Date
Aug 7, 2026 - Aug 15, 2026
Trip Type
By Land

Group Size: up to 36 participants
Price: To be announced
Co-sponsored with: To be announced

Activity Level
3

Trip Overview

  • Witness the August 12, 2026 Total Solar Eclipse from the best possible vantage point at the Leyenda del Paramo vineyard as it sweeps across the Iberian Peninsula, followed by a spectacular sunset celebration complete with star gazing.
  • Stay three nights at the Parador de Leon, a 12th century convent converted into a luxury hotel. Explore the beautiful city of Leon, combining stunning historical architecture with an irresistible energy as an important stop on the Camino de Santiago and situated 100% in the path of totality.
  • Be part of a thousand-year-old pilgrimage with a chance to walk various segments of the historic Camino de Santiago.
  • Encounter the beauty of Madrid’s elegant squares and tree-lined Paseo del Prado, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
  • Spend two nights at the Marqués de Riscal Vineyard Hotel, a luxury hotel designed by Frank Gehry, from to tour the vineyards, sample the wine, and enjoy sweeping views of the La Rioja province.
  • Enjoy memorable meals, showcasing the rich tapestry of regional cuisine from tapas tasting in Madrid to a wine pairing dinner at Marqués de Riscal Winery.

Schedule by Day

Depart U.S. for Madrid, Spain on an overnight flight.

Arrive Madrid and transfer to your luxury hotel, centrtally located across the street from the Prado Museum. Enjoy a welcome reception at the hotel.

Overnight: Westin Palace Madrid

Meals: R

Welcome orientation and lecture; guided tour through the Spanish capital’s elegant squares and leafy boulevards, by coach and on foot, stopping for a visit to the elegant Plaza Mayor; tapas lunch; afternoon and evening free.

Overnight: Westin Palace Madrid

Meals: B, L

Morning art-historian guided visit to the world-renowned Prado Museum before the musuem is opened to the public.

Depart Madrid for Leon; check in late afternoon with a welcome drink in the Cloisters, followed by dinner at the Parador de Leon

Overnight: Parador de Leon

Meals: B, L, D

Morning exploration of Leon, including its medieval city and cathedral; lunch at the parador followed by a lecture; afternoon option for a guided architecture and art tour of the parador, followed by a free evening.

Overnight: Parador de Leon

Meals: B, L

ECLIPSE DAY! Free morning to enjoy the Wednesday market at Leon’s Plaza Mayor; lunch at parador then drive 20-minutes to eclipse viewing site at the Leyenda del Paramo winery, shared with travelers from Princeton, MIT and Yale. Equipment set-up, wine tasting and appetizers throughout afternoon.

Total Solar Eclipse at 8:28 p.m. for 1min 44sec; celebratory reception, dinner, and star-gazing with telescopes to follow at viewing site.

Overnight: Parador de Leon

Meals: B, L, D

Depart Leon late morning, guided walking tour of Burgos including its UNESCO cathedral followed by lunch; check in to hotel late afternoon. Enjoy dinner with wine pairing at the hotel.

Overnight: Hotel Marques de Riscal

Meals: B, D

After a morning lecture, explore La Rioja, an area renowned for wine production, including Laguardia, an ancient hill-top village with sweeping views and underground tunnels; free afternoon to enjoy the spa, pool and amenities of the hotel or tour the hotel’s vineyard. Celebrate your journey with a farewell dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Hotel Marques de Riscal

Meals: B, L, D

After breakfast, transfer to Bilbao airport for flights home.

Overnight: Maria Cristina Hotel

Meals: B, L

Pricing

To be announced

Accommodations

  • Two nights at the Westin Palace Madrid
  • Three nights at Parador de Leon
  • Two nights at Hotel Marques de Riscal

 

What to Expect

Activity Level 3

Busy pacing may include multiple hotel changes plus internal flights or long drives. May involve exposure to the outdoors, full days of touring, and walking up to two hours.

Study Leader(s)

Fred Kavli Professor of Astrophysics

For More Information

Please email haatravels@harvard.edu or call our office at 800-422-1636 or 617-496-0806.