partial eclipse starts at 07:40:38, the maximum is at 08:47:09 and the Moon leaves the Sun at 10:00:27. At totality the Sun stands about 38 degrees high, almost due east (azimuth 95 degrees), over the Bay of Tangier. The city lies only about 10 km north of the eclipse's centre line, so every neighbourhood, beach and cape around it gets close to the maximum for this part of the path.
Last updated: 3 November 2026 (facts checked 2 November 2026)
What time is the eclipse in Tangier, and how long is totality?
Morocco has been on GMT all year round since 20 September 2026, so the times below are plain GMT (UTC+0), two hours behind Spain's summer time (CEST, UTC+2). Many pages written before that change, including Wikipedia's timetable and Space.com's guide, still give Tangier's totality at about 09:44 or 09:47: subtract one hour. No return to summer time had been announced for 2027 when we checked on 2 November 2026.
Our figures come from our own calculation (skyfield with the JPL DE421 ephemeris, sea level). Published values agree within a few seconds: Eclipseando gives 4 min 52 s for Tangier (totality from 08:44:44), Wikipedia 4 min 51 s, theeclipse.app 4 min 50 s (08:44:44 to 08:49:35) and eclipse-solaire.fr 4 min 54 s. Differences of a few seconds come from the exact point chosen and how the Moon's edge is modelled. For the rest of the region, see our path of totality map and the eclipse timetable by country.
| Place | Totality starts (GMT) | Maximum | Totality ends | Duration | Sun altitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tangier centre (Grand Socco) | 08:44:45 | 08:47:09 | 08:49:35 | 4 min 50 s | 38° |
| Kasbah, Bab el Bahr | 08:44:45 | 08:47:09 | 08:49:35 | 4 min 50 s | 38° |
| Terrasse des Paresseux | 08:44:45 | 08:47:09 | 08:49:35 | 4 min 50 s | 38° |
| City beach and Corniche | 08:44:45 | 08:47:10 | 08:49:36 | 4 min 50 s | 38° |
| Marshan (Café Hafa) | 08:44:44 | 08:47:09 | 08:49:34 | 4 min 50 s | 38° |
| Cap Malabata | 08:44:51 | 08:47:15 | 08:49:40 | 4 min 49 s | 38° |
| Cap Spartel | 08:44:37 | 08:47:02 | 08:49:27 | 4 min 49 s | 38° |
| Achakar beach (Caves of Hercules) | 08:44:35 | 08:47:00 | 08:49:25 | 4 min 50 s | 38° |
| Ibn Battouta airport | 08:44:36 | 08:47:01 | 08:49:26 | 4 min 51 s | 38° |
| Ksar es-Seghir | 08:45:04 | 08:47:28 | 08:49:53 | 4 min 49 s | 38° |
| Tanger Med port | 08:45:10 | 08:47:33 | 08:49:57 | 4 min 47 s | 38° |
| Asilah | 08:44:25 | 08:46:47 | 08:49:10 | 4 min 44 s | 38° |
| Tetouan | 08:45:11 | 08:47:36 | 08:50:02 | 4 min 51 s | 38° |
| Martil | 08:45:18 | 08:47:44 | 08:50:10 | 4 min 52 s | 38° |
| Ceuta | 08:45:22 | 08:47:46 | 08:50:10 | 4 min 48 s | 38° |
| Tarifa (Spain) | 08:45:09 | 08:47:28 | 08:49:48 | 4 min 39 s | 38° |
Partial eclipse in Tangier centre: from 07:40:38 to 10:00:27 GMT. Tarifa in Spain shown in GMT for comparison (10:45:09 CEST).
Across the whole area, from Asilah to Tetouan, totality lasts between about 4 min 44 s and 4 min 52 s. Moving around Tangier changes it by a second or two at most, so pick your spot for the view and the crowds, not for the duration. Across the Strait it is a little shorter: 4 min 39 s in Tarifa and 4 min 27 s in Gibraltar (see our Gibraltar eclipse guide).
Where is the best place to watch the eclipse in Tangier?
Anywhere with a clear view east. At 08:47 the Sun is 38 degrees up (a little under halfway up the sky), so you don't need a panoramic terrace: a beach, a square or a roof with no tall building to the east is enough. These public places face the right way:
- The city beach and the Corniche. The promenade runs about 5 km around the bay (Lonely Planet). The bay opens to the east, so you watch the Sun over the water. Eclipsophile's Jay Anderson calls the beaches of the Bay of Tangier "very attractive as a viewing site". Expect crowds here.
