Mind your manners

Chapter 1

Etiquette in Madrid: talk the talk

Bearing in mind that each city has its own set of unspoken rules of conduct, we asked a few of our correspondents to explain some of Madrid’s. The city’s inhabitants are a chatty lot, which makes it much easy for new arrivals to settle down in the Spanish capital and even strike up a conversation with a stranger.

Chapter 2

Hamburg’s Honourable Merchant: a code of ethics for businessmen

Hamburg has a powerful code of conduct for businessmen, dating back to the 16th century. We track down the ethical ideal of the Honourable Merchant, which is key to understanding the city’s characteristics as a place of business.

Chapter 3

Etiquette in Istanbul: street crossing

We head to Istanbul to explore a particular practice that usually stuns outsiders: crossing the street. It’s quite an extraordinary thing to watch and even more difficult to replicate, as there’s a proper way to do it.

Chapter 4

Etiquette in Tokyo: manners of a daily commute

When it comes to governing public conduct, Japan has quite a set of unspoken and subliminal rules. This is particularly felt when commuting – there are few manners to follow when cycling or travelling by train.

Chapter 5

The psychology behind urban politeness

The number of people and amount of activity that modern cities concentrate in one place is unprecedented in human history. How do people manage to remain civil in such a hostile urban place? Colin Ellard, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Waterloo, explains the intersection between psychology and urban design.

Chapter 6

Etiquette in New York: tipping

As one of the most visited and expensive cities in the world, New York can be rather confusing when it comes to tipping protocol. But to Patricia Napier-Fitzpatrick, founder and director of The Etiquette School of New York, ignorance is not bliss. She tells us who you should be tipping, how much and the proper way to do so.