how much to tip on a private tour excursion in Italy

[thu]

we will be going on a private tour of Rome, Florence, and Naples. Anyone has a suggestion how much to tip for a private tour for a family of 4 people? Appreciate your suggestions.

tammy

[agabbymama]

Is this all one tour? Or will it be separate 8 hour tours in each city?

 

We usually tipped $20 pp for an 8 hour tour. In Naples, Livorno, Kusadasi, and Athens we had different guides, never the same guide or company.

[bobbisailsolo]

Is this all one tour? Or will it be separate 8 hour tours in each city?

 

We usually tipped $20 pp for an 8 hour tour. In Naples, Livorno, Kusadasi, and Athens we had different guides, never the same guide or company.

 

Wow, that seems like alot, considering how much you pay for a private tour.

[agabbymama]

Yes indeed. We paid 100 EURO pp for our 8 hour trip to Pompeii & Sorrento. And that was just a taxi driver. But he was so nice and so much fun. Escorting us across the streets, carrying our purchases, he was so concerned that two elderly ladies were traveling in Italy alone. Then he got such a kick out of us singing along to his CD of Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. It was like he was a family member, not just a taxi driver. So we felt he earned the $20 tip in addition to the fee for the drive.

 

In Athens, the taxi driver we shared with another couple from our roll call, was almost the same thing. We paid 50 EURO pp for that 8 hour day. He took us to a local restaurant he goes to, and ordered for us (family style) se we could all have taste of something different. Lunch was about 10 EUR pp then we tipped him $20 too.

 

Now for smaller tours of only 3-4 hours, I usually only tip $5. But then the bus driver gets another $2 too.

 

Just depends on what you're comfortable with. Some other posters have said that you don't have to tip in Europe at all, but nobody ever refused the tip.

[samavarcruiser]

I have always tipped (good) tour guides in my nearly 15 years of travelling around...except when they seem to caging for a tip at which times I stiff 'em. Tipping is like true love- it's gotta come from the heart and not something that can or should be given on demand :)