Malaga nature enthusiast shares best viewpoints in Spain for watching the eclipse

Millions of people will look up at the sky on 12 August, when the moon completely obscures the sun for a brief moment. It is like a small-scale end of the world that sends shivers down your spine, although you know the sun will reappear.

Manuel Calvo, a 26-year-old nature enthusiast from Malaga, will watch the solar eclipse from a prime vantage point in La Cueta, a small village with fewer than 100 inhabitants.

La Cueta lies right in the heart of the León mountains. Manuel, who grew up in Atabal, arrived there four years ago, drawn by his love of nature and animals.

Adventure runs in his blood. He was the youngest Spanish explorer to traverse the ice fields of Greenland.

Four years have now passed since he swapped the hustle and bustle of the city for life in the heart of this green oasis and chose to become an entrepreneur, setting up his own company: Babia Aventuras.

Manuel Calvo is now organising a two-day immersive experience for those who want to watch the eclipse from a prime vantage point. The event begins on 11 August, with accommodation in four-person teepees.

The programme for the 12th combines breakfast, a visit to a transhumant herd, lunch at El Caserío de Babia and viewing the eclipse in a setting free from light pollution and buildings. The event concludes with an evening barbecue and a traditional queimada.

La Cuenta is situated within the Babia Biosphere Reserve, a true natural paradise. Designated a Biosphere Reserve by Unesco in 2004, this area offers a combination of high-mountain landscapes, biodiversity and a peaceful atmosphere.

Despite his young age, Manuel Calvo possesses extensive knowledge of gardening and animal husbandry. This enables him to be virtually self-sufficient.

"A total solar eclipse has long since ceased to be a mystery. In fact, it can be predicted with precision centuries in advance. The total darkness lasts barely a few seconds or a few minutes. It is not a particularly rare celestial phenomenon: almost every year, eclipses, at least partial ones, occur somewhere on Earth. What makes this occasion special is its proximity to the Sun. There is no light pollution and we will be just 'a few' metres from the sun," Calvo tells SUR.

A solar eclipse is one of the celestial phenomena that fascinates people the most, especially when it is a total eclipse. "I think it will be a breathtaking experience that you'll remember for the rest of your life," the young man from Malaga says.

What's more, there's that lingering sense of relief when the sun reappears. "During an eclipse, you really get a sense of just how important the sun is," he says.

During an eclipse, the light changes abruptly, shadows are transformed, the surroundings take on a silvery-grey hue and the temperature can drop significantly. You can see the stars and the birds fall silent.

It is hardly surprising that, in times gone by, a solar eclipse would instil fear and terror. Before the rise of the natural sciences, for most peoples around the world it was an ominous portent. All manner of calamities were attributed to it: wars, unrest, epidemics, famines and earthquakes.

Today's reality is a far cry from these dire predictions. In La Cueta, Calvo, with a great love of adventure, will make sure that none of his guests get scared.

Discover the latest what to do leisure and events calendar