Customs and Etiquette

Tipping at a glance. Luxury hotels: porters €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day, and €10–20 for a concierge who goes out of their way; outside the euro, the equivalent in local currency. Yacht crew: 5–15% of the charter fee, given to the captain, who shares it among the crew; Mediterranean charters usually sit at the lower end.

Arriving in Europe. Travellers from outside the EU are registered with fingerprints and a photograph at their first Schengen border, in place of a passport stamp; allow a little longer on a first arrival. The ETIAS travel authorisation has not yet begun, so beware of websites offering it.

Portugal

Language

Portuguese. English is widely spoken in luxury hotels and leading restaurants in Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve and Madeira. Speaking Spanish is best avoided: the languages are close, but it is not appreciated, and a few words of Portuguese go much further.

Greetings

A firm handshake with eye contact on first meeting; two cheek kisses, right cheek first, among friends and family. Use senhor / senhora until invited to be less formal, and greet by time of day: bom dia until noon, boa tarde in the afternoon, boa noite from early evening.

Dress

Dress respectfully in churches. Some resort towns, such as Albufeira in the Algarve, fine people for wearing swimwear in the streets away from the beach and pool. On yachts, soft-soled or bare feet on deck. Smart dress for fine dining.

Dining

Lunch typically 12–2 pm, some restaurants serving until 3 pm; dinner from about 8–9 pm, later at weekends. Book ahead for well-known restaurants. Bread, olives, butter or cheese brought to the table at the start (the couvert) are charged unless you send them back; the couvert is not a tip. Meals are unhurried.

Tipping

Service is usually included in menu prices, so a tip is a gesture: about 5–10%, and about 10% in fine dining. Small change in cafés; round up taxi fares. Luxury hotels: porters €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day, €10–20 for a concierge who goes out of their way.

Phrases

Good to know

Eat with a knife and fork, even fruit. To decline the couvert, a polite não, obrigado (or obrigada) is enough. If invited to a Portuguese home, bring a small gift such as wine or flowers.

Gibraltar

Language

English is the official language and is spoken everywhere; Spanish is widely understood. Among themselves, Gibraltarians often speak Llanito, a lively mix of Andalusian Spanish and English with words of Italian and Hebrew origin, moving between the two in the same sentence.

Greetings

A handshake with eye contact on first meeting; hugs and cheek kisses are kept for friends and family. A friendly "hello" or "good morning" in shops and cafés; a Spanish hola or buenos días is just as natural.

Dress

Cover shoulders and knees in churches, including the Cathedral of St Mary the Crowned, and in the synagogues and the mosque at Europa Point. Swimwear belongs on the beach and at the pool, not on Main Street or in shops. On yachts, soft-soled or bare feet on deck. Smart-casual for fine dining.

Dining

Lunch roughly 1–3.30 pm; dinner from about 7.30 pm, earlier than across the border in Spain. Book ahead at the best-known restaurants, above all on Friday afternoons and summer evenings.

Tipping

Check the bill first: many restaurants, especially in Ocean Village and Casemates, add a service charge, and then no further tip is expected. Otherwise about 10% for good table service is appreciated but not obligatory; tipping in bars and cafés is uncommon. Luxury hotels: porters about £2–4 a bag, housekeeping about £4–8 a day.

Phrases

English is all a visitor needs; these Spanish forms, heard constantly in Llanito, are a warm touch.

Good to know

The currency is the Gibraltar pound, at par with sterling; British notes are accepted everywhere, but Gibraltar notes are not accepted in the UK and are hard to change in Spain, so use them up before leaving. Euros are taken in most shops and restaurants, at a poor rate, with change given in pounds; cards are accepted almost everywhere. Unlike Britain, Gibraltar drives on the right; plugs are the British three-pin type. Feeding the Barbary macaques of the Upper Rock is an offence, with fines of up to £4,000; keep food out of sight near them. Most Main Street shops close on Sundays and public holidays. Sovereignty is a sensitive subject: leave it to Gibraltarians to raise.

Monaco

Language

French is the official language; Monégasque is the traditional language, and Italian is common. English is widely spoken in hotels, restaurants and at the casino.

