Portugal will switch to winter time this coming Sunday, October 26, requiring residents across the mainland and its Atlantic islands to set clocks back one hour, a change mandated by European Union regulations.
On Sunday, October 26, at 2:00 AM local time, clocks in mainland Portugal and the autonomous region of Madeira will be set back to 1:00 AM.
Concurrently, in the autonomous region of the Azores, the change will occur at 1:00 AM local time, moving clocks back to 12:00 AM.
This adjustment marks the official end of summer time, ushering in the winter schedule.
The annual practice of changing time is governed by a European Union directive established in 2000.
This directive stipulates that clocks are to be advanced by one hour on the last Sunday of March and set back by one hour on the last Sunday of October each year, signaling the start and end of summer time.
The next scheduled change, returning to summer time, will take place on March 29, 2026.