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Tipping for tour guides in Italy?

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

Posted by
5 posts

I typically tip $20/person in my group depending on how the tour was. We did a vespa tour in Florence and a bike tour in Rome and both were good and we tipped the guide $40 (husband and myself). THey were not expecting it, but were very pleased to receive it.

Posted by
524 posts

Tour guides, if they are excellent, we tip $20, also. Again, they are pleasantly surprised and we have no issues doing that. We did not tip our food and wine guide. It's only those that show exceptional service.

Posted by
4152 posts

There is never a need to tip for anything in Italy. It's not a tipping culture like in North America.

You are hiring private guides so the price is the price. They will get the entire fee you pay so why give them more than has already been agreed to? Italians wouldn't include more money than asked for and neither should you.

Donna

Posted by
5 posts

Donna-

On our Vespa tour, the owner did the tour as did some employees- I tipped the EMPLOYEE. Even though the owner provided us with exceptional service and was a wonderful guide, we know that they make the bulk of the fee.

In Rome for the bike tour, I tipped the young lady who did the tour not the owners.

We also went to Bellagio and did a last minute boat tour (engagement gift to ourselves) and being that the owner and guide were one and the same, we did not tip over the price quoted.

You are correct, though, that Italy is not a tipping place, which is why I did not tip at meals since they earn a living wage. On the guides, however, I felt appreciative of the ones that took our experiences to the next level and we wanted to give them a little "extra."

Posted by
105 posts

Well, if it makes any difference, I was at the Vatican last week for the Pristine Sistine tour with Walks of Italy, and I didn't tip. Our tour guide was Hutta, and she was incredibly knowledgeable and great. But like Donna mentioned, Italy does not have a tipping culture, and so we didn't tip Hutta, and we didn't tip anyone.

While the WOH tour was not a private tour, our group with Hutta had only 10 people.

Posted by
34527 posts

this is a duplicate post. there are more answers in the other, identically named post.