Plugs, tap water, time zone and opening hours in Arguineguín

By Terje Moy, editor · Published 25 October 2026

Bring a UK-to-European adapter (230 V, 50 Hz, two round pins), buy bottled water, and leave your watch alone: the Canaries keep the same time as the UK all year.

The short version for a British visitor: you need a plug adapter but not a voltage converter; most people drink bottled water rather than the tap; you do not change your watch, because the Canary Islands keep the same clock time as the UK all year; and on a Sunday you should expect many shops to be shut. The details follow, starting with the one that costs money if you forget it.

Plugs and voltage: UK to Spain

Spain uses 230 V at 50 Hz, the same as the UK's nominal supply, and sockets for two round pins, known as types C and F. UK three-pin plugs (type G) do not fit, so you need an adapter. UK appliances made for 230 V work normally through an adapter; you do not need a voltage converter.

• Phones, tablets, laptops: the charger block usually says 100–240 V on the label, so an adapter is all you need.
• Hair dryers, straighteners, kettles: UK versions are 230 V and work with an adapter; check the label before plugging in anything of North American origin.
• US and Canadian visitors: equipment rated 110–120 V only (many hair tools and small appliances) can be damaged by 230 V. Look for «100–240 V» or buy a converter.
• Adapters: buy before you fly. Shops in Arguineguín may sell them, but a multi-socket adapter at home costs less and holds more.

For phone data and eSIMs, see the mobile and internet guide.

Is the tap water safe to drink in Arguineguín?

There is no current official statement that the tap water in Arguineguín or the wider Mogán municipality is fit to drink, so it is neither confirmed nor ruled out. The water supply on this coast comes from desalination and is treated, and the habit of almost every visitor and many residents is to buy bottled water for drinking. Large bottles are cheap in supermarkets.

If you have a medical condition or are pregnant, take advice from a pharmacist or your doctor rather than guessing.

For the pharmacies in town and the health centre, see the emergency numbers page.

The time zone: the same as the UK

The Canary Islands use Western European Time (UTC+0) in winter and Western European Summer Time (UTC+1) in summer, so the clock reads the same as in London all year. Mainland Spain is one hour ahead. A flight from the UK of roughly four and a half hours therefore lands you at a local time that is just the flight time later; there is no jet lag to speak of.

The hour only matters when you deal with mainland Spain: Madrid and Málaga are an hour ahead of you, so a booking, a call or a train time there is an hour later on your watch.

Shop and office opening hours

Opening hours are set by each business, and there is no single rule to quote. As a rule of thumb for Arguineguín:

• Supermarkets and larger shops are usually open through the day, Monday to Saturday.
• Small independent shops and offices may close in the early afternoon and reopen later; the hours are on the door.
• Pharmacies post their hours and the duty rota on the door. Mogán's tourism list shows the three pharmacies in Arguineguín open on Saturday mornings.

The Tuesday market runs from 08:30 to 15:00, so Tuesday morning is the best time for fresh produce and crafts. See the Tuesday market page. Food shopping, fish and local products are covered in the shopping guide.

Sundays and public holidays

The Canary Islands limit how many Sundays and public holidays a year ordinary shops may open, and the regional government fixes the open days for each island. The list is published in the regional gazette, and shops inside designated tourist zones are not bound in the same way, so the rule is: do not count on a particular shop being open, and check the door. In practice, buy what you need on Saturday and treat a Sunday as a day for the beach, a restaurant or the market in a neighbouring town if one is on.

The siesta and when people eat

The old image of the whole town closing for the afternoon is out of date, but Spanish routines do run later than British ones. Lunch is usually from about 14:00, and dinner in places used by locals often starts after 20:30. Restaurants aimed at visitors serve earlier, so you will not go hungry at 18:30, but a local favourite may be empty until later. If you want a specific restaurant, the eating-out guide goes into prices and customs.

Tipping: optional and small

Tipping in Spain is not expected in the way it is in North America. Service is normally included in the price, and the sales tax (IGIC) is already in the menu price. Leaving a few coins or rounding up the bill for good service is common and appreciated; there is no fixed percentage, and no official figure exists. Third-party guides all call it optional.

Money and tax in one paragraph

The currency is the euro. The Canary Islands sit outside the EU VAT area, so the sales tax is IGIC, with a general rate of 7 %, which is already in shelf and menu prices. Card and contactless payment are widely accepted, but carry some cash for market stalls. More detail is on the money, cards and cash machines page.

Where to go next

If this is your first trip, the first-time checklist gathers the rest in one place; passport and visa rules are on the entry requirements page; and a handful of useful phrases for the market and the bus are on the Spanish phrases page.