Seriously. One hour is the perfect amount of difference. It’s enough to feel “foreign” but not enough to ruin your sleep. You arrive in Gran Canaria, you feel a little off, but by dinner time, you’ve adjusted.
Compare that to flying to New York (five hours back) or Dubai (four hours forward). You’re a zombie for days. With Gran Canaria, you’re a lightly drowsy squirrel. You just need one nap and you’re golden.
It’s the ultimate travel hack for lazy people. I love it.
Quirky Fact: The Canary Islands Are Technically in Africa
Geographically, Gran Canaria is closer to Morocco than to Spain. It sits off the coast of West Africa. Yet it uses the same time zone as the UK and mainland Spain. Why?
Waarom Nederland in de verkeerde tijdzone zit (en dit slecht is voor
Because politics. And history. And probably because the Spanish government didn’t want to confuse tourists. Imagine the chaos if your beach selfie had a different time code than your family back home. It would be a nightmare for Instagram.
So yes, you can stand on a beach in Africa, check your watch, and realize it’s the same time as London (plus one hour). That’s geographical silliness at its finest. Tell that fact at a party. You’ll sound like a genius.
