If you just landed at Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport and your phone hasn't updated yet, or if you’re trying to schedule a Zoom call with a Spanish colleague, you're probably asking: what is the current time in madrid?
Right now, it is 10:25 AM on Saturday, January 17, 2026.
Madrid is currently on Central European Time (CET). That means it’s one hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time ($UTC+1$). It’s the middle of winter, so the sun probably didn't even peek over the horizon until about 8:34 AM today.
But there is a lot more to the story than just the numbers on a digital clock. Honestly, Spain’s relationship with time is kind of a mess, and it has been for decades.
Why Madrid is Actually in the "Wrong" Time Zone
Look at a map of the world. Geographically, Madrid is almost directly south of London and parallel with Portugal. By all logic of physics and longitude, Spain should be on Western European Time (WET), the same as the UK.
So why isn't it?
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Basically, in 1940, Francisco Franco decided to change the time. He wanted Spain to be in sync with Nazi Germany and occupied Europe during World War II. He moved the clocks forward by one hour on March 17, 1940. It was supposed to be temporary.
It wasn't.
Eighty-six years later, Madrid is still running on "German time." This explains why the sun sets so late in the summer and why Spaniards have a reputation for eating dinner at 10:00 PM. They aren't actually staying up late; they’re just living according to the sun while the clock tells a different story.
Daylight Saving Time in 2026
If you’re planning a trip later this year, the current time in madrid is going to jump. Spain follows the European Union’s standard for Daylight Saving Time (DST).
- Spring Forward: On Sunday, March 29, 2026, at 2:00 AM, the clocks jump to 3:00 AM. Madrid will switch to Central European Summer Time (CEST), which is $UTC+2$.
- Fall Back: On Sunday, October 25, 2026, at 3:00 AM, the clocks move back to 2:00 AM, returning to CET ($UTC+1$).
It’s a bit of a headache for jet-lagged travelers. You lose an hour of sleep in March, but you get those incredible 10:00 PM sunsets in Retiro Park.
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How Madrid Time Compares to the Rest of the World
Because of that $UTC+1$ offset, Madrid is often further ahead of the Americas than you might expect.
New York is currently 6 hours behind Madrid. If it’s 10:25 AM in Madrid, it’s only 4:25 AM in the Big Apple. People there are still asleep while Madrileños are having their second coffee (café con leche).
London is 1 hour behind. This is the "natural" time zone Spain probably belongs in.
Tokyo is 8 hours ahead. When it's morning in Madrid, the business day in Japan is already winding down.
The Canary Islands Exception
If you travel from Madrid to Tenerife or Lanzarote, you have to change your watch. Even though it's the same country, the Canary Islands are $UTC+0$. You'll always hear Spanish radio announcers say "una hora menos en Canarias" (one hour less in the Canaries) whenever they announce the time.
Living by the Clock in the Spanish Capital
The time on the clock influences everything about the lifestyle here. Because the "official" time is shifted an hour ahead of the sun, the daily rhythm feels shifted too.
Most offices don't really get moving until 9:00 AM or 10:00 AM. Lunch is a big deal and rarely starts before 2:00 PM. If you try to go to a nice restaurant in Madrid for dinner at 6:30 PM, you'll likely find the doors locked or the staff just sitting down for their own meal.
Don't even think about the "nightlife" before midnight.
If you're visiting, the best thing you can do is stop fighting the clock. Lean into the delay. Take a nap (siesta) in the afternoon when the sun is at its highest, and enjoy the fact that the current time in madrid lets you enjoy a gin and tonic at a rooftop bar while the sun stays up well past your usual bedtime.
Practical Steps for Your Visit
- Sync Your Tech: Most smartphones handle the CET/CEST switch automatically, but if you’re using a manual watch, remember the March/October rules.
- Adjust Your Appetite: Plan for lunch at 2:30 PM and dinner at 9:00 PM. You'll find the best atmosphere (and the best food) when the locals are out.
- Check the "Canarias" Gap: If you have a connecting flight to the Canary Islands, remember to set your watch back one hour the moment you land.
- Watch the Sunset: In January, the sun sets around 6:15 PM. By July, it won't get dark until nearly 10:00 PM. Use this to plan your walks through the Royal Palace grounds.
To get the most out of your time in Spain, download a reliable world clock app that accounts for European DST rules. You should also book restaurant reservations through apps like TheFork, which will clearly show you the available (and culturally appropriate) dining slots for Madrid's unique schedule.