Hi all,
I'm pretty well versed in tipping in restaurants in Italy, but I'm wondering if there is an appropriate tip for a tour guide in Italy. In one case, I'm discussing a privately hired captain on a boat, for a day.
In another case, I'm thinking someone who does a private tour for 6, including transportation.
Thanks in advance!
-Jon
there are plenty of previous posts on tipping , try doing a search on the tab at the top. with comments from locals ( eg: living in Italy)
Unfortunately, for others, Americans think they have to tip for everything :)
Italians dont tip waiters and taxi drivers, go figure if we tip licensed guides that work in a regulated market!
There is no need to tip for anything in Italy. Just pay the price as marked.
Donna
Our personal rule-of-thumb is if the guide is self-employed, we do not tip. If the guide is an employee of a company that offers tour, we tip if we are happy with the service. So if we hire Guido the driver who owns his own car and pockets the money, we do not tip. If we go on a tour arranged by a company, we tip the guide/employee modestly, €5-10 per person depending on the length of the tour and our happiness. A lot of the employed guides are living on fairly low wages, IMO. You may pay €89 per person for a guided tour of the Colosseo, but how much does the paid-by-the-hour guide make? Italian hourly wages are abysmally low.
We took two Walks of Italy tours in Florence (Marco was the guide for both) and a Walks of Italy tour in Rome. Most of the participants tipped and our guides were thankful for them. Both our guides were wonderful and I felt a nice tip was a good way to show our appreciation. As Jiminy Cricket says, "Let your conscience be your guide."
Some believe that "Italy is not a tipping culture" and that if I tipped "it would ruin it for both Italians and future travelers". To that I respond that if someone is working, they probably would appreciate a tip for outstanding service as a gesture of my appreciation. I have been to Italy 6 or 7 times over the past 20 years and never had a tip refused, or had anyone act like it was unexpected. They were appreciative. In fact, we just returned from a trip to the Amalfi Coast, Pompeii & Herculaneum, Florence, Greve in Chianti, and Bologna. I tipped three different private drivers and a tour guide. They were all wonderful, friendly, and provided a service that we valued. If it upsets those who don't tip when in Italy, then so be it. As mentioned above, I let my conscience be my guide in this regard.
Hi,
I made some edits to a few posts here. Please keep it civil and avoid negative references to others.
Please and thank you.
I am in Robert's camp. We always tip a little - closer to 10% than 20%. But if we have a great tour guide, or did something unusual or unexpected or etc., may well tip more. If it is his boat, I would play it by ear. If you have a really great time why not be generous.
You shouldn't tip because it raises prices up for everybody else, you pay to get a level of service that was part of the job before, it makes things easier for tax cheaters and for those who pay staff under the table and because it creates a double standard that drives dishonest businessmen into the sector and the honest ones out.
If you are worried about italians hourly wages because you think they are low from your point of view, it serves to make wages even lower. Guido's and Marco's boss: "Ok guys, It's true I'm not going to pay for your social security contributions and your national health care taxes, but don't worry. You can keep the tips from foreign customers and somebody else will pay for your health care and you retirement".
