Overview
- The Ministry of Science (MICIU) and Grupo Social ONCE announced Monday that they will distribute two million ISO 12312-2 certified eclipse glasses, with science museums already handing out sets and ONCE vendors scheduled to begin wider distribution on August 3.
- Ophthalmologists are urging strict protection because direct viewing outside totality can cause irreversible retinal burns that have no cure, and experts say only ISO‑certified glasses or indirect projection methods are safe.
- The Dirección General de Tráfico has warned drivers that stopping on motorway shoulders to watch the eclipse can draw fines of €200 up to €500 if safety is endangered and that filming or photographing while driving carries a €200 fine plus loss of six driving points.
- Local authorities and cultural sites are finalizing logistics by extending opening hours, offering guided activities and outreach to vulnerable groups such as care homes and summer camps to manage crowds and ensure safe observation.
- The government expects a major visitor spike that could add roughly €342.2 million in tourist spending and hundreds of thousands of extra trips, while totality duration will vary sharply by location—from about 43 seconds in parts of Gipuzkoa to over a minute in other provinces—so site choice and horizon clearance will determine who sees full darkness.