Free Walking Tours in Porto and Lisbon.

Both cities have free walking tours. Can't remember where they start in Lisbon, however, the start at the monument across from McDonald's in Porto; also, "free'' is a relative expression as tips are expected, and the one we took it Porto deserved tips- I think it was over 2 hours and went all over the city.

Yes, please understand that the leaders of the heavily marketed "free" tours in Europe lead those tours for a living. They normally have to pay the company a fee per head that may be around 3.50 euros. So they start out in the hole, and when a clueless tourist doesn't tip them or hands them 5 euros for a 90- to 120-minute tour, it's not a good situation.

Yes, I have read that the guides get tips. Thanks for your comments.

Yes, most guides they have to pay a fee or a % to the company who promotes their tours and most of the companies just use the free to attract people in, along the way they will sell as much as they can, but there are other companies who don't sell anything so they really survive from the tips, Rick Steves guide book 2017 recommend this company, check them out - https://www.lisbon-chillout-freetour.com/

The various cities where I have taken “free” tours mean you are expected to tip €12- 15 per person. Few are led by volunteers - they are often students or people trying to make a living out of the tips.

My son and I did the free walking tours in Porto and Lisbon in Dec 2017 (see below links). We found both tours enjoyable and a great way to start our time in each city in advance of our own exploration of Porto and Lisbon. The tours are free, but a tip is expected at the end (each tour guide pays for the right to give the tour and then recoups their investment through their tips). Our experience with free tours has been mixed in terms of the knowledge and charisma of the tour guides, but even the worst tours were worthwhile given the small investment (90 minutes of our time and $20EU tip). Lastly, our Porto and Lisbon tours ended with us getting good recommendations (restaurants, markets, etc) from our guides, which we found useful. Good luck

https://www.portowalkers.pt
https://www.neweuropetours.eu/lisbon-walking-tours/

I have not taken free walking tours in Porto or Lisbon. But I have taken quite a few free tours around the world, I found the good guides shared these qualities.

• They were volunteers for organizations that did not offer paid tours. Or they were independent operators who kept all their tips. They were locals and not expats.

• They had a professional background: lawyer, professor, photographer, etc.

IOW, I avoid free walking tours run by businesses with branches in many cities. I browse the guides' background, and avoid the expats.

These "free" guides do differ from the guides of paid tours.

• They did not try to sell me other tours or shows.

• Upon request, they referred me to places where they dined and shopped. Places where they did not collect a commission.

• In addition to following a script, they offered their personal opinions. Genuine, passionate, no holds barred.

My Buenos Aires guides showed their esteem for Evita, their disdain for the bad art and architecture by the City's founders, and their frustration and despair about Argentina's economy.

My Auckland guide detailed the mistreatment of the Maori by the British, and the revival of the Maori culture and identity.

I felt like they treated me more like a visiting friend than as a tourist. I tipped them 10 €, and more if the group is small. There were only three in my Girona tour, and I was the only one in my Bilbao tour. The guides did not short change us, and I tipped both handsomely.