Permanent Daylight Saving Time in the Balearic Islands – Impact on Everyday Life

The Balearic Islands are pushing to permanently set the clock to daylight saving time. Especially gastronomy, tourism, and many locals see benefits — not everyone is convinced.

Why the Balearic Islands want to stick to daylight saving time

In Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera you often hear the same argument: more daylight in the evenings is good for the island economy. The regional parliament of the Balearic Islands had already taken a clear position years ago and advocates for a permanent daylight saving time. In Palma, where the town hall clock on Passeig del Born still greets visitors daily, the topic quickly comes up — especially when in summer the terraces stay busy late.

What the local economy says

Restaurant owners in La Llotja and at Playa de Palma report clear differences: when it's still light at 8:30 pm, guests stay longer, order another glass of wine or a dessert. "When the sun goes down earlier, sales are noticeably lower," says a tapas bar operator who prefers to remain anonymous. Beach kiosks and organizers of boat tours also benefit from more evening light.

For the tourism sector, the length of the evening is not a luxury, but a predictable revenue window. Hotels estimate that events, pool usage, and evening offerings run more easily with more light. A local tour operator who often brings groups to the harbour around 7 pm says that evening activities in winter suffer from the earlier darkness.

The other side: morning hours and biology

However there are concerns: permanent daylight saving time means darker morning hours in the winter months. Commuters, schoolchildren, and farmers have to leave earlier at dawn — which is not everyone's cup of tea. Doctors also note potential adjustment periods for sleep rhythms. Some parents report that children seem sleepier in the morning when the sun rises later.

Politically, the situation is a bit more complicated. Nationally, there has recently been discussion about scrapping time changes altogether. Whether Spain will permanently choose winter time or summer time in the future remains open. Until a comprehensive rule is in place, the Balearics are trying to make their local perspective clear.

A view from the islands: practical and a little sentimental

Those who stroll along the Paseo Marítimo in the evening and look at the boats in the harbor quickly understand why many here favor long evenings. It is not just about the economy, but about a way of life: one last café con leche at the bar, a chat with the neighbor on the promenade, a round at an open-air cinema under the stars. At the same time, there is the sober argument: restaurants and bars are workplaces. Shorter evenings cost money.

Fact remains: The decision is not only up to the islands. Yet the Balearics have made their stance clear — and many here hope that the clock will no longer be changed twice a year in the future. Whether that happens now depends on Madrid and on a Europe-wide debate that is not yet concluded.