Tourists in Reykjavik who have travelled to watch the total solar eclipse that will sweep across western Iceland said on Wednesday (August 12) that they were optimistic, despite cloudy weather in the morning ahead of the totality.

People have been gathering in western Iceland and northern Spain to witness Europe's first total solar eclipse in 27 years on Wednesday.

Skies over Iceland were overcast on Wednesday with the Icelandic Met office predicting clouds and rain for much of the path of the eclipse, adding that the best chances of breaks in the solid cover were expected in the northwest of the country.

Karen Williams, who had travelled from the United Kingdom to watch the eclipse in Iceland was upbeat despite the forecast.

“It is what it is. We're here; it's beautiful just to discover Reykjavik and Iceland, so I'm really excited,” she said.

David Knowles and Joshua Angiola, who were visiting from Canada, were planning to attend a festival at which Bjork is expected to perform a DJ set during the totality of the eclipse.

“I'm feeling optimistic that the sky will clear just in time, as it should,” said Angiola.

“I think it's going to be a magical day either way,” Knowles added.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

Eclipse watchers in Iceland remain optimistic despite cloudy weather

VIDEO SHOWS: CRUISE SHIPS MOORED IN REYKJAVIK / TOURISTS IN THE CITY CENTRE / INTERVIEWS WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME FOR THE ECLIPSE / GENERAL VIEWS OF THE CITY

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: REYKJAVIK, ICELAND (AUGUST 12, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF CLOUDS OVER THE HORIZON WITH CRUISE SHIPS MOORED IN THE DISTANCE

2. VARIOUS OF CRUISE SHIP PASSENGERS WALKING PAST BUSES

3. VARIOUS OF WOMAN TAKING A PHOTOGRAPH

4. HILLS IN THE DISTANCE WITH MIST

5. (SOUNDBITE)(English) VISITOR FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM WHO IS VISITING FOR THE ECLIPSE, KAREN WILLIAMS, 51, SAYING :

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I love the outdoors, and so I wanted to come and see the eclipse and just experience it. I've never been to Iceland, and so I thought it was a great place to visit. Although I do hear, probably in the UK where I've come from, it's actually they're going to get a better view of it than us here tonight.”

6. VARIOUS SKYLINES OF REYKJAVIK FROM HALLGRIMSKIRKJA CHURCH

7. (SOUNDBITE)(English) VISITOR FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM WHO IS VISITING FOR THE ECLIPSE, KAREN WILLIAMS, 51, SAYING :

“So no, it is what it is. We're here; it's beautiful just to discover Reykjavik and Iceland, so look I'm really excited.”

8. VARIOUS OF BILLBOARD WITH AN ADVERT COUNTING DOWN TO TOTALITY

9. CLOUDS OVER HILL IN CENTRAL REYKJAVIK

10. TOURISTS BY STATUE

11. (SOUNDBITE)(English) TOURIST FROM READING IN THE UNITED KINGDOM WHO IS VISITING ICELAND TO SEE THE ECLIPSE, PAVI GHELOT, SAYING:

“The landscape here is incredible, so it's just being able to witness it here. We've booked a fantastic super jeep tour, so we're going to head out in a few hours to the fjords on the west side to be able to see an incredible eclipse hopefully. A little bit worried about the sort of cloud and rain, but yeah, just looking forward to hopefully being able to see some of that."

12. VARIOUS OF HALLGRIMSKIRKJA CHURCH

13. (SOUNDBITE)(English) TOURIST FROM READING IN THE UNITED KINGDOM WHO IS VISITING ICELAND TO SEE THE ECLIPSE, PAVI GHELOT, SAYING:

“Optimistic (about the weather) because we've got the super jeep booked, so hopefully we'll be able to get out into places that many won't be able to go and see, and fingers crossed. But even if we don't see it in totality, I think just witnessing it going dark in such a beautiful landscape will be incredible.”

14. PEDESTRIAN PASSING A MURAL IN CITY CENTRE

15. TOURISTS ON A STREET

16. (SOUNDBITE)(English) VISITOR FROM CANADA WHO WILL BE ATTENDING A FESTIVAL DURING THE ECLIPSE, DAVID KNOWLES, 48, SAYING:

KNOWLES: “We're hoping to have a fun time at the Echolalia Festival to see Bjork DJ, see the solar eclipse, hopefully if the sky clears a little bit.”

17. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE ON STREET WITH HALLGRIMSKIRKJA CHURCH IN BACKGROUND

18. (SOUNDBITE)(English) VISITOR FROM CANADA WHO WILL BE ATTENDING A FESTIVAL DURING THE ECLIPSE, DAVID KNOWLES, 48, AND TEACHER VISITING FROM CANADA, JOSHUA ANGIOLA, SAYING:

ANGIOLA: “I'm feeling optimistic that the sky will clear just in time, as it should.”

KNOWLES : “I think it's going to be a magical day either way.”

19. VARIOUS OF STREETS

20. VARIOUS OF TOUR BOAT