{"id":825898,"date":"2026-03-14T19:41:17","date_gmt":"2026-03-14T19:41:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/825898\/"},"modified":"2026-03-14T19:41:17","modified_gmt":"2026-03-14T19:41:17","slug":"this-trip-to-menorca-spain-might-be-the-most-luxurious-way-to-see-a-solar-eclipse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/825898\/","title":{"rendered":"This Trip to Menorca, Spain Might Be the Most Luxurious Way to See a Solar Eclipse"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ask Henry Cookson<\/a> to plan a trip, and he won\u2019t blink at the near-impossible. The former adventurer-turned-fixer of far-flung fantasies (and, of course, Robb Report Travel Master<\/a>) recalls a challenge from a longtime client nearly a decade ago: Design a solar-eclipse experience unlike any other.<\/p>\n

Research pointed him north. The best viewing spot, Cookson learned, lay deep in the Arctic, nowhere near suitable luxury lodging. His answer was to build some. \u201cWe set up a specific camp in the path of the eclipse\u2026 and we had our astrophysicists. We had all the telescopes and all the photography equipment set up, ready for those 60-something seconds,\u201d he says. But Cookson knew that his client would want that experience to be even more extraordinary, unwilling to settle for just one once-in-a-lifetime moment on any trip. So, he paired it with a chance to see the aurora borealis, pinpointing a remote stretch of rural Canada statistically least prone to cloud cover that time of year. It was March, so the landscape was frozen solid. He dispatched an advance team to prepare the location before clients arrived.<\/p>\n

More from Robb Report<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Son<\/p>\n

Son Vell\u2019s restaurant, Vermell\u2014the Catalan word for \u201cred.”<\/p>\n

\u201cWe jumped on snow machines after we saw the eclipse, drove back 200 kilometers over the ice to jump on a private jet, flew over Greenland, and then landed at a fishing lodge we had thawed out. We spent five nights looking at the northern lights.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the sort of story that explains why astrotourism is thriving. Around the globe, more than 230 Dark Sky\u2013certified sites now draw travelers seeking pristine night skies free of light pollution and generate millions in visitor spending. Sunil Metcalfe, another Travel Master from Black Tomato<\/a>, says the firm has seen massive year-on-year growth in trips tied to celestial events. In Morocco, Alex Wix of Wix Squared<\/a> frequently arranges Sahara journeys with a private astronomer to interpret the constellations. At least half her desert itineraries include one, driven by client curiosity.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a significant moment looming this year, too: On August 12, a total solar eclipse will cast up to 60 seconds of darkness across parts of Europe just after 7:30 p.m. \u201cI\u2019ve had six new requests for that for August only, and these are not people that are passionate about this kind of tourism previously,\u201d says Jaclyn Sienna India of Sienna Charles<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Son<\/p>\n

Son Vell\u2019s 35-foot boat, L\u2019Amo, in of Menorca\u2019s beautiful coves.<\/p>\n

The biggest challenge is timing: Prime vantage points are often secured well ahead of any event. Astrotourism pros need to be planners. \u201cThey tend to travel with groups of friends and plan in advance as much as possible\u2014over 18 months in advance, for example,\u201d Wix warns. But if you\u2019ve always yearned to experience an immersive total solar eclipse, it isn\u2019t too late to make plans. Through The Vault, we\u2019ve partnered with Vestige Collection<\/a>, a boutique hospitality group founded by health-care magnate Dr. Victor Madera and his family, to create an exclusive package for last-minute eclipse chasers. Madera has devoted his fortune to restoring historic estates and transforming them into intimate luxury retreats.<\/p>\n

Its flagship, Son Vell<\/a>, opened three years ago on the Balearic island of Menorca, which just happens to be one of the ideal perches from which to witness the eclipse. Madera has tapped his daughters to spearhead the projects; cofounder and brand director Marta is one of them. \u201cAs a family, we have always thought that Menorca was a wonderful island,\u201d she says, calling the property \u201cone of the finest stately homes in Ciutadella,\u201d on the western coast. The 450-acre estate unfolds across manicured gardens and open countryside. \u201cMy personal favorite is the night garden, where we have planted olive, citrus, fig, and mulberry trees.\u201d That landscape is designed to be experienced at dusk, when scent and sound sharpen as the light fades.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A celebratory private dinner for two in Son Vell\u2019s gardens, part of this package exclusively curated for The Vault.<\/p>\n

You could spend the eclipse wandering among those plantings, but perhaps opt instead for an even more exclusive locale, courtesy of this package. Guests will have two charters aboard the hotel\u2019s 35-foot boat, L\u2019Amo, a vintage vessel with enough room for sunbathing and two onboard Volvo engines that allow for smooth, coast-hugging cruising. Slip out in the early evening to secure an uninterrupted horizon, positioning offshore as the moon\u2019s shadow moves across the Mediterranean. A second daytime cruise invites you and up 10 friends to explore the island\u2019s coastline.<\/p>\n

The experience includes four nights over the eclipse period in Son Vell\u2019s 1,615-square-foot Grand Suite, with its own private terrace. You\u2019ll also enjoy a celebratory dinner for two in the gardens, featuring local cuisine and wine pairings.<\/p>\n

All that\u2019s left to pack are the protective glasses.\u00a0$21,000<\/a><\/p>\n

Top: Vestige Son Vell\u2019s manor house, a Palladian-style villa on Menorca, is an ideal perch from which to witness this summer\u2019s solar eclipse.<\/p>\n

Best of Robb Report<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sign up for RobbReports’s Newsletter<\/a>. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook<\/a>, Twitter<\/a>, and Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Click here to read the full article. <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Ask Henry Cookson to plan a trip, and he won\u2019t blink at the near-impossible. The former adventurer-turned-fixer of…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":825899,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[5312],"tags":[2000,299,237345,237348,68868,45782,237347,104,237346],"class_list":["post-825898","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-spain","tag-eu","tag-europe","tag-henry-cookson","tag-jaclyn-sienna-india","tag-robb-report","tag-solar-eclipse","tag-son-vell","tag-spain","tag-vestige-collection"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/116229235548051596","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/825898","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=825898"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/825898\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/825899"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=825898"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=825898"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=825898"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}