Why does it get light so late in Spain?

Ever wondered why the days start so late in Spain? The reasons go back to the days of Francisco Franco's dictatorship.

In 1940, Franco decided to move the clocks forward one hour, synchronizing time with Germany. This decision, often seen as the result of pressure from Hitler, had consequences that are still felt today. Although many countries reverted to the earlier time after the end of World War II, Spain stayed with the new standard. The result is that in summer, the sun rises much later in Spain than in other European countries, making mornings darker.

Time in Europe

It's worth noting that Spain isn't the only country that struggles with time zones. For example, Portugal, Spain's neighbor, remains in the GMT zone, which means its time is an hour ahead.

Other countries in the European Union, such as France, Germany and Italy, also have their own specific time zones, but operate according to Central European Time (CET), which makes the days in these countries start earlier. As a result, sunrises are aligned with the natural diurnal rhythm, which can benefit the well-being of residents.

Interesting facts about time

Winter Time: Summer time is being introduced in many countries around the world, which means moving the clock forward one hour in the spring and returning to standard time in the fall. This arrangement, although controversial, is used in many countries to make better use of daylight.

Time change lines: There are places in the world where time changes in very unusual ways. For example, some Pacific islands have time shifts of 15, 30 or 45 minutes, making them unique in the world.

Universal Time: UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) is a standard that is used worldwide. It was introduced to facilitate international communication and transportation, but does not replace local time zones.