A woman who left the UK behind to start a new life in Greece has revealed the one unexpected thing she dislikes about living there.

Jess, 30, originally from Scotland, moved away from rainy Britain to open a souvlaki shop with her partner in a small sunny village a few hours from Athens.

The content creator has since amassed hundreds of thousands of views on her videos, sharing the differences between both nations.

From enjoying almost instantly dry clean clothes to indulging in delicious Mediterranean cuisine, Jess spoke of her love of the country on TikTok and said: ‘Who doesn’t want to spend the majority of the year living in nice weather? And with that, I can go to the beach every single day if I want to, and I know every day is going to be warm.’

But despite enjoying the gorgeous sunshine and breathtaking views, there is one element of her new life she struggles with in particular – the insects.

‘People might not see this one as a big deal, but for someone who is terrified of every single bug on the planet, it’s a big one to me – so of course, it is the bugs of Greece,’ she said.

The wildlife has proved challenging, with Jess explaining that she had been left petrified after a lizard wandered into her home and hid under the sofa.

‘Apparently, the Greeks call it a lucky lizard, but I don’t feel so lucky with it roaming about my house,’ she said. 

Jess, 30, from Scotland, moved to a small village a few hours from Athens in 2024 to open a souvlaki shop with her partner (pictured)

However, the sizzling weather has its benefits. While Jess would have easily waited days for her damp clothes to dry during the colder seasons in Britain, her new idyllic routine means that she can complete all of her washing in a few hours.

The Scot cleans her garments in the morning before hanging them out on her balcony and only needs to wait an hour or so for them to be ready to wear.

‘There’s no waiting three to four working days for your washing to dry on the radiator,’ she said, adding that she would rarely dry clothes within the space of a day back home.

Jess has also fallen in love with the cuisine, telling viewers that her ‘current obsession’ was pork souvlaki.

Although she enjoys Greek food, Jess suffers with Celiac diseases so she is more limited the most when it comes to sampling the nation’s delicacies. 

‘I’m always on the hunt for new gluten-free restaurants and bakeries where they do make these foods gluten-free and can try them,’ the content creator added.

Because she lives in a small village, Jess admitted she sometimes struggles to find places that offer gluten-free alternatives, but often visits Athens, where there is more choice.

Jess regularly shares videos to her TikTok where she reveals details about her life living abroad. 

Despite enjoying gorgeous sunshine, breathtaking views, and delicious food, she said she suffers with the insects (pictured, Jess)

Jess has also fallen in love with the cuisine, telling viewers that her ‘current obsession’ was pork souvlaki (pictured, Jess)

Although she ‘loves’ living in Greece, there are some downsides to moving away from home.

‘Missing home will be a feeling I feel for the rest of my life,’ she explained.

‘Not being there physically to see my two nephews and niece achieve everything that they’re going to achieve, seeing all my friends celebrate birthdays or other celebrations and having to miss out on all the other special events that are happening.

‘Having to watch everything through a phone screen is very very difficult.

‘I even miss things like my weekly home visits to Home Bargains, my late night walks through Tesco, walking through the gluten-free aisle and finding all the new snacks.’

Nevertheless, the travel influencer insisted she does not regret her decision and said she is glad she made the move.

Jess lives in a small village two hours from the historical capital city of Athens, where she works in her boyfriend’s shop.

Responding to viewers in her comments, she said she has not yet had to use medical facilities.

‘I’ve not had to use it yet, but you do have to pay, it’s not free like the UK,’ she commented.

Looking to fully immerse herself in the new surroundings, the social media star is also currently trying to learn Greek.