The Italian coast at sunset — the 12 August 2026 partial solar eclipse in Italy

Éclipse solaire totale · 12 août 2026

Où observer l'éclipse solaire de 2026 en Italie

Italy sees a deep partial eclipse at sunset on 12 August 2026 — up to ~95% in the alpine north-west, around 78% in Sardinia. Dramatic as the eclipsed Sun goes down, but it isn't totality; the nearest is over the sea toward Spain.

Partial eclipse
Maximum~20:25 CESTMaximum · 12 Aug 2026 (varies; near sunset)
Sun altitude~0–5°low in the west, near sunset
Coverageup to ~95%NW alps highest; ~84% Rome; ~78% Sardinia
Clear-sky odds Good · ≈72%August evenings are often clear across Italy, but because the Sun is right on the horizon at maximum, low coastal haze or a mountain skyline to the west is the real threat — choose your spot for the horizon, not just the sky.
Counting down to totality
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On 12 August 2026 Italy gets a deep partial eclipse, beautifully timed for sunset. The further north-west you are — up toward the Alps and the French border — the more of the Sun is hidden, peaking around 95%. Heading south and east it eases off: roughly the mid-80s in Rome, about 78% in Sardinia. Nowhere in Italy does the Sun fully disappear — for true totality you'd travel west to Spain — but a 90%-plus crescent Sun setting behind the mountains or the sea is a sight worth planning for.

Below: how deep the partial runs across Italy, the best places to catch the eclipsed sunset, and how to do it safely.

The timeline

When the eclipse happens

~19:35 CESTPartial begins — first "bite" out of the Sun
~20:25 CESTPartial. Glasses off only if total.
~20:30The Sun sets mid-eclipse — across much of Italy it goes down still partly covered.

This is a true sunset eclipse in Italy — the Sun is only a few degrees up at maximum and sets while still partly covered in much of the country. A completely open, flat western horizon (ideally over the sea) is everything.

Where to set up

The best places to watch

Turin & the north-west

~93%

Deepest partial in Italy · alpine NW

Italy's north-west, up toward the French border and the Alps, sees the deepest partial — around 90%+ of the Sun covered, low over the western mountains at sunset. The best of the Italian mainland; pick a spot clear of the peaks to the west.

Milan & Lombardy

~90%

Big northern city · deep partial at sunset

Milan and the Lombard plain catch a deep partial low in the west as the Sun sets — find an open western viewpoint clear of the city skyline, or head for the lakes and hills.

Liguria & the Riviera (Genoa)

~90%

Open sea horizon to the west · sunset eclipse

The Ligurian coast offers what inland Italy can't: a clean western sea horizon for the low, eclipsed setting Sun. Genoa and the Riviera are prime for the photograph.

Rome & central Italy

Deep partial

The capital · partial at sunset

Rome sees a substantial partial (lower than the north) with the Sun setting in the west — the dome-and-eclipse shot is on offer from any western viewpoint such as the Gianicolo terrace.

Sardinia (Cagliari)

~78%

Closest to the path by sea · west coast

Sardinia is Italy's nearest land to the path of totality, out over the Balearic Sea. Cagliari sees about 78% coverage; the island's west coast gives an open sea horizon for the setting Sun.

The further north-west you go, the deeper the eclipse — Piedmont, Valle d'Aosta and Liguria see the most, while Sardinia's west coast gives the cleanest sea horizon.

The weather call

Will the sky be clear?

Italian August evenings are usually settled and clear, which is good news. The complication here is unusually specific: the eclipse happens right at sunset, so the Sun is sitting on the horizon at maximum.

That means a band of coastal haze, a distant ridge or a city skyline to the west can hide the very moment you came for, even under an otherwise blue sky.

So choose your spot for its western horizon above all — an open sea view (the Riviera, Sardinia's west coast) or a high point looking west.

If you want genuine totality, Italy is too far east; the realistic move is to travel to Spain — Barcelona, Valencia or Mallorca are inside or beside the path.

Plan the day

Your eclipse-day checklist

  • Certified ISO 12312-2 / CE eclipse glasses — keep them on the whole time (a partial is never safe unaided).
  • A completely open, flat western horizon — the Sun sets mid-eclipse.
  • Get high or get to the coast: a sea horizon to the west is ideal.
  • Arrive early and scout the exact sunset point the evening before.
  • A solar filter on any camera or phone for the whole partial.
  • There is no glasses-off moment in Italy — keep them on throughout.
  • For totality, plan a trip west to Spain rather than a local drive.
  • Check the western-horizon forecast (haze, low cloud) in the final 48 hours.

⚠ Never look without certified glasses

There is no safe moment to look unaided here — keep certified glasses on for the entire eclipse. Ordinary sunglasses do nothing.

Shop ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses →

Quick answers

Italy eclipse FAQ

Will Italy see a total solar eclipse in 2026?
No — Italy sees a partial eclipse on 12 August 2026, not totality. The path of totality stays well to the west, over northern Spain. Italy's deepest partial is in the north-west (up to ~95%), easing to about 78% in Sardinia.
How much of the Sun will be covered in Italy?
It depends where you are. The alpine north-west reaches around 95%; Milan and Turin roughly 90%; Rome and the centre in the mid-80s; Sardinia about 78%; the deep south least of all.
What time is the eclipse in Italy?
Right at sunset. Maximum falls around 20:20–20:35 local time (CEST) depending on location, with the Sun only a few degrees above the western horizon — in much of Italy it actually sets while the eclipse is still going.
Where is the best place to watch in Italy?
Anywhere with a clear, open western horizon — ideally the north-west (Piedmont, Liguria) for the deepest eclipse, or a west-facing coast such as the Riviera or Sardinia for a clean sea horizon as the eclipsed Sun sets.
Do I need eclipse glasses in Italy?
Yes — for the entire eclipse. In a partial the Sun is never fully covered, so there is no safe moment to look unaided. Use certified ISO 12312-2 glasses throughout, and never look through a camera, phone or binoculars without a proper solar filter.
Where can I see totality from Italy?
You would have to travel west. Italy is too far east for the 2026 path; the nearest totality is in Spain — Barcelona is beside the path and Valencia, Zaragoza and Mallorca are inside it. See our Spain guides to plan a totality trip.

Keep exploring the path

Nearby regions to watch from

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Sources : timeanddate.com · nationaleclipse.com · eclipsophile.com (météo) · Gobierno de Aragón · BBC Sky at Night. Les heures sont locales (CEST).