A comfortable conversational distance in Greece is often around half a metre to one metre — closer than what many visitors from the UK, Germany, or the US are accustomed to. Stepping back may inadvertently signal disinterest or coldness to a Greek host. Greetings between acquaintances frequently involve a handshake, and among people who know each other even a little, a kiss on each cheek is standard. That said, this is more pronounced in social and family settings than in formal business contexts, and younger urban Greeks in cities like Athens can be somewhat more reserved than older generations or people in smaller towns.
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Try the Local Etiquette & Taboos Checker →Most Greeks won't take genuine offence, especially with tourists, but pulling back sharply or appearing uncomfortable can read as cold or unfriendly. A smile and warm body language elsewhere in the conversation usually compensates and keeps the interaction easy.
For a first introduction, a handshake is the safe default, particularly in business or formal settings. Two cheek-kisses are more typical once there's even a small social connection — meeting someone through mutual friends, for example. Follow the other person's lead and you'll rarely go wrong.
Touch between women and between men and women who are acquaintances is common and generally unremarkable. Physical contact between men — a hand on the shoulder, a brief hug — is also more normalised in Greece than in many northern European cultures, though it varies by individual and generation.