When eating a meal it is considered impolite to leave the left hand on your lap when using the right hand for soup etc. The left hand should rest lightly on the table. Before eating it is normal to say Guten Appetit to the other people at the table to which the correct reply is Ebenfalls. Similarly, when making a telephone call, asking for the person you want to speak to without stating first who you are is considered rude. Casual wear is widely acceptable, but more formal dress is required for some restaurants, the opera, theatre, casinos and important social functions.
Evening wear is worn when requested.
Smoking is prohibited where notified and on public transport and in some public buildings. Visitors should be prepared for an early start to the day with shops, businesses, schools, etc opening at 0800 or earlier. It is very common practice to take a mid-afternoon stroll on Sunday, so that town and city centres at this time are often very animated places, in stark comparison with Saturday afternoons when, owing to early closing of the shops, town centres can seem almost deserted. It is also customary to tip taxi drivers, hairdressers and cloakroom attendants.