Spain is entering a period of intense preparations for spring calendar changes. According to the official government schedule, the transition to daylight saving time will occur on the last Sunday of March, coinciding with the start of Holy Week. Residents must prepare for a shorter day and plan for upcoming public holidays, which in the Spanish legal system vary depending on the individual autonomous communities.

Time Change Date

The transition to daylight saving time will occur on the night of March 28 to 29, 2026, by moving clocks from 2:00 AM to 3:00 AM.

Easter Calendar

Holy Week will begin on March 29, and Good Friday, as the only nationwide public holiday, will fall on April 3.

Regional Specificity

Public holidays on Maundy Thursday and Easter Monday depend on decisions by the authorities of specific regions of Spain.

Tourism Optimism

The tourism industry expects increased profits thanks to longer days and favorable weather forecasts.

Spain is preparing for the traditional change from standard time to daylight saving time, which in 2026 has been set for Sunday, March 29. According to the regulation published in the Boletín Oficial del Estado, at 2:00 AM (1:00 AM in the Canary Islands) clocks will be moved forward by one hour. This means that this specific day will officially last only 23 hours. This decision aims to make better use of daylight and support the tourism sector, although it regularly sparks debates over the sense of maintaining biannual time changes. The time change coincides in 2026 with the start of Semana Santa. Palm Sunday falls exactly on March 29, which begins a period of intense religious celebrations across the country. The most important public holiday for all Spaniards will be Good Friday, April 3, which as a national holiday is non-working in all regions without exception. Other days, such as Maundy Thursday (April 2), have the status of movable holidays, the establishment of which is decided by the authorities of the individual autonomous communities according to the local work calendar. The tradition of changing time in Europe dates back to World War I, when it was introduced to save coal. Spain has been using the current model of shifting the clock hands since the 1970s, despite ongoing discussions in the European Union about permanently abolishing this practice.In the Madrid region, the calendar for 2026 predicts a series of so-called long weekends, known in Spain as "puentes". Meteorological services indicate a gradual rise in temperatures and a decrease in rainfall, which favors planning tourist trips. The tourism sector particularly advocates for daylight saving time, arguing that longer evenings directly translate into higher revenues in gastronomy and hospitality. In cities such as Malaga, preparations are already underway to display traditional works of sacred art, which will be presented during processions. 23 godziny — will be the duration of the day on Sunday, March 29 It is worth noting that the official schedule for time changes is approved by the government several years in advance, allowing institutions and companies to adjust their IT systems. Nevertheless, each change causes temporary disruptions to citizens' circadian rhythms. Experts remind us that the official astronomical spring will begin on March 20, a few days before the time change, which symbolically closes the winter period in Southern Europe.