Greetings

As in France: a handshake on first meeting, bonjour / bonsoir with monsieur / madame; cheek kisses among friends.

Dress

Monaco expects polished dress in town, and walking around in swimwear, shirtless or barefoot anywhere other than beaches and bathing areas can bring a fine. Shoulders and knees covered in the cathedral and churches. On yachts, soft-soled or bare feet on deck. Smart dress for fine dining. The Casino de Monte-Carlo has a dress code: in the evening, no shorts, T-shirts, short-sleeved shirts or sweatshirts; by day, no beachwear, flip-flops, sandals, tank tops or ripped jeans.

Dining

As in France: lunch about 12–2 pm, dinner from about 8 pm. Book well ahead, especially during the Grand Prix, the Yacht Show and summer.

Tipping

As in France: service is generally included, and 5–10% extra for good service is appreciated. Round up for drivers. Luxury hotels: porters €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day, €10–20 for a concierge who goes out of their way.

Phrases

Good to know

The Casino de Monte-Carlo admits over-18s only and requires photo ID (a passport or national identity card; a driving licence is not accepted). There is an entrance fee.

Malta

Language

Maltese and English are both official. English is spoken almost everywhere.

Greetings

A handshake on first meeting, with eye contact; cheek kisses among friends and family, but wait for locals to start them. Sur (Mr) and Sinjura (Mrs) are used formally, but English courtesies are normal.

Dress

Malta is strongly Catholic and fairly conservative: shoulders and knees covered in churches, including St John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta; remove hats and sunglasses on entering, and carry a shawl or sarong. Keep swimwear for the beach and lido. On yachts, soft-soled or bare feet on deck. Smart-casual for fine dining.

Dining

Dinner is typically late, after about 8.30 pm, and meals are relaxed and unhurried. Book ahead in Valletta and on summer weekends.

Tipping

Around 5–10% in restaurants for good service, if service is not already included; round up for taxis and cafés. Luxury hotels: porters €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day.

Phrases

Good to know

Malta drives on the left. Summer village festi (patron-saint feasts) bring processions, fireworks and road closures. Bird hunting takes place in spring and autumn, so take care in rural areas in those seasons.

Croatia

Language

Croatian. English is widely spoken in hotels, restaurants and marinas along the coast; German and Italian are common too.

Greetings

A handshake in formal settings; cheek kisses among friends and family. Dobar dan (good day) is the polite opener; use surnames and titles until invited otherwise.

Dress

Shoulders and knees covered in churches, cathedrals and monasteries. Town centres including Split and Dubrovnik issue on-the-spot fines for walking around shirtless or in swimwear. On yachts, soft-soled or bare feet on deck. Smart-casual for fine dining.

Dining

Lunch is traditionally the main meal; dinner is usually served well after 8 pm, later in summer. Meals are unhurried. Book ahead in Dubrovnik, Hvar and Split in high season.

Tipping

Voluntary but appreciated: around 10% in restaurants for good service, 10–15% at upscale places in the big cities; round up for taxis. Luxury hotels: porters €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day.

Phrases

Good to know

Croatia uses the euro (since 2023). By law, shops may open on only 16 Sundays a year, so most are closed on Sundays. Climbing on monuments and drinking alcohol in public spaces also bring on-the-spot fines in many towns.

Montenegro

Language

Montenegrin is the official language. Serbian, Bosnian, Albanian and Croatian are also in official use, and both Latin and Cyrillic scripts appear. English is widely spoken in luxury hotels, marinas and restaurants along the coast, especially at Porto Montenegro and around Kotor and Budva.

Greetings

A handshake is standard. Friends often greet with cheek kisses. People are warm but appreciate formality at first meetings.

Dress

Orthodox monasteries such as Ostrog expect modest dress. Cover your shoulders and knees, and women should carry a light headscarf. Away from the beach, wear clothes over your swimwear. Budva fines people €200 for walking in its Old Town in swimwear or bare-chested. The universal yacht rule applies: no hard-soled shoes on deck. Evenings are dressier than the daytime beach scene, and smart outfits are expected at the better bars and restaurants.

Dining

Long, late summer dinners are the norm on the coast, from about 8 pm. Reserve ahead in July and August.

