1. Don't drive too slowly on highways or leave too much space between your car and the one in front, or you'll get honked at or passed. There are speed limits here, but they aren't taken seriously.

2. You'll see cars parked in no-parking zones that don't get ticketed, but don't assume it's a free-for-all. In most cities, it takes a local to know where to park illegally without consequences. If you're having trouble deciphering the parking regulations, ask someone who lives there.

3. Try to avoid driving on Friday and Saturday nights—by far the worst time for traffic and pedestrians.

4. Crosswalks are not like those in the Midwest—or even in New York (indeed, a number of crosswalks have been phased out in Rome and Milan because they're so often ignored). Even if a car stops to let you go, watch the other lanes, since cars will often speed around a stopped vehicle.

5. The farther south you go, the worse it gets. Naples is bad, and Sicily is notorious. One famous newspaper story told of an old man in Naples being beaten by other motorists because he had blocked their lane by stopping his car—for a red light.

Etiquette 101: Greece

Know this about Greece: Everything there is old and new. In some places, it is as brisk and punctual as Bonn; in others, it is less European than Istanbul. It's a country with sharp elbows that balances its reverence for the ancient past with a post-Olympics eagerness to prove itself a Western power. This is a culture where strangers ask about your income, so it's easy to believe that there are no rules—until you fail to confirm a meeting and experience the full force of Greeks' disapproval. For a traveler, it's tricky but rewarding terrain.

THE TABLE

DO dress for dinner. Dress is less formal here than in northern Europe, but T-shirts and shorts are still a no-no—even in very casual situations or for outdoor dining, which is the norm in the hotter months. Slacks and a jacket should definitely be packed.

DO toast on the first sip. Even a glass of water without food merits a "to your health" ("Eis igían sas" on formal occasions, "Stinygiasou" at informal gatherings). At dinner parties the host makes the first toast, and the honored guest will soon follow.

DO share, and do dig your fork into the communal plate. This is always done at family dinners, less so in upscale restaurants where shared dishes are rarer. The salads and mezes tend to stay on the table throughout the meal.

DO sop up sauces with your bread. "Bread is a utensil in Greece," says chef Diane Kochilas, who owns Pylos restaurant in New York. Dipping is expected not just for mezes but for whatever sauce is left on your plate from your entrée. In less formal tavernas, you'll see diners reaching over into other people's plates with their hunks of bread—though lately the practice is less common.