Spanish mainland always has 1 hour ahead of the United Kingdom, in summer and winter alike. However, if you’re travelling to Lanzarote or another of the Canary Islands, there is no time difference — they share the same time zone as the United Kingdom. Here’s everything you need to know before you leave.
Time difference between Spain and the UK
Spain is one hour ahead of the United Kingdom, both in BST (March-October) and GMT (October-March). Whilst Lanzarote shares the same time as Spain, it follows Western European Time (WET), which is the same time zone as the United Kingdom (UTC+0 in winter, UTC+1 in summer). So if it’s 12:00pm in London, it’s 12:00pm in Lanzarote.
Spanish mainland (Madrid, Barcelona), on the other hand, is one hour ahead of the United Kingdom. This often confuses travellers, as Lanzarote is the only Spanish region that doesn’t follow mainland Spain’s time.
The time difference between Spain and the United Kingdom depends on the region of Spain in question and the season. Let’s look at the details below.
Spanish mainland vs. United Kingdom: Spanish mainland is one hour ahead of the United Kingdom, both in summer and winter.
Canary Islands vs. United Kingdom: In this part of Spain, the time is the same as in the United Kingdom.
Does the time difference change in summer or winter?
Spain and the United Kingdom change their clocks in summer and winter. In both cases, the clocks go forward one hour on the last Sunday in March and back one hour on the last Sunday in October.
Since the change happens on the same date, the time difference remains the same throughout the year.
Understanding time zones
To better understand the time difference between the two countries, it’s necessary to know the different time zones involved.
In the United Kingdom, Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is used in winter. When summer arrives, the clock goes forward one hour and British Summer Time (BST) is used, which is GMT+1.
Spanish mainland uses Central European Time (CET), which is GMT+1 in winter. In summer, the clock goes forward one hour and Central European Summer Time (CEST) is used, which is GMT+2.
| Location | Winter time zone | Summer time zone | UTC offset | vs. Lanzarote | vs. Madrid | vs. United Kingdom | Change clocks? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lanzarote | WET | WEST | UTC+0 / UTC+1 | Same time | 1 hour behind | Same time | No |
| Madrid | CET | CEST | UTC+1 / UTC+2 | 1 hour ahead | Same time | 1 hour ahead | Yes |
| United Kingdom | GMT | BST | UTC+0 / UTC+1 | Same time | 1 hour behind | Same time | No |
Why is Spain one hour ahead of the UK?
Today there is a one-hour difference between the UK and Spain. But this wasn’t always the case. Geographically, Spanish mainland and the United Kingdom share roughly the same longitude, which means the time should be the same. And indeed, it was decades ago.
The change occurred during World War II, when Spain adopted Central European Time to align with Nazi Germany. This time zone was maintained even after the war.
The Canary Islands: a different time zone
Although there is a time difference between the UK and Spanish mainland, this is not the case for the Canary Islands. The islands share the same time as London, and it’s important to know this to avoid confusion during your trip.
Those travelling to the Canary Islands may be confused because the islands are one hour behind the rest of Spain (mainland and Balearic Islands) but share the same time as the UK, Portugal and Ireland.
Time in Lanzarote, Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura
Lanzarote, like the other Canary Islands (Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura among others), uses Western European Time (WET), which is GMT in winter. In summer, the clock goes forward one hour and Western European Summer Time (WEST) is used, which is GMT+1.
Here’s a complete guide to time differences.
The United Kingdom and the Canary Islands change their clocks forward one hour in spring to introduce summer time (BST in the UK and WEST in the Canary Islands), maintaining the same time.
| Comparison | Result |
|---|---|
| Canary Islands vs. United Kingdom | Same time zone all year round |
| Canary Islands vs. Spanish mainland | Canary Islands 1 hour behind |
| United Kingdom vs. Spanish mainland | United Kingdom 1 hour behind Spanish mainland |
| Lanzarote vs. Tenerife / Gran Canaria / Fuerteventura | Same time |
| Madrid vs. all Canary Islands | Madrid 1 hour ahead |
Why the Canary Islands share the same time as the UK
The Canary Islands are closer to the African coast than to Spanish mainland. Historically, they adopted the same time zone as Portugal and the United Kingdom for business and communication reasons.
Practical tips: flights, meetings and football matches
Understanding the time on the Canary Islands will help you plan your trip better. When you book a transfer service or make a restaurant reservation, you won’t need to recalculate the time.
You don’t even need to adjust the time on your phone, as it’s already set correctly. And you certainly don’t need to worry about jet lag on arrival, as you can enjoy your trip from the very first moment.
If it’s 3:00pm in London, it’s 4:00pm in Madrid, Spain. The time difference remains the same all year round. This is something to keep in mind if you’re interested in events in Spain, such as watching LaLiga, making a video call or needing to catch a flight.
However, if you’re travelling from the UK to Lanzarote, you don’t need to worry about the time difference. If your flight departs Gatwick at 7:00am, you’ll land in Lanzarote at the same local time as you expected — no mental maths required.
Abdel Samouh is a tourism professional specialising in the Canary Islands, with a solid track record in visitor experience management on Lanzarote. His career has centred on promoting the island's landmark attractions and enhancing transfer and excursion services across this volcanic destination.
