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Athens’ taxis might be cheap but one occasionally hears stories of tourists being overcharged. To avoid this, simply check that the taxi’s meter is displayed and that it is switched on at the start of your journey.

The streets of Plaka are thronged with touts, eager to pull passers-by into restaurants and souvenir shops. To a lesser degree this is true of other city-centre neighbourhoods. Most of these establishments offer perfectly good services, but don’t let yourself be bullied into eating or shopping somewhere against your will.

Respect local customs: even in summer, ensure your shoulders, chest and legs are covered up when visiting churches.

Random stop-checks take place of the buses, trams and metro, and failure to display a valid ticket incurs an on-the-spot fine, ranging from €18 to €29.

The Greek plumbing system has narrow drains that are not adept at dealing with toilet paper: when you use the bathroom, put paper in the white plastic bin provided, not down the toilet. Failure to comply with this rule means running the risk of blocked drains and flooded bathrooms.

An estimated 150,000 stray dogs live on Athens’ streets. In an effort to limit their multiplication, the city council has set up a sterilization scheme, rather than having them put down. These dogs are generally completely harmless, but can appear alarming when running in packs, especially during the mating season.

Greeks smoke almost twice as many cigarettes per capita than the European average. In late 2002, smoking was officially banned in all enclosed public spaces, and restaurants were supposed to adopt designated “Smoking” and “No smoking” areas. However, it remains to be seen how seriously Greeks will take this law, so don’t count on a smoke-free holiday.

This is a congested city. There are many oneway streets and pedestrianized streets in the centre, parking is scarce and the Greeks drive with wild abandon. For all these reasons, it is best for visitors to use public transport, taxis and feet (see Getting Around).

While its very tempting to offer titbits to sadeyed cats imploring you with soft meows, you are likely to incur the wrath of the restaurateur. Stray cats are all too plentiful, and a major nuisance to Athens’ restaurants.

Remember the muchpublicized story of the 12 British and two Dutch plane-spotters who were arrested for taking notes at a Greek army airbase in November 2001? They were subsequently imprisoned on spying charges and claim to have spent £25,000 each in legal costs to prove their innocence. All military installations are clearly marked with a sign showing “no cameras”: photography and note-taking are strictly forbidden!