Greece turns back the clocks on October 27th to mark the start of daylight saving time

On Sunday, October 27, clocks in Greece will go back one hour at 4:00 a.m. and then return to 3:00 a.m., marking the transition to winter and summer time.

This change, observed on the last Sunday in October each year, moves the time back one hour to compensate for the shorter daylight hours in the winter months.

Most internet-connected devices such as smartphones, smartwatches, computers and tablets update the time automatically. However, it is recommended that you double-check your automation settings and adjust them manually if necessary.

The main aim of the summer time regulation, which applies for seven months in Greece and across Europe, is to maximize daylight and save energy. Winter time, also known as standard or solar time, begins on the last Sunday in October.

The concept of daylight saving time dates back to U.S. historical figure Benjamin Franklin, who suggested in a letter to a French newspaper that people should get up an hour earlier to make better use of daylight, although he was not the right one suggested changing the time.

Today, only a minority of the world’s population observes seasonal time changes, while most Asian and African countries choose not to. Some countries have abolished it entirely or are considering doing so.

In 2021, the European Union decided to abolish mandatory time changes, leaving each member state to decide whether to adopt daylight saving time or use standard time permanently.

Greece has opted to keep daylight saving time for now, while debate over whether to change the standard system has been postponed indefinitely.