- The Kasbah and Bab el Bahr. The highest part of the medina, with sea views from the Bab el Bahr gate. Note that the Kasbah Museum closes on Tuesdays; 2 August 2027 is a Monday, and in any case the view, not the museum, is what you need.
- Terrasse des Paresseux. The old terrace with cannons east of Place de France looks over the port, with Spain visible on clear days.
- Cap Malabata. East of the bay, quieter, looking straight down the Strait towards the Sun.
- Cap Spartel and Achakar beach. About 12 to 14 km west of the centre. The renovated lighthouse is open to the public. The Caves of Hercules nearby open at 10:00 according to Le360, after totality, so plan on the beach or the cliffs instead.
- Ksar es-Seghir. A small town on the Strait about halfway to Ceuta, with 4 min 49 s of totality and old walls by the sea.
Café Hafa, the famous cliff-top café in Marshan, is a private business with terraces over the Strait. Lovely for tea afterwards; ask before counting on it for the eclipse.
What is the weather like in Tangier in early August?
Usually sunny and warm. Tangier airport's climate normals (NOAA, 1961 to 1990, as given on Wikipedia) show an August mean maximum of 28.6 °C, about 344 hours of sunshine and less than one rainy day. At 08:47 in the morning it will be cooler than that.
The risk is cloud from the sea. Eclipsophile notes that "the waters of the Alboran Sea and the Strait of Gibraltar are cloudier than any other region" on this part of the eclipse track, and that the Levante wind can blow "for days and even weeks". The good news for Tangier: the marine stratus "tends to stay on the western side of the Tangier Peninsula", and although there is "often a misty character to Tangier's sunrise", cloud that lasts until mid-morning is rare. If the forecast shows low cloud on the Atlantic side, stay on the bay or move east towards Ksar es-Seghir. Eclipsophile also advises avoiding the coast from Tetouan to El Jebha on eclipse day.
How do you get to Tangier for the eclipse?
By ferry from Spain, by plane or by high-speed train from Rabat and Casablanca. Book early: the eclipse falls in the middle of Spain's Operation Crossing the Strait (Operación Paso del Estrecho), which ran from 15 June to 15 September in 2026 and is the busiest season on the Spain to Morocco ferries.
- Algeciras to Tanger Med: about 1 h 30 min (DFDS).
- Tarifa to Tanger Ville: the short crossing straight into the city port. It carried 115,880 passengers in the first month of the 2026 summer operation (Spanish Interior Ministry), but DFDS, which took over FRS, says on its route page that it no longer sails it. Check the current operators and timetable before you plan around it.
- By air: Tangier Ibn Battouta airport handled about 2.8 million passengers in 2025, up 17% (ONDA annual report).
- By train: the Al Boraq high-speed line links Tangier with Rabat in about 1 h 20 min and Casablanca in about 2 h 10 min (Visit Morocco).
If you stay in southern Spain and only cross for the day, remember the two-hour time difference: totality at 08:44 in Tangier is 10:44 on a Spanish clock. Our guide to Cádiz and Tarifa covers the Spanish side of the Strait.
Do you need a visa, and what does travel advice say?
UK and US citizens don't need a visa for tourist stays of up to 90 days (gov.uk; US State Department). EU citizens generally don't either, but we could not load the Moroccan foreign ministry's list, so check with your own foreign ministry. The UK passport must be valid for at least 3 months from arrival, the US one for 6 months.
The UK Foreign Office (page updated 19 August 2026, checked 2 November 2026) has no warning against travel to Tangier or northern Morocco; its regional warnings cover Western Sahara and the closed Algerian border. Like many countries' advice, it says that "terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Morocco". The US State Department's level is "exercise increased caution" because of terrorism.
Is Morocco planning anything for the eclipse in Tangier?
Nothing official has been announced yet. As of 2 November 2026 we found no programme from a ministry, the national research centre (CNRST), the city or region, or Abdelmalek Essaâdi University. In August 2026 the astrophysicist Zouhair Benkhaldoun told TelQuel that preparations "started a long time ago" and that he expects events run by tour operators and associations. The Fondation Attarik in Casablanca called its 2026 beach viewing a "dress rehearsal" for 2027 (RFI). We will update this page when official plans appear.
