Updated Mar 2026

Current Time in Spain

Q: What time is it in Spain right now?

Spain spans 1 timezone: CET. Use the live clocks on this page for the exact local time in each major city.

Q: How many timezones does Spain have?

Spain uses 1 timezone: CET. Not all regions observe daylight saving time on the same schedule.

Q: Does Spain observe daylight saving time?

DST rules vary by region within Spain. The live timezone badge next to each city clock on this page reflects the current offset — whether standard or daylight saving time is active right now.

Q: When is the best time to call someone in Spain?

Aim for 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM local time in the specific city you are calling. Because Spain spans 1 timezone, the right call window depends on the city, not just the country. Use the Best Time to Call calculator for an exact overlap window.

Live clocks for every Spain city — UTC offsets, DST status, and inter-city time gaps.

Barcelona, Spain

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CET DST observed

Full Barcelona Details

Spain's Timezone System Explained

Spain uses Central European Time (CET, UTC+1) in winter and Central European Summer Time (CEST, UTC+2) in summer — despite being geographically closer to the UTC+0 meridian than most CET countries. Spain adopted Central European Time in 1940 and has not reverted.

DST in 2025: clocks spring forward at 2:00 AM on Sunday 30 March and fall back at 3:00 AM on Sunday 26 October. The Canary Islands (Las Palmas, Tenerife) use UTC+0/UTC+1 — one hour behind the Spanish mainland.

Key differences from Madrid (CET): London is 1 hour behind in winter. New York (EST) is 6 hours behind. The Canary Islands are always 1 hour behind Madrid.

Spain Cities by Timezone

1 timezone · 2 cities · live times

CET

2 cities

Time differences may shift seasonally when cities observe different daylight saving schedules.

Reviewed by iFormat Time Tools Team Last updated Mar 7, 2026

Country timezone data, DST policies, and city assignments verified against the IANA Time Zone Database (tzdata). Updated whenever DST rules or political boundaries change.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Timezones, DST rules, and scheduling in Spain

What time is it in Spain right now?

Spain spans 1 timezone — CET — so there is no single answer. The live clocks above show the exact time in Barcelona, Madrid.

How many timezones does Spain have?

Spain uses a single timezone: CET. The whole country follows the same clock year-round.

Does Spain observe daylight saving time?

Yes. Spain observes summer time — clocks spring forward on the last Sunday of March and fall back on the last Sunday of October, synchronized across the European Union. In 2025: forward on 30 March, back on 26 October.

What time zone are the Canary Islands in?

The Canary Islands (Las Palmas, Tenerife) use WET/WEST (UTC+0/UTC+1) — 1 hour behind mainland Spain. They observe the same DST schedule, changing on the last Sunday of March and October.

What is the time difference between Spain and the UK?

Madrid (CET) is always 1 hour ahead of London (GMT/BST). Both change clocks on the same dates, so the 1-hour gap is permanent. Despite Spain sitting at a similar longitude to the UK, it uses CET — a legacy of wartime alignment with Germany in 1940.

Does Spain observe daylight saving time?

Yes. Spain observes CEST (UTC+2) in summer — forward last Sunday March, back last Sunday October. The Canary Islands also change clocks on the same dates (moving between UTC+0 and UTC+1).

When is the best time to call someone in Spain?

Aim for 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM local time in the specific city. Because Spain spans 1 timezones, the overlap window from your location differs between cities. Open any city page above for its full scheduling guide.

How accurate are the live clocks on this page?

All clocks update every second using your browser's timezone engine with current DST rules applied automatically. The displayed times match the official local time in each city — no manual refresh needed.