Brits living in Spain reveal what now feels strange about visiting the UK

You’ve made the move to live in Spain. You are now in the groove of how life works. You know where to go, what to do, and how to get things done. Whether you’ve been away for a short time or the majority of your life, returning to the UK can bring some surprising feelings.

So, what do British residents across Spain find most alien when they visit their home country?  Leaving aside the usual answers like “the weather” or “the cost of living,” a few specific themes came up repeatedly, some good, some bad, and some things that were originally taken for granted.

Desperately early dining times

One of the most common readjustments is the eating schedule. After adapting to Spain’s famously late calendar, many find themselves completely out of sync with the British timetable when meeting friends and family back home for a meal.

“What I find strange about visiting the UK now is the eating hours. I could never eat dinner at seven in the evening,” says Molly, who moved to Seville. “Also, not getting tapas with my beer. I always end up peckish and having to look for food elsewhere, especially as many pubs stop serving food after a certain time.”

In Spain, where dinner is often enjoyed between 9pm and 11pm (especially during the hot summer months), eating at 6pm or 7pm can feel surprisingly rushed.

Carpeted floors and bathroom habits

Sometimes the smallest household details cause the biggest reverse culture shock. For one, British homes suddenly seem surprisingly carpet-heavy. After years of living with ceramic or tiled flooring, common in Spain to keep homes cool, stepping back onto wall-to-wall carpet can feel oddly unfamiliar.

Then there is the bathroom. For those who have fully embraced the Spanish bidet, returning to a purely toilet-paper-based routine feels like a step backward. While not every modern Spanish home has one, bidets remain far more common in Spain than in the UK for reasons of hygiene and comfort.

A rushed lifestyle and social stress

Many returning Brits are struck by a shift in atmosphere rather than physical objects. Britain is often described as strangely pressured, anxious, and hurried, with people burdened by the rising cost of living.

“Everything in the UK seems more aggressive these days. Even the supermarket pricing!” says Ruth from Nerja.

Some find the increase in visible homelessness and social stress in the UK particularly apparent. After becoming accustomed to the relaxed, outdoor lifestyle of Spanish towns, many report being struck by the number of rough sleepers and the sense that certain high streets appear more run-down than they remember.

Navigating British roads

Driving on the left again requires a brief mental reset. “It feels strange being on the opposite side of the road now, even though I’ve driven in the UK for longer,” says Rachel, Granada.

Heavier traffic, busier roads, and navigating complex British roundabouts earned specific mentions, making driving in Britain feel far more hectic than expats remember it.

The winter darkness

“How early it gets dark, and the sky just feels lower.”

The UK’s northern latitude means winter daylight hours shrink far more dramatically than they do in southern Spain. While Andalucía enjoys substantial sunshine and clear skies throughout the winter, the UK gloom can be tough to handle. Hand-in-hand with the darkness comes the physical weight of returning home, expats noted how odd it felt to suddenly need heavy coats, gloves, and scarves just to go outside.

Food culture

Food comes up over and over again, but not just because of the schedule. One respondent noted that what stood out most was “the sheer volume of junk food and processed snacks wherever you go.”

Research supports this observation. Studies consistently show the UK has one of the highest levels of ultra-processed food consumption in Europe. Others felt that people generally appeared less healthy than they remembered, though they acknowledged these perceptions are subjective and heavily influenced by the Mediterranean lifestyle shift.

The Best of British

There is still so much genuinely appreciated about returning to the UK.

“You can get everything you need in one supermarket,” says Rachel, who also praised Britain’s urban development, vibrant street cafes, and international influences. For another respondent, one specific British institution stood above all others, “Marks & Spencer Foodhall. I could spend hours there.”

Public transport availability was another frequently mentioned positive, alongside the sheer scale of cultural opportunities. “I want to go back there to study. There’s so much more happening in London,” says Sophie from Madrid.

A shift in time

Perhaps the most thought-provoking observation came from Adam in Malaga, who perfectly summarized how a country can change while you are away.

“I came to Spain 27 years ago and commented to a friend that everything felt 20 years behind the UK. Now I return to London and it’s the other way around. It makes me feel sad.”

What do you think?

Does having to drink a full pint feel strange to you now rather than just having a small caña? Do you find it weird that you can’t just tear a single can out of a six-pack at the supermarket like you can in Spain? Alien that you can just leave your rubbish directly out the front of your house? The list goes on.