Where to Watch the 2027 Eclipse in Morocco — Chefchaouen, Tetouan, Tangier or the Rif coast?

For the best odds of a clear sky on 2 August 2027, watch from Chefchaouen (4 min 13 s of totality) or the east side of Tetouan (4 min 51 s). Tangier works well from its central and eastern districts. Avoid the Atlantic beaches at Asilah and Larache and the Mediterranean coast south of Tetouan, where morning cloud can linger.

Here is how the options compare, using the eclipse climatology of meteorologist Jay Anderson (Eclipsophile) and totality times computed from NASA’s eclipse predictions. For the overview, start with our complete guide to the 2027 eclipse in Morocco.

The trade-off: seconds of totality or odds of a clear sky

The centre line of the eclipse runs along the coast just north of Tetouan, so the longest totality is on the Mediterranean shore. But the coasts are where the morning cloud is. The Alboran Sea and the Strait of Gibraltar are the cloudiest part of the western track, and the Rif mountains can trap low cloud against the shore. Move inland and the sky clears, but you move away from the centre line and lose some seconds.

In practice the difference is less than a minute. Four minutes thirteen seconds under a clear sky beats four minutes fifty under cloud, which is why we base our tours inland and keep the coast as plan B.

Chefchaouen: the clearest odds

Chefchaouen sits at about 600 metres in the Rif, well inland from both coasts. Anderson’s satellite data gives it the lowest cloud amount of any site in Morocco along the track, because the mountains block the sea air from both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Totality lasts 4 min 13 s, from 09:45:25 to 09:49:38.

The Sun stands about 39° high, a little south of due east, above the ridges around the town from most open spots. Pick a terrace or open hillside with a clear view east and you will see the whole event, plus the darkening of the valley below. The blue medina at twilight in the middle of the morning is a sight in itself. Read more about the town on our Chefchaouen destination page.

The catch is that Chefchaouen is small. Rooms are limited and August is already busy, so book early. Our 9-day private tour from Tangier and 8-day Classic Morocco tour both spend eclipse morning there.

Tetouan and the M’diq coast: the longest totality

The coast between Tetouan and Fnideq sits almost on the centre line. M’diq gets 4 min 53 s, the longest totality in Morocco, and Tetouan 4 min 51 s. Tetouan is open to the Mediterranean, but Anderson notes that its eastern side should avoid most of the marine cloud, and the Sun at 38° clears most of the surrounding hills.

Do not go south. The coast from Tetouan towards Oued Laou and El Jebha is where low cloud gets trapped against the mountains, and Anderson’s advice is to avoid it on eclipse day. North towards Fnideq and the Spanish enclave of Ceuta is less affected.

Tangier: the easiest to reach

Tangier gets 4 min 51 s of totality from 09:44:38. It has the airport, the ferries from Spain and the most hotels, so it will draw the biggest crowd in Morocco. Weather-wise it does better than you might expect: the Atlantic stratus tends to stay on the western side of the peninsula, held back by the high ground around Cape Spartel.

That means the central and eastern parts of the city, including the beaches along the Bay of Tangier, are the places to be. Anderson rates the chance of any morning mist burning off before totality in Tangier as very likely. Avoid the western Atlantic side around Cape Spartel and Achakar. Our 12-day tour from Casablanca spends the night before the eclipse in Tangier, and the Tangier destination page has more on the city.

Asilah and Larache: beautiful, but risky

The Atlantic towns are lovely, and Asilah gets 4 min 44 s of totality. But the flat land behind this coast lets marine cloud roll inland, sometimes as far as Ouazzane, and on some mornings it lingers past totality. If you are on the Atlantic side, drive inland before the eclipse rather than waiting on the beach.

Al Hoceima, Nador and the east

Further east the Sun is a little higher (40–42°) and totality still long: 4 min 26 s in Al Hoceima and 4 min 14 s in Nador. Morning stratus is a frequent visitor here too, though it burns off more readily than near Tetouan. Anderson’s view is that the Mediterranean coast is a gamble when a short move inland brings much better weather. These towns are also a long drive from the rest of a typical Morocco itinerary.

The southern edge: Ouazzane and Ksar el-Kebir

Near the southern limit totality shrinks quickly: 3 min 42 s in Ksar el-Kebir, 2 min 35 s in Ouazzane and under a minute in Oujda. If you are coming up from Fes or Rabat, keep going north. Every kilometre towards the centre line adds seconds.

Getting to your spot

Expect the roads between Tangier, Tetouan and Chefchaouen to be busier than normal on the morning, and parking near popular viewpoints to fill early. Leave in good time, and choose somewhere you can reach on foot from your riad if you can. In Chefchaouen the old town is car-free, so a terrace or a walk up the hillside paths is easier than driving anywhere. Bring water, a hat and something to sit on: you will be outside for about two hours.

How to choose on the day

Decide the evening before, not the night before you fly. Check the cloud forecasts and satellite images, and the dust forecasts from the Barcelona Dust Forecast Center or Meteoblue, which run about three days ahead. If Chefchaouen looks clear, stay. If cloud or dust sits over the Rif, head north to the east side of Tetouan or central Tangier.

Be at your spot by 08:30, before the partial phase begins at about 08:40. Pick somewhere with an open view to the east, a little shade for the hour before totality, and no need to move. With a private driver, changing plans on the morning is simple. With a coach group, it rarely happens. That is the reason our eclipse tours are private. Every town’s exact times are in our 2027 eclipse times guide and on the eclipse map.