Tipping for tour guides in Southern Spain and Andalusia

Tipping for a private guide?
Or a guide on a group walking tour or group bus tour?

Nothing.
We just had two tours this week, one a private guide who also leads Rick Steves tours and the second one a group food tour run by an international company. Nothing was expected, and nothing was given. The guides are paid and not looking for handouts. It’s the same in restaurants, as we were told by both guides.

In previous years we’ve had guides in Girona, Barcelona, Malaga, Seville, and Cartagena. I don’t remember any extra tips.

Recent discussion in Italy forum
Same applies to Spain

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/tipping-private-guide-302fdd88-0d4e-4866-9ff3-f905312b4ddb

Well, so sorry, but not just because I am an American, but also because I see how hard people work, and I know they may have a lower standard of living than me the traveler, but my rule of thumb is tip approximately $5.00 pp for half a day tour, $10.00 per person for full day tour to our tour guide, and depending on the driving demands, several dollars for the bus driver.

Of course, the type of tour also makes a difference--a bus tour versus an intense walking tour versus a private guide versus a larger group all have an impact. And yes, there are times I do not tip, but usually it is because I have received a mediocre or poor experience, and the guide is just perfunctory in effort.

Personally, I rarely tip in Spain.
Not in restaurants except for truly exceptional, unusually personal service, or perhaps 10% at one of the really top-tier, multi-starred eateries and even then, usually not.

Round up sometimes for taxi drivers but usually I just pay the fare with my credit card and add no tip.

Tip to person carrying my bags at hotel..yes.
Tip to hotel concierge, if there is one..no.

Tip to private guide, no; the price is built in to the guide's price.
Tip for group bus tour guide, for me, a strong no.

Tip to tour bus driver who carried my heavy luggage....maybe but that would not likely happen.

I think there are a lot of American tourists, especially first timers, who should keep in mind that local custom dictates far less tipping than one would do in the US. And the same goes for Italy.

I've read lots about tourist-driven restaurants in Italy where the waiters tell the diner that "no tip is included," thus implying that you ought to leave a tip. A strong NO to that one!!! And a clue that you probably should not be eating at that restaurant in the first place, if the management allows staff to solicit for tips.

I've not seen this myself in either Italy or in Spain but I think this has happened because too many Americans are too free with tips and many are resented by other travelers for this behavior,.

" but also because I see how hard people work, and I know they may have a lower standard of living than me..."

That statement is a very American point of view. Why do you think the guide has a lower standard of living? I'm writing this as a dual European/American and see the tip as coming from a well-meaning place but actually an attitude of noblesse oblige.

If it's based on hard work and lower standard of living, then every commerce employee, cook, unskilled worker and others behind the scenes in the US deserve tips much more than a European living in a society where healthcare and well-being are assumed parts of life.

Glad you wrote that..I was too timid to go into that phrase in the response but it certainly caught my attention.