Free Walking Tours

I mention, because I was not aware, but do you know that, in general, the free walking tours, aren't really free? Guides are working for tips.

Yes, I am aware they work for tips

Not only do they work for tips, they are charged a head tax by the organizing company. By showing up you are essentially taking several euros per person out of the guide's pocket. There is a moral obligation to tip a competent guide generously to help the guide get out of the hole s/he starts in and cover his/her time. I hate the business model and avoid it if possible, but sometimes it's hard to find public walking tours. In that case, i tip the "free"-tour guide about what I'd expect to pay for a regular walking tour.

When I first started traveling there was a discussion on the forum about "free" tours. I made some comment like if they are not free then call them something else, because basically how was I supposed to know they were not free? A couple people were all over me because, of course, its obvious that they aren't free. Well, I still disagree, but at least I know.

I have traveled a lot since that encounter on the forum and I have actually found tours that are FREE! There is a great one in York, England, and I haven't been to Paris in a few years, but its my understanding that there is some type of organization doing real free tours, maybe its Paris Greeters?

Well, none of that helps for Florence, but we did the Florence walking tour out of the Rick Steves guidebook and found it quite good. Since then, I've discovered the Rick Steves audio tours thru the Rick Steves app. He has done many for Italy. Florence has at least four. Most are for museums, but there is one for the city. For some cities, we've used the audio guide and the tour from the guidebook together so as to have access to the map and images.

Thank you !!! Just recently got my Rock Steve's Guide book so perhaps I will do his walk through Florence. Good suggestion.