The end of summer means goodbye to long, sunny days, beach vacations and more. In other words, with the change of season, and as is customary every year, the clock must be turned back to welcome winter time.
In practice, with this change, the more ‘sleepy’ will be able to stay wrapped up in the comfort of their blankets for longer. This is because the change means turning the hands of the clock back one hour. But when should you do it? And what are the reasons for this change?
Winter time in mainland Portugal (and beyond)
First of all, it’s important to specify when the winter timetable comes into force. In Portugal, as in the rest of the European Union (EU), the change begins on the last Sunday in October.
So, in the early hours of Saturday to Sunday, from October 26 to 27, at 2 a.m. you should set your clocks back one hour in mainland Portugal and the Autonomous Region of Madeira. In the Azores, the change takes place at 1:00 am.
What are the reasons for this change?
There are various explanations used to justify this practice, whether for historical and/or sustainable reasons, such as:
- Making the most of sunlight: maximizing the use of daylight
- Energy saving: aligning human activities with daylight
- European legislation: the time change complies with an EU directive
Whatever the reasons, don’t forget to set your watch back an hour!