The Spanish mainland is always 1 hour ahead of the United Kingdom, both in summer and winter. However, if you’re travelling to Lanzarote or any of the other 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 in both BST (March-October) and GMT (October-March). Although Lanzarote shares the same time as Spain, it follows the Western European Time zone (WET), which is the same time zone as the United Kingdom (UTC+0 in winter, UTC+1 in summer). So if it’s 12:00 noon in London, it’s 12:00 noon in Lanzarote.
The 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: The 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, clocks go forward by one hour on the last Sunday in March and back by one hour on the last Sunday in October.
Because 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 comes, the clocks are put forward by 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 are put forward by 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 United Kingdom and Spain. But this wasn’t always the case. Geographically speaking, the Spanish mainland and the United Kingdom share roughly the same longitude, which means the time should be the same. And indeed, it was a few decades ago.
The change occurred during World War II, when Spain adopted Central European Time to conform to Nazi Germany. Even after the war, this time zone was maintained.
The Canary Islands: a different time zone
Although there is a time difference between the United Kingdom and mainland Spain, this does not 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.
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 United Kingdom, 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 are put forward by one hour and Western European Summer Time (WEST) is used, which is GMT+1.
Here is a complete guide to time differences.
The United Kingdom and the Canary Islands put their clocks forward by one hour in spring to introduce daylight saving time (BST in the UK and WEST in the Canary Islands), keeping 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 mainland Spain |
| 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 mainland Spain. 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 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 when you arrive, as you can enjoy your trip from the first moment.
If it’s 15:00 in London, it’s 16:00 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 won’t need to worry about the time difference. If your flight leaves Gatwick at 07:00, you’ll arrive 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.
