You will find that Greece is a friendly place, very hospitable to guests, but it is still important to learn about their traditions and customs in order to blend in and respect Greece's heritage. As in any country, there are certain do's and don'ts in Greece. Many times, a foreigner might think some of these customs strange or may disagree with them, but we should all respect a country's ways when we visit it. If you go out to dinner with locals, there is no way you will be allowed to pay your share of the bill and if they ask you to stay over at their house, they will in all likelihood offer you their own bed, in order to make you feel as comfortable as possible. This is known as ‘filotimo’, a Greek word without an exact equivalent in English, meaning something between a sense of honour, dignity and pride and is a highly-praised virtue in Greek society. Below are some more etiquette tips for your trip to Greece.
1. Do not attempt to thrust the palm of your hand in front of someone's face. This is the rudest gesture possible.
2. Do not be offended Greeks do not show up until well after the appointed time. They do not put a priority on punctuality.
3. Don't spend a lot of money on a gift, because then the recipient might feel the need to spend a lot of money on you in return.
4. Don't give knives as a gift.
5. Don't sit down until told where to sit before eating.
6. Don't begin eating until the host starts.
7. Don’t put your elbows on the table, but do keep your hands above the table.
8. Don’t worry about dance steps if you're doing the Zembekiko, which is "The Drunkard's Dance" or the Tsifteteli, which is a belly dance. Those aren't line dances, like many Greek dances are, so just hop on the dance floor and boogie.
9. Don’t dress casually for a business meeting
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