Current Time in Madrid, Spain
Exact time synced with atomic clocks (IANA + NTP)
Country
España
Dialling: +34
City Details
Madrid
Lat: 40.4168° N
Long: 3.7038° W
Population: 3,223,000
Time Zone
Europe/Madrid
GMT+2
Public Holidays
Day of the Canary Islands
May 30in 10dDay of Castilla-La Mancha
May 31in 11dCorpus Christi
Jun 4in 15d
Time Difference
Business Hours
Daylight Cycle
Data via sunrisesunset.io
Current Weather
Data via Open-Meteo · Updates every 30 min
Overview
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain, with 3.4 million residents in the municipality and 6.8 million in the metropolitan area as of 2025. It is the second most populous city in the European Union after Berlin, and sits at 667m above sea level — the highest capital city in the EU. Madrid hosted the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix from 2026 onward at the IFEMA circuit.
Administrative Region
Community of Madrid (Comunidad de Madrid)
ES-MD
Local Currency
€
Technical Assets
- Web Domain.es
- ISO CodeES-MD
Secure Identifier Profile
Culture & Daily Life
📜 History & Origins
The site was first fortified by Muhammad I, Emir of Córdoba, around 865 CE as a defensive watchtower called Mayrit or Magerit, guarding Toledo from Christian kingdoms to the north. Alfonso VI of Castile captured it in 1083. Madrid was a modest market town until 1561, when King Philip II moved the Spanish Royal Court from Toledo to Madrid — making it Spain's permanent capital almost by accident — due to its central location on the Iberian Peninsula.
🗣️ Languages
👥 Demographics
✨ Leisure Highlights
- /Museo del Prado — one of the world's great art collections
- /Museo Reina Sofía — home to Picasso's Guernica
- /Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabéu Stadium tour
- /Retiro Park and the Crystal Palace
- /Mercado de San Miguel and the La Latina tapas circuit
🎒 Visitor Tip
The Metro is clean, fast and extensive — get a 10-trip ticket (Metrobus) as it's far cheaper than single fares. The Golden Triangle of museums — Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen-Bornemisza — are all within 15 minutes' walk of each other and justify a full day. Madrid runs late: lunch is at 2–4pm, dinner rarely before 9pm, and a night out doesn't start until midnight. The Rastro flea market runs every Sunday morning in La Latina.
Geography & Climate
Land & Terrain
Surface area and physical characteristics
Located in the centre of the Iberian Peninsula on the Castilian Plateau (Meseta Central), approximately 660m above sea level. The city sits on both banks of the Manzanares River, a small tributary of the Tagus. The terrain is gently undulating plateau with the Sierra de Guadarrama mountain range visible to the north, reaching 2,429m at Peñalara. The high altitude gives Madrid notably cold winters and hot summers for a southern European city.
Climate Stats
Cold semi-arid / Mediterranean continental (Köppen BSk/Csa)
Avg Summer
25°C
Avg Winter
6°C
Annual Rainfall
421 mm
Best Months (Sunshine)
Travel & Connectivity
✈️ Nearby AirportsIATA / DISTANCE
🚄 Rail ConnectionsCITY / DISTANCE
Regional Satellites
Other times compared to Madrid
Frequently Asked Questions about time in Madrid
What timezone is Madrid in?↓
Madrid is in the Europe/Madrid time zone (Europe/Madrid), currently UTCGMT+2.
Does Spain observe daylight saving time?↓
Yes. Spain observes daylight saving time. Clocks in Madrid go forward in March and back in October, switching between CET/CEST and CET/CEST.
What is CET/CEST?↓
CET/CEST stands for Europe/Madrid. It is UTCGMT+2 and is the standard time used in Spain.
How many hours ahead is Madrid compared to London?↓
Madrid is 2 hours ahead of London (GMT). During UK summer (BST), the difference reduces by 1 hour to 1 hour.
What is the time difference between Madrid and New York?↓
Madrid is 7 hours ahead of New York (EST). When New York switches to EDT in summer, the difference decreases by 1 hour.
How accurate is the time shown for Madrid?↓
The time displayed for Madrid is synced with atomic clock sources via NTP (Network Time Protocol) and uses IANA timezone data to ensure accuracy to the second. It automatically reflects any daylight saving time changes.
What does UTCGMT+2 mean for Madrid?↓
UTCGMT+2 means Madrid is 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), the global standard for timekeeping.
What are the business hours in Madrid?↓
Standard business hours in Madrid are typically Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM CET/CEST (UTCGMT+2). Many businesses also operate Saturday mornings. Public holidays follow the Spain national calendar.
Is there much time difference between Madrid and London?↓
Madrid is within a few hours of London, so scheduling calls is usually straightforward. Always confirm the current local time in both cities, especially around daylight saving time changes.