Musk’s SpaceX booked a 17th-century palace to watch Spain’s eclipse

Published on 12/08/2026 – 14:20 GMT+2•Updated
15:00

“Will Elon Musk come?” The question has been echoing through the streets of Lerma, a picturesque town south of Burgos in northern Spain, for days.

The arrival of SpaceX has transformed this community of more than 2,500 residents, where locals, hospitality workers and tourists are looking towards the Parador, one of Spain’s state-run heritage hotels, trying to work out what is happening behind its doors.

The company founded by Musk booked it a year and a half ago to watch the total solar eclipse from there this Wednesday.

Musk has ultimately not shown up, but the...