Fall will already be in full swing, but it will be in the early hours of Saturday, October 24, to Sunday, October 25, when Spain will most visibly bid farewell to daylight saving time. That night, clocks will need to be set back one hour to return to standard time: at 3:00 a.m., it will once again be 2:00 a.m. on the Iberian Peninsula, the Balearic Islands, Ceuta, and Melilla.
In Madrid, the last weekend of October also coincides with the run-up to Halloween, the first Christmas programming, and fall getaways to the mountains. It’s a good time to check your coats, adjust your routines, and take advantage of that extra hour to rest or enjoy a longer Sunday.
When Does the Clock Change in Spain?
The date to mark on your calendar is Sunday, October 25, 2026. The adjustment takes place in the early morning hours of the last Sunday in October, as established by the current calendar for daylight saving time in Spain and the rest of the European Union.
On the Spanish mainland, in the Balearic Islands, Ceuta, and Melilla, when the clock strikes 3:00 a.m., it will read 2:00 a.m. again. In other words, the time between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. will be repeated twice.
In the Canary Islands, where the time is one hour behind the Iberian Peninsula, the change will take place at 2:00 a.m.: the clock will go back to 1:00 a.m.
What Changes with Daylight Saving Time
The October time change means that sunrise and sunset will occur earlier according to official time. During the first few weeks, many people will notice that it’s lighter earlier in the morning, but afternoons will grow dark more quickly. In Madrid, this adjustment coincides with the natural progression of fall: shorter days, a gradual drop in temperatures, and a schedule increasingly dominated by indoor activities.
For early risers, standard time can make early-morning commutes easier with a little more natural light. On the other hand, the trip home, school dismissal, outdoor sports, or late-night walks will now take place before dark. It’s a small change to the clock, but one that’s very noticeable in daily routines.
Is this the last time change?
No. Although there has been a debate in the European Union for years about eliminating the seasonal time change, a final decision to end the system has not yet been approved. Therefore, Spain will maintain the October 2026 adjustment and, as expected, will set the clocks forward again in the spring of 2027 until a common European agreement is reached.
The proposal to end the two annual time changes has yet to be effectively implemented because Member States must agree on whether to permanently maintain either standard time or daylight saving time. Without that coordinated decision, the current rules remain in place: clocks are set forward one hour on the last Sunday in March and set back one hour on the last Sunday in October.