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Summer in Spain has drawn to a close and most of us have returned to our normal rhythm and routine after the holidays. With the days already getting shorter, the controversial winter time change is upon us and despite the everlasting debate over scrapping Daylight Saving Time, the clocks will indeed be turned back this weekend.

 

Here in Spain, there are two time changes each year, following the old adage: Spring forward, fall back. These changes, of course, correspond to winter time and summer time. The latter began last March and extends until the last Sunday in October, when we’ll once again shift to winter time.

 

The clocks will be set back and that day will last 25 hours instead of 24, meaning most of us will get a little extra time to snooze.

 

This year, the clocks 'fall back' during the night between Saturday October 25 and Sunday October 26, 2025. On the Spanish mainland, at 3am on Sunday morning, clocks will be turned back one hour to 2am. In the Canary Islands, which are in a different time zone, the change happens at 2am, when clocks will be turned back one hour to 1am. Either way, you'll gain an extra hour of sleep that night!

 

The twice-yearly time change has its share of supporters and critics. Some people prefer to stick with winter time year-round, while others would rather keep summer time permanently.

 

This ongoing debate has caught the attention of both the European Parliament and the Commission. Earlier this week, Spanish President Pedro Sánchez announced that Spain plans to take a significant step by formally proposing to the European Union that Daylight Saving Time be eliminated altogether starting next year.

 

“This time change no longer makes sense,” Sánchez said, noting that the majority of citizens want it abolished and that science shows it “no longer saves energy and disrupts biological rhythms”.

 

However, for now, the current system remains in place.

 

Image: Freepik