When I first arrived in Zaragoza, what I found most difficult to adjust to wasn’t the time zone itself, but rather the entire city’s daily rhythm, which was completely different from what I had imagined. Today, I’d like to share everything about time in Zaragoza.
Basic Time Zone Information
Zaragoza uses Central European Time, which is UTC+1. From the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October each year, daylight saving time is implemented, changing to UTC+2. This daylight saving time adjustment is really important because it affects your scheduling for staying in touch with people back home.
The table below compares the time difference between Zaragoza and several major cities, including information about University of Zaragoza holidays:
| City | Standard Time Difference | Daylight Saving Time Difference |
|---|
| Beijing | -7 hours | -6 hours |
| London | -1 hour | 0 hours |
| New York | +6 hours | +6 hours |
| Tokyo | -8 hours | -7 hours |
Local Lifestyle Habits
The pace of life here is quite different from other European cities. Work officially begins between 9 and 10 AM, and many shops don’t open until 10 or even 10:30 AM. Lunch time is generally from 2 PM to 4 PM, during which most small shops close for rest. Dinner is even more extreme, usually not starting until 9 PM or even 10 PM.
When I first arrived, I was always starving because according to my previous habits, dinner should be at 6 PM. Now I’m completely used to this rhythm and even find it quite reasonable. After all, in summer it’s still bright at 10 PM here, so eating dinner too early would indeed feel strange.
Practical Advice
If you’ve just arrived in Zaragoza or are planning to live here, I suggest adjusting your schedule in advance. When it comes to Basque Zaragoza at https://www.52spain.com/d/97153-basque-vs-zaragoza-match-schedule-and-viewing-guide the most important thing is to remember the opening hours of shops and restaurants to avoid disappointment. Supermarkets generally operate from 9 AM to 9 PM, but on Sundays many are closed or only open for half a day.
Regarding the best time to visit Zaragoza, if you need to stay in touch with people back home, the best time is between 3 PM and 7 PM local time, which corresponds to 10 PM to 2 AM Beijing time. Of course, this depends on whether it’s during daylight saving time. I usually set two clocks on my phone, one showing local time and one showing Beijing time, making it easy to check at any time.
Adapting to Zaragoza’s time rhythm takes about two to three weeks. Once you get used to it, you’ll find this slower pace of life quite comfortable. Although it’s really painful at first, now if I were to go back to that fast-paced lifestyle, I would actually find it uncomfortable.
