Four and a half minutes, and the gateway to Africa
Totality begins at 10:45:29 and ends at 10:49:55 (Spanish mainland time, CEST). Maximum eclipse is at 10:47:41, with the sun 38° above the horizon. The partial phases run from 09:41 to 12:00.
Algeciras sits at the head of its bay, deep inside the path of totality, with 4 minutes 26 seconds on eclipse morning. It is a working port rather than a resort, which is exactly why it is useful: it has beds, buses, trains and, above all, the ferry terminal for Ceuta and Tangier. If you want to combine a Spanish base with a crossing to a longer totality in Africa, this is where you do it.
The whole Campo de Gibraltar area is inside the path. La Línea de la Concepción gets 4 minutes 24 seconds, San Roque 4 minutes 17 seconds and Gibraltar itself 4 minutes 27 seconds. Wherever you end up around the bay, the difference is a few seconds.
Deep inside the path, close to the centre line
Ceuta in one hour, Tangier Med in about ninety minutes
Direct trains from Madrid, Ronda and Granada
The Rinconcillo beach north of the port is the largest open space in the town itself, looking across the bay towards Gibraltar. The Parque María Cristina in the centre gives you trees and shade for the long partial phases.
Fifteen kilometres west on the N-340 towards Tarifa, at around 300 metres, this viewpoint looks straight down the Strait to the Moroccan coast. On a clear morning you can watch the shadow come in off the Atlantic. It is a small car park and it will be full very early.
Getares is the quieter beach south of the town, and the road on to the Punta Carnero lighthouse gives you an open horizon over the Strait itself, away from the port cranes.
Inland, the cork oak forest north of the town rises quickly. Higher ground here is cooler than the coast and much emptier, though shade from the trees can be a nuisance if you want an unobstructed view of the sky.
Ceuta gets 4 minutes 48 seconds against 4 minutes 26 seconds here. That is 22 extra seconds, and it is not worth risking a crossing on the busiest travel morning of the decade in this strait. Ferries in August already run full with the Operación Paso del Estrecho traffic. If you want to see the eclipse from Africa, cross the day before and stay the night.
Partial phases run from about 09:41 to 12:00. Totality in Algeciras runs from 10:45:29 to 10:49:55, with maximum at 10:47:41 and the sun 38 degrees above the horizon. All times Spanish mainland time.
Train: the Algeciras line runs up through Ronda to Bobadilla, with connections to Madrid, Granada and Málaga. It is slow but scenic and it avoids the roads.
Car: the A-7 from Málaga and the A-381 from Jerez both arrive here. In August this corner of Spain is already congested with ferry traffic. Add an eclipse and you should assume long delays.
Plane: Gibraltar airport is 20 minutes away by road, though the border queue is unpredictable. Málaga is about an hour and three quarters.
Accommodation: Algeciras, La Línea and San Roque have a decent stock of business hotels that are cheaper than the resort coast. All are inside the path.