At 3:00 a.m. on Sunday 25 October, clocks in Spain will be set back by one hour as the country moves to winter time, as required by law. In the Canary Islands, the change takes place at 2:00 a.m., when clocks go back to 1:00 a.m. Spain will have a rare 25-hour day.
The first effect is on daylight: mornings will get brighter earlier, while evenings will grow dark sooner. The shift affects daily life, from school and work schedules to people’s moods as autumn deepens.
Spain is not alone: every country in the European Union follows the same schedule, with member states changing their clocks on the last weekend of October. The Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE) has set the dates through 2026. Unless the EU changes its rules, the twice-yearly time change will remain in place through the spring and autumn of 2027.
For most people, the switch is straightforward. Most connected devices, including phones and tablets, update automatically, but old clocks and some digital devices still need to be reset by hand. It is a small task that reminds us how technology shapes our sense of time.
The change is linked to the autumn equinox, which fell on 23 September. As the days shorten, the aim is to make better use of daylight, though many still question whether the system works. Official documents call the last Sunday of October the "date of termination of the summer time period," a dry phrase for a change that affects daily routines.
The clock change is familiar, but debate continues over whether it still makes sense. For now, no reforms are planned. Like other yearly habits, including the way artists adjust for live shows, as reported earlier, the time switch remains part of Spanish life, though its value is still debated.
Spain continues to follow the set schedule, reflecting adherence to European rules and a habit of sticking with what works. The country adjusts as routines shift and nights come earlier.
