The Spanish mainland is always 1 hour ahead of the UK, both in summer and winter. However, if you’re traveling to Lanzarote or one of the other Canary Islands, there’s no time difference — they share the same time zone as the UK. Here’s everything you need to know before you go.
Time difference between Spain and the UK
Spain is one hour ahead of the UK, both in British Summer Time (BST, March-October) and in winter time (GMT, October-March). Although Lanzarote shares the same time as Spain, it follows the Western European Time (WET) zone, which is the same as the UK (UTC+0 in winter, UTC+1 in summer). So if it’s 12:00 in London, it’s 12:00 in Lanzarote.
The Spanish mainland (Madrid, Barcelona), on the other hand, is one hour ahead of the UK. This often confuses travelers because Lanzarote is the only Spanish region that doesn’t follow mainland time.
The time difference between Spain and the UK depends on which region of Spain you’re talking about and the season. Let’s look at the details below.
Spanish mainland vs UK: The Spanish mainland is one hour ahead of the UK, both in summer and winter.
Canary Islands vs UK: In this region of Spain, the time is the same as the UK.
Does the time difference change in summer or winter?
Spain and the UK change their clocks in summer and winter. In both cases, clocks move forward one hour on the last Sunday in March and back one hour on the last Sunday in October.
Since this 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 UK, Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is used in winter. When summer arrives, clocks move forward one hour and British Summer Time (BST) is used, which is GMT+1.
The Spanish mainland uses Central European Time (CET), which is GMT+1 in winter. In summer, clocks move 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 UK | 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 |
| UK | 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’s a one-hour time difference between the UK and Spain. But this hasn’t always been the case. Geographically speaking, the Spanish mainland and the UK share roughly the same longitude, which means the time should be the same. And indeed, it was a few decades ago.
The change happened during World War II, when Spain adopted Central European Time to comply with Nazi Germany. Even after the war, this time zone was maintained.
The Canary Islands: a different time zone
Although there’s a time difference between the UK and the Spanish mainland, this doesn’t apply to the Canary Islands. The islands share the same time as London, and it’s important to know this to avoid confusion during your trip.
Travelers heading 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 or Ireland.
Time in Lanzarote, Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura
Like the other Canary Islands (Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura among others), Lanzarote uses Western European Time (WET), which is GMT in winter. In summer, clocks move forward one hour and Western European Summer Time (WEST) is used, which is GMT+1.
Here’s a complete guide to time differences.
The UK and the Canary Islands move their clocks forward one hour in spring to introduce summer time (BST in the UK and WEST in the Canary Islands), keeping the same time.
| Comparison | Result |
|---|---|
| Canary Islands vs UK | Same time zone all year round |
| Canary Islands vs Spanish mainland | Canary Islands 1 hour behind |
| UK vs Spanish mainland | UK 1 hour behind Spanish mainland |
| Lanzarote vs Tenerife / Gran Canaria / Fuerteventura | Same time |
| Madrid vs all Canary Islands | Madrid 1 hour ahead |
Why do the Canary Islands share the same time as the UK?
The Canary Islands are closer to the African coast than to the Spanish mainland. Historically, they adopted the same time zone as Portugal and the UK for business and communication reasons.
Practical tips: flights, meetings and football matches
Understanding the time at 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 won’t even need to adjust the time on your phone, as it will already be set correctly. And you certainly won’t need to worry about jet lag on arrival, as you can enjoy your trip from the very first moment.
If it’s 3:00 PM in London, it’s 4:00 PM in Madrid, Spain. The time difference stays the same all year round. This is something to keep in mind if you’re interested in events in Spain, like watching LaLiga, making a video call, or needing to catch a flight.
However, if you’re traveling from the UK to Lanzarote, you won’t need to worry about the time difference. If your flight leaves Gatwick at 7:00 AM, you’ll arrive in Lanzarote at the same local time as scheduled — no mental math 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.
