The British are still loved in Greece (as long as they follow these rules)

From learning a few words of the language to getting off the beaten track, here’s how to be the kind of tourist Greeks are happy to welcome

While Barcelona’s inhabitants spray visitors with water pistols and Venice charges them an entrance fee, in Greece tourists can still expect a warm welcome. That said, there are growing signs of disgruntlement. The “beach towel movement” has seen seafront protests motivated by the lack of space on the sand for locals. A few spats have occurred in Athens over short-term lets driving up rents. The perennially overcrowded Santorini and Mykonos are mulling over restrictions on cruises. 
Given that tourism contributed €42.7 billion (£36.2 billion) to the country’s GDP in 2023 and employs a quarter of the workforce, it’s hardly surprising that Greece is reluctant to kill its golden goose. But it’s not just about money: the country’s deep-rooted tradition of filoxenia (a love of strangers) is still astoundingly resilient, a fact that was clearly demonstrated during last year’s Rhodes wildfires, when locals turned out in their thousands to help stranded tourists. “We can’t not help someone who is in need – it is just not possible for us,” taxi driver Giorgos, an islander who helped move dozens of tourists to safety, told me. 
Greeks also have long memories when it comes to past conflicts: O Vyronas (Lord Byron), who gave his life for the Greek Revolution in 1824, is still remembered fondly throughout the country, and Cretans often reminisce about the derring-do of Patrick Leigh Fermor, who helped rally the island’s resistance during the Second World War. “We have always liked the British – like them, we believe in tradition,” says Dimitris Stavropoulos, the director of the non-profit organisation Hermoupolis Heritage, on the island of Syros. 
However, the warm welcome won’t last long if you don’t respect a few important rules. Here are my pointers.
In the 1950s novel The Ugly American by Eugene Burdick and William Lederer, the term “Ugly American” is used to describe US citizens behaving obnoxiously in south-east Asia: “A mysterious change seems to come over Americans when they go to a foreign land. They isolate themselves socially. They live pretentiously. They are loud and ostentatious.” 
Its counterpart, the “Ugly Briton”, would be the one who bawls out to friends in the street, instead of waiting to be close enough to chat; who eats food in a taxi or drinks beer in the street; who wanders around bare-chested or clad in a skimpy bikini in busy town centres or takes endless selfies in popular spots. Want to be loved by Greeks? Don’t be the Ugly Briton.
English may be the European Union’s first language, but Greeks swear it should be theirs. “Everything comes from Greek, even ‘OK’ – which is shorthand for ola kala, which means ‘all OK’,” one friend argued (though his etymological theory isn’t widely supported). You might not want to adopt Greek as your own official language but if you make the effort to learn certain key words and phrases – kalimera (“good day”); kalispera (“good evening”); efcharisto (“thank you”); parakalo (“please”) – Greeks will appreciate it. 
According to a recent Global Consumer Survey by Statista, 45 per cent of Britons identify as atheists or non-religious. In Greece, however, where 98 per cent of residents adhere to the Greek Orthodox faith, respect for all things religious is paramount. Covering up in churches and monasteries is a must. Both men and women should conceal bare arms with a shirt or shawl; women should also wear a long skirt to cover their knees. Going behind the altar in a church – even when it’s empty (and especially if you are a woman) – is also a big no-no, and if you feel the urge to mimic locals and kiss the icons, never kiss them on the face. 
Most hospitality workers receive around €780 (£660) per month, which is close to the minimum wage in Greece for 2024. According to a recent report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, however, Greece is the fourth-most expensive country worldwide in terms of food prices, with 26 per cent of the population facing the risk of poverty, according to the Hellenic Statistical Authority. Many Greeks have two jobs and work 14- to 16-hour days in season just to make ends meet. A tip – even if it’s only a couple of euros – makes a huge difference.
Over-tourism is understandably a major peeve in certain Greek destinations during the summer months, and Santorini’s inhabitants are still fuming at local politician Panos Kavalaris’s recent tweet calling for residents to “restrict their movements in order to leave space for cruise ship passengers”. Although you’re unlikely to meet with any outright hostility in Santorini, Mykonos and other heavily touristed areas, you’ll be sure of a much warmer welcome if you visit smaller islands in lesser-visited island chains, such as the Dodecanese. Better still, travel to Greece out of season – in April and May or September and October – when there are far fewer crowds and prices for food and accommodation are generally lower.
This last one might sound like a joke, but the current flurry of fires, some of which are thought to have been caused by careless tourists (and Greeks) flicking their still-burning cigarettes from car windows, are no laughing matter. With the huge fire in Attica a couple of weeks ago that scorched 100,000 acres of forest and destroyed more than 100 homes, along with the extensive Rhodes blazes last year, Greece is on red alert when it comes to wildfires. Want to show that you care? Avoid lighting barbecues, leaving candles burning or putting cigarette butts anywhere but in an ashtray, especially during the scorching summer season.

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