Calvià Activates a Special Safety Operation for Solar Eclipse Viewing

Calvià Town Council will activate a coordination and safety operation for the total solar eclipse on 12 August.

The event has been declared by the Spanish Government to be of exceptional public interest, a status reserved for events of major significance. The aim of the municipal operation is to guarantee the safety of residents and visitors, protect the natural environment and ensure the effective operation of emergency services, in coordination with the Government of the Balearic Islands and the other authorities involved.

The operation will begin 24 hours before the eclipse, with the gradual deployment of the Local Police, Civil Protection and the other services responsible for managing mobility and safety throughout the municipality.

In view of the astronomical event, the Town Council will also reinforce surveillance and rescue services along the coastline. The lifeguard service at Santa Ponça Beach will remain operational until at least 10 p.m. In addition, Civil Protection volunteers and staff from Calvià will be on duty throughout the day, while two Civil Protection vessels will carry out surveillance and support operations at sea to strengthen maritime safety.

The entire operation will be coordinated with the Guardia Civil, Local Police and Civil Protection to ensure a rapid response to any incident, both on land and along the coastline.

As part of the planned operation, the Town Council will introduce special traffic-management measures to prevent congestion and safeguard the emergency services’ ability to respond.

As a preventive measure, access to Puig de sa Morisca and the municipality’s main viewpoints, including El Toro and the Illes Malgrats, will not be permitted, in order to prevent overcrowding in areas with limited evacuation capacity.

For eclipse viewing, the Government of the Balearic Islands has designated Santa Ponça Beach as Calvià’s Official Observation Zone (ZOO), making it one of 26 authorised locations across the archipelago.

The Town Council will continuously monitor the capacity of this area. Once the maximum capacity has been reached, access will be closed, meaning entry cannot be guaranteed for everyone who attends.

Traffic conditions will also be monitored continuously throughout the day. Depending on occupancy levels and operational requirements, additional restrictions on vehicle access may be introduced, even before the initially scheduled time, should circumstances make this necessary to guarantee safety.

For this reason, Calvià Town Council is urging the public to avoid unnecessary journeys during the morning of the eclipse, particularly towards coastal areas and viewpoints.

The eclipse will begin at 7:38 p.m. Its total phase will take place between 8:30 p.m. and 8:34 p.m., when day will turn into night, lasting approximately one and a half minutes in Mallorca. The phenomenon will end at around 9 p.m. Although the eclipse will last approximately an hour and a half, the period of total darkness will be very brief, making it important to plan the viewing in advance and follow all safety recommendations.

Whenever possible, people are advised to observe the phenomenon from wherever they are, whether at home, in tourist accommodation or in a nearby open space, avoiding additional journeys.

The public is also encouraged to use the Horizonte Eclipse 2026 app, a digital tool developed by the Government of the Balearic Islands and AstroMallorca. It will allow users to plan their observation of the total solar eclipse on 12 August in advance and check whether the maximum phase of the phenomenon will be visible from their intended location.

Those who need to travel are advised to use public transport, helping to reduce traffic congestion and facilitate the work of the emergency services.

Residents, guests staying in tourist accommodation and people who can provide evidence of a justified journey will still be able to access the municipality and their destinations, although they may encounter traffic checks and restrictions resulting from the safety operation.

Recommendations for Viewing the Eclipse Safely

The Town Council reminds the public never to look directly at the sun without approved protection, as this could cause serious and irreversible eye damage.

Approved glasses certified under ISO 12312-2:2015 must be used to observe the eclipse. Homemade methods such as X-rays, smoked glass, sunglasses, CDs or uncertified filters are not suitable.

As the eclipse coincides with a period of high forest-fire risk, the public is also reminded that lighting fires, using heat sources or leaving rubbish in the natural environment is prohibited. All instructions issued by the security forces and emergency services must be followed at all times.

In addition, on Thursday, 30 July at 5:30 p.m., the Santa Ponça–Galatzó Library will host an Eclipse Workshop delivered by Astromallorca, the Astronomical Association of Mallorca, an organisation dedicated to astronomy outreach and observation. The activity is free of charge, but advance registration is compulsory because places are limited.

Registration link: https://forms.gle/ToXvWm5X1jnP1kGT6

Participants must hold a Mallorca Library Network card, which will be checked using their full name. Those who do not yet have one may apply through the following form: https://forms.gle/Xx5yuQD3X96urpJM8. Once all places have been filled, new registrations will be added to a waiting list. Anyone unable to attend is asked to notify the organisers by email at biblioteques@calvia.com.