Tangier is already busy in summer: the city recorded more than 417,000 hotel nights in the first quarter of 2026 alone, 11% up on 2025 (Moroccan National Tourist Office via Infomédiaire), and the commune has 1,275,428 inhabitants (2024 census). The eclipse falls on a normal Monday; Throne Day is on 30 July and the next public holiday is 14 August.
Can you take off your eclipse glasses in Tangier?
Only during totality itself, the roughly 4 min 50 s when the Sun is completely covered. During the hour of partial eclipse before and after (from 07:40 to 08:44 and from 08:49 to 10:00), look at the Sun only through glasses certified to EN ISO 12312-2. Put them back on as soon as the first bright point of sunlight reappears. Sunglasses, smoked glass and phone screens don't protect your eyes.
Check that your glasses carry the CE mark, EN ISO 12312-2 and the maker's name; our guides to the ISO 12312-2 standard and to fake and non-compliant glasses explain what to look for, and our certificates are on the compliance and safety documents page. Tember glasses come in packs of 4 to 100: See the glasses. For hotels, schools and groups, see bulk eclipse glasses.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2027 solar eclipse total in Tangier?
Yes. Tangier is well inside the path of totality, about 10 km north of the centre line, and gets about 4 minutes 50 seconds of totality on 2 August 2027.
What time is totality in Tangier?
From about 08:44:45 to 08:49:35 Moroccan time (GMT), with the maximum at 08:47:09. That is 10:44 to 10:49 on a Spanish clock. Older pages that say 09:44 use Morocco's former UTC+1 time.
Where should I watch the eclipse in Tangier?
Any public place with a clear view east: the city beach and Corniche, the Kasbah near Bab el Bahr, the Terrasse des Paresseux, Cap Malabata, or Cap Spartel and Achakar beach west of the city. The Sun is 38 degrees high, so a wide-open sea view is nice but not essential.
Is Tangier better than Tarifa or Gibraltar for the eclipse?
For duration, slightly: about 4 min 50 s in Tangier against 4 min 39 s in Tarifa and 4 min 27 s in Gibraltar. Weather odds on both sides of the Strait depend mostly on the Levante wind and sea cloud on the day.
Will the ferries from Spain be busy on eclipse weekend?
Very likely. The eclipse falls inside Spain's summer Operation Crossing the Strait, the peak season for the Spain to Morocco ferries, so book early and allow extra time at the ports.
Do I need eclipse glasses in Tangier if the eclipse is total?
Yes. For more than an hour before and after totality the Sun is only partly covered, and you need glasses certified to EN ISO 12312-2 to look at it. Only during the roughly 4 min 50 s of totality can you look without them.
Sources
- Durations and times: our calculation (skyfield, JPL DE421); cross-checked with Eclipseando: Tangier, Wikipedia: Solar eclipse of August 2, 2027, theeclipse.app: Tangier, eclipse-solaire.fr: Tanger and Space.com (all checked 2 November 2026).
- Morocco's time zone: Hespress, 18 September 2026; Hespress, 25 June 2026.
- Weather: Eclipsophile (Jay Anderson): 2027 total eclipse weather; Wikipedia: Tangier (climate table, NOAA 1961 to 1990).
- Places: Lonely Planet: top things to do in Tangier; Lonely Planet: Terrasse des Paresseux; Wikipedia: Cape Spartel; Le360: Caves of Hercules; Le360: Tangier museums; Wikipedia: Ksar es-Seghir; Wikipedia: Café Hafa.
- Transport: DFDS: Algeciras to Tanger Med; DFDS: Tarifa to Tanger Ville; La Moncloa: Operación Paso del Estrecho 2026, first month; ONDA annual report 2025; Visit Morocco: Al Boraq.
- Entry and travel advice: gov.uk: Morocco entry requirements, regional risks and safety and security; US State Department: Morocco.
- Plans and figures: TelQuel, 11 August 2026; RFI via AllAfrica, 12 August 2026; Infomédiaire, 4 June 2026 (ONT figures); HCP: 2024 census, Tangier; Office Holidays: Morocco 2027.
- Featured image: NASA, Space Shuttle Endeavour photograph sts077-718-088 of the Strait of Gibraltar and Tangier, May 1996. Map: our calculation; coastline from Natural Earth.