People across Europe enjoy solar eclipse

Millions of people gather across cloudless cities and towns

in Europe in search of the best views of the solar eclipse,

when the alignment of the sun,

moon and Earth briefly plunged parts of the planet into darkness.

In Spain, the only country which saw a total solar eclipse,

many come together in to witness the once-in-a-century phenomenon.

People gather on hillsides to watch the solar eclipse near Port de Soller

on the Spanish island of Mallorca.

Some setting up telescopes for a better view.

In Soria, Spain people gather and put on protective glasses

to view the solar eclipse safely.

A total eclipse occurs when the Moon completely covers the Sun

and reveals its outer atmosphere or the corona which lasted

roughly a minute for Spain's viewers.

Plunging this part of Spain into darkness during the day.

It was the country's first total solar eclipse in more than a century.

35-year-old Jeronimo Gascon says

"It was my first time. I don't know if it will be my last, but it was an

overwhelming experience. I was expecting something special

but when you actually experience it, it's incredible."

Beachgoers in Portugal watched, too, as the sun, moon and Earth

briefly aligned plunging the planet into darkness.

Tourist from Wales Michael Frost said

The sun is always worth celebrating, I mean every sunset, but this is

particularly one to dance to and to celebrate in all of its entirety.

Hundreds of people gathered in Paris to watch the eclipse

at the Andre Citroen Park in the southwestern neighbourhood

of the capital.

Volunteers distributed free solar protection glasses.

Julien Gouffier, volunteer at the French Astronomy Association said

"So we are the French Astronomical Association,

so I work as a volunteer here for tonight.

The thing is we are distributing the maximum of those glasses as possible

to avoid any damage on the eyes.

Even though the sun will be pretty low,

it's still dangerous to look at the sun directly during the eclipse,

so we want to make sure everyone is safe and can enjoy the eclipse tonight".

At the Hallgrimskirkja church in Reykjavik Iceland

people gathered for the best views of the eclipse.

Anita Sauckel, employee at the University of Iceland said

I'm an employee of the University of Iceland, and most of our offices

were closed down early today so that basically we could go home

and enjoy the eclipse.

Although the weather is not the best,

but we still hope to see something, so we're out here.