Hotel prices in Europe jump before total solar eclipse
Summary
Hotel prices in several European cities have risen sharply as many tourists travel to see the first total solar eclipse visible in Europe this century on August 12. Spain and Iceland are among the most popular viewing spots, prompting concerns about increased fire risks and heavy traffic in some areas.Key Facts
- Hotel prices in Reykjavík, Iceland, have nearly doubled, reaching about $793 per night.
- Spain expects around 460,000 foreign tourists for the eclipse, with significant price hikes in cities like A Coruña, Mallorca, Santiago de Compostela, and Bilbao.
- Small towns in the eclipse path have been fully booked for months, and some US travelers are doing house exchanges with locals in Spain’s Castilla y León region.
- Spanish authorities are concerned about fire risks due to very dry conditions and expect 1.5 million extra car trips on the eclipse day.
- Spain has banned parking near dry vegetation, barbecues, and fireworks, and has closed some natural parks to reduce fire danger.
- About 200,000 hectares have burned in Spain this year from wildfires, six times the amount from the same time last year.
- Spain plans to deploy 35,000 police officers to help manage safety and traffic during the eclipse.
- NASA set up telescopes in Villalibado, Spain, to live stream the eclipse to over 10 million people worldwide.
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