Europe · Southern Europe · Sovereign state
Current time in Greece
A single time zone at UTC+03:00. Currently observing daylight saving time.
Friday, June 5, 2026
About Greece's time
A single time zone.
Greece uses a single timezone (Europe/Athens) and observes daylight saving time, switching to UTC+3 in summer and UTC+2 in winter — aligning it with its EU neighbors during the warmer months.
Next clock change
2026 Sunday · clocks fall back
Clocks fall back by one hour · in 5 months.
Daylight saving schedule
Major cities
Cities of Greece.
History
How Greece keeps time.
Greece first adopted a standardized national time in 1916, choosing to follow Eastern European Time (UTC+2:00) for consistency with much of Europe. Before that, local mean time varied slightly across cities. In 1941, during Axis occupation, the country was shifted to Central European Time (UTC+1:00), but reverted to EET after liberation. Greece adopted daylight saving time in 1975, initially irregularly, but harmonized its DST schedule with EU directives starting in 1981. Since then, Greece has consistently observed summer time from late March to late October, aligning closely with EU regulations.
Did you know?
Things about Greece's time.
Greece’s use of UTC+2 (and UTC+3 in summer) puts it two to three hours ahead of most of Western Europe, which can make scheduling across regions tricky — especially for remote workers or travelers adjusting from London or Paris. Athens, being on the eastern edge of the timezone, experiences sunset much later in summer, often after 9 PM, shaping the country’s famously late dining and social culture. Unlike some countries with vast territories, Greece’s small geographic span means minor solar time differences between cities, though western regions like Corfu see slightly earlier sunrises than eastern Rhodes. The single, unified timezone simplifies domestic coordination but creates a noticeable lag compared to nearby Turkey, despite geographic proximity.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Greece's time zone, daylight saving rules, and how to handle it in software. Can't find what you need? Email [email protected].
- What timezone does Greece use?
- Greece uses the Europe/Athens timezone, which is UTC+2 in winter and UTC+3 during summer daylight saving time.
- Does Greece observe daylight saving time?
- Yes, Greece observes daylight saving time, switching to UTC+3 in late March and returning to UTC+2 in late October, in line with EU rules.
- How many time zones are there in Greece?
- Greece has a single national timezone — Europe/Athens — with no regional variations.
- Why is Greece's sunset so late in summer?
- Because Greece uses UTC+3 in summer, sunset in Athens often occurs after 9 PM, leading to late dinners and evening culture. Its eastern position within the timezone reinforces this effect.
- Is Greece's timezone the same as Turkey's?
- No. Since 2016, Turkey stopped changing clocks and stays on UTC+3 year-round, creating a one-hour difference in winter — when Greece is UTC+2 but Turkey remains UTC+3.
- How does Greece's timezone affect remote work?
- With a 7-hour difference from New York and 6 from London (in summer), collaboration can be challenging — early mornings or late evenings are often needed for real-time meetings.
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