Tipping

Around 10% is customary in restaurants when service is good. Rounding up is usual for drivers. Luxury hotels: porters €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day. The currency is the euro.

Phrases

Good to know

Ostrog Monastery is one of the most important Orthodox pilgrimage sites in the region. Visit quietly and dress modestly, and ask before photographing worshippers.

Greece

Language

Greek is the official language. English is widely spoken in hotels, restaurants and anywhere that serves visitors.

Greetings

A firm handshake with eye contact on first meeting is usual. Friends typically greet with a hug or two cheek kisses. Address people as Kyrie (Mr) or Kyria (Mrs/Ms) with their surname until invited otherwise.

Dress

Dress modestly at churches and monasteries: women cover their shoulders and knees, and men wear long trousers and sleeved tops. At the great monasteries, such as Meteora, wraps are provided at the entrance and men in shorts are turned away. No hard-soled shoes on yacht decks. Fine dining is smart-casual, and Athens and Mykonos can be dressier.

Dining

Greeks eat late. Lunch is usually taken by about 3 pm, and dinner rarely starts before 9 pm, often 10 pm or later in summer. Reservations are essential at the top restaurants in Athens and on the islands in high season. Sharing plates is the custom.

Tipping

Service is generally included in the price, but leaving 5–10% for good service is customary. Round up taxi fares, or add 5–10% for longer journeys. Luxury hotels: porters €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day.

Phrases

Good to know

Avoid the open-palm "stop" gesture towards someone, because in Greece it is an insult (the moutza). It is illegal to approach, photograph or film military installations, vehicles or buildings, and offenders can be arrested; take the same care in border areas.

Tourist tax

Hotels add a climate resilience fee per room per night, €15 at five-star hotels from April to October; cruise passengers landing on Santorini or Mykonos pay €20 a visit in summer.

Cyprus

Language

Greek and Turkish are the official languages. English is very widely spoken throughout, a legacy of British rule.

Greetings

A firm handshake with eye contact is standard. Friends often greet with a kiss on both cheeks. Hospitality is generous: guests are often offered coffee, sweets or fruit, and accepting, even briefly, is polite.

Dress

Orthodox churches and monasteries expect covered shoulders and knees; some monasteries lend wraps at the entrance. Mosques also require headscarves for women and shoes off. Avoid beachwear away from the coast. No hard-soled shoes on yacht decks. Smart-casual suits the better restaurants.

Dining

Meals are long and unhurried; lingering is part of the culture, not a sign of slow service. Meze, a long sequence of small dishes, is the classic way to eat, so arrive hungry. Reserve ahead at popular Limassol and Paphos spots.

Tipping

Many restaurants add a service charge. If not, rounding up or leaving 5–10% is appreciated for good service; in cafés and bars, a euro or two is enough. Rounding up is usual for drivers. Luxury hotels: porters €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day.

Phrases

Good to know

The island has been divided since 1974, with a UN-patrolled buffer zone. Do not photograph military buildings, sensitive areas or the buffer zone (you could be arrested), and approach the subject with tact in conversation. Traffic drives on the left.

Lebanon

Language

Arabic is the official language; everyday speech is Lebanese Arabic. French and English are both widely used in business, and many Lebanese move easily between all three, often within one sentence.

Greetings

A handshake with eye contact is the norm on first meeting. Close friends often greet with three alternating cheek kisses. With someone of the opposite sex, wait to see whether a hand is offered. Use professional or academic titles where given.

Phrases

Culture

A small country with a long reach: Phoenician ports such as Byblos and Tyre, the Roman temples of Baalbek, a mosaic of religious communities, and one of the most celebrated cuisines of the Mediterranean.

Egypt

Language

Arabic is the official language; the Egyptian dialect is understood across the Arab world. English, and to a lesser extent French, are widely spoken among the educated and throughout luxury hotels, Nile cruises and upscale restaurants.

Greetings

A handshake is standard, usually offered with warmth and unhurried conversation, often over tea or coffee. Close friends of the same sex may kiss on the cheek. A man should let a woman offer her hand first.

