What's considered rude that travelers do in Athens?
Photographing the interior of Orthodox churches without permission is consistently resented, and many churches post signs forbidding it that tourists ignore entirely. Dressing in shorts or sleeveless tops when entering a church is equally unwelcome; the staff at Kapnikarea on Ermou Street or the Cathedral on Mitropoleos Square will turn you away. Bargaining aggressively at shops is considered insulting rather than charming — Athens is not a bazaar city, and shopkeepers take it personally. Sitting at a kafeneio table for hours and ordering only water reads as disrespectful to the owner, particularly outside the tourist center. Rushing service at a taverna signals you don't understand how meals work here; dinner is two hours minimum and the check does not arrive until you ask. Speaking loudly on public transit, particularly the metro, draws visible irritation from locals. Tipping is appreciated but not tipping the bread and olives that arrive unbidden, then refusing to pay for them on the bill, causes genuine friction.
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