Winter Time Returns: Portugal Winds Clocks Back This Weekend

For anyone juggling work, school runs or simply figuring out when the sun will set on the last weekend of the month, keep one thing in mind: Portugal’s annual switch to winter time is just days away. Watches, oven clocks and even the church bell towers will all fall back by an hour, gifting the country an extra slice of Sunday morning sleep but also ushering in noticeably earlier twilights.

How and when the hands move

Mainland residents and those living in the Autonomous Region of Madeira will roll back their clocks at 02:00 on Sunday, 26 October; the moment the digits strike 02:00, they should be reset to 01:00. In the Azores, where local time already lags the continent by an hour, the ritual occurs at 01:00, immediately reverting to midnight. Most smartphones and computers will adjust automatically, yet anything with a manual dial—car dashboards, kitchen timers, the old-fashioned wall clock at the café—will need a human touch.

Why Portugal still follows the ritual

Across Europe the practice known in Portuguese as mudança de horário has been hotly debated since 2018, when Brussels signalled an intention to scrap the twice-yearly clock change. Although the European Parliament voted in 2019 to let each member state pick a permanent time, the plan stalled during the pandemic and has been treading water ever since. Lisbon’s position remains pragmatic: until consensus emerges among neighbouring countries, synchronising timetables with Spain and France is seen as essential for trade, transport and energy interconnection.

What difference you will actually notice

Expect sunrise in Lisbon to jump from roughly 07:58 on Saturday to 06:58 on Sunday, while sunset will slide from 18:47 to 17:46. That earlier dusk has real-world consequences: commuters will finish work in darkness, evening football practices for kids demand floodlights and retailers brace for a spike in electricity costs between 18:00 and 20:00. By contrast, public-safety data from the National Road Safety Authority suggest accident rates typically dip during the first fortnight after the change because drivers are more alert to the sudden shift.

Coping tricks for the darker evenings

Doctors at Porto’s Hospital de São João recommend easing into the new pattern by going to bed 15 minutes earlier for two nights beforehand, limiting caffeine after lunch and exposing yourself to morning sunlight as soon as possible. Families with small children often find it helpful to shift dinner earlier so bedtime routines remain consistent. And if you rely on international video calls, double-check the meeting invites: the United States does not adopt winter time until the first Sunday of November, creating a temporary mismatch.

Could this be the last seasonal switch?

While public opinion surveys in Portugal show a narrow majority—about 54 % in the latest Eurobarometer poll—prefers abolishing the adjustment, experts at the University of Coimbra warn that choosing permanent summer time could push sunrise to nearly 09:00 in January, a scenario Reykjavík endures but Lisbon never has. Government officials maintain they will review the matter once Spain makes a formal decision, emphasising that coordination on the Iberian Peninsula is key to avoiding confusion on rail timetables, energy grids and aviation slots.

So for now, set a reminder, enjoy the bonus hour of rest and prepare for earlier candle-lit dinners. The shortest days of the year are on the horizon, and Portugal’s clocks are about to mark the turn.