Dress

Western clothing is fine in hotels, restaurants and tourist venues. For mosques and churches, cover shoulders and wear skirts or trousers below the knee; women should bring a headscarf for mosques, and shoes are removed at the entrance. Modest dress in town avoids unwanted attention; keep swimwear to the beach, pool or boat. On yachts and dahabiyas, no hard-soled shoes on deck. Fine dining is smart-casual.

Dining

Lunch is often the main meal and is taken in mid-afternoon; dinner is late, commonly 9 pm or after. Reservations are wise at leading restaurants in Cairo, Alexandria and the North Coast.

Tipping

Restaurants and bars generally add a 12% service charge, and VAT of 14% may be added on top of listed prices, yet a small extra tip for the waiter is still expected. Tipping (baksheesh) is a normal part of daily life: carry small notes for drivers, guides and attendants at sites. Luxury hotels: porters the equivalent of €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day, in Egyptian pounds.

Phrases

Good to know

During Ramadan, avoid eating, drinking or smoking in public in daylight; hotels and tourist restaurants continue to serve visitors. The working week runs Sunday to Thursday.

Tunisia

Language

Arabic is the official language, spoken daily as Tunisian Arabic (Derja). French is spoken by most Tunisians and is the working language of hotels, restaurants and business. English is less common, though staff at luxury hotels usually speak it.

Greetings

A handshake is standard, though some women may prefer not to shake hands with men; follow their lead. Cheek kisses are used between friends and family but are not universal, so let the other person set the tone. French greetings (bonjour, bonsoir) are perfectly natural.

Dress

Tunisia is more conservative than Southern Europe but relaxed by regional standards; Western clothing is normal in cities and resorts. Cover shoulders and knees for mosques and religious sites, and bring a scarf. Keep swimwear to the beach, pool or boat, and dress more modestly outside resorts and in rural areas. On yachts, no hard-soled shoes on deck. Fine dining is smart-casual.

Dining

Lunch is typically from about 12.30–2.30 pm and dinner from about 8 pm, later in summer. Reserve at well-known restaurants in Tunis, Sidi Bou Said and Hammamet.

Tipping

Not mandatory in local cafés, restaurants or taxis, where leaving loose change is customary. Restaurants used to visitors generally expect around 10%. Small cash tips for drivers are appreciated. Luxury hotels: porters the equivalent of €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day, in Tunisian dinars.

Phrases

Good to know

During Ramadan and in July and August, offices work a shortened day (roughly 7.30 am–1.30 pm), and during Ramadan many shops and cafés close in daylight hours and reopen after sunset. The Tunisian dinar cannot be taken out of the country, so change only what you need.

Morocco

Language

Arabic and Amazigh (Tamazight) are the official languages; everyday speech is Moroccan Arabic (Darija). French is widely used in business, hotels and restaurants, and English is increasingly spoken in luxury hotels, riads and tourist centres.

Greetings

A handshake is usual, often followed by touching the right hand to the heart as a sign of sincerity. Friends of the same sex often exchange cheek kisses. A man should let a woman offer her hand first. Greetings are unhurried, with polite enquiries after health and family.

Dress

Clothing matters in Moroccan etiquette: women are advised to cover shoulders and legs, and men to avoid sleeveless tops and very short shorts, particularly in medinas and rural areas. Swimwear belongs at the beach, pool or boat. Most mosques are closed to non-Muslims; the main exception is the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, which offers guided tours (dress modestly, women with a headscarf). On yachts, no hard-soled shoes on deck. Fine dining is smart-casual.

Dining

Lunch is typically from about 1–3 pm and dinner from about 8 pm. In traditional settings, eat with your right hand and take food from the part of the shared dish in front of you. Reserve at the best-known restaurants in Marrakech, Fès and Tangier.

Tipping

Not mandatory, but a common courtesy for most services. Rounding up or leaving spare change is standard in cafés and casual restaurants; in upscale restaurants, around 10% is usual, since a service charge is rarely included. About 10 dirhams is usually enough for a taxi driver; keep small notes for drivers and guides. Luxury hotels: porters the equivalent of €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day, in dirhams.

Phrases

Good to know

During Ramadan, avoid eating, drinking or smoking in the street in daylight and dress more modestly; hotels continue to serve guests. Do not walk through cemeteries or go close to shrines and saints' tombs.