Please advise to a newbie and an infrequent travelor, how much to tip tour guides in Rome.<BR><BR>We are taking the Scala Reale Vatican tour and the Scavi tour. <BR><BR>Thanks,<BR><BR>Lou

I took several Scale Real tours and we did not tip any of the guides. The reason being is that the tour guides are Americans who are grad students or other professionals living and working or studying in Rome. They are not professional tour guides. Scale Rel is a cultural assocation, not a tourist operation. I really did not feel I should tip them, and I actually thought it would be insulting to them. I generally tip professional tour guides hired for the day, etc., but did not feel tipping was necessary. Their website and materials also seemed to discourage it.<BR><BR>If others tipped, please let me know.<BR><BR>The Scala tours were fanatastic, and I hope to do more in the future.

We also loved our Scala Reale tours in Rome. We had a different experience with tipping, however. Our guides in both tours did not say or do anything to lead us to believe they expected tips. But I noticed at least some in the 6 person groups did tip them. I had asked here before our summer 2001 trip about tipping guides but can't find the thread. Anyway, we did tip...sorry, I can't recall how much.

Don't tip them !!!! They get paid to do their job .....don't they

I disagree on the &quot;no tipping.&quot; Just because they are not professional guides doesn't mean they don't deserve the extra money. Especially if they are students. I would think 10% or so would be adequate. Of course, people get paid to do their jobs but usually very little compared to what they impart.

Come on you rich yanks, impress everyone, give the guide $10 a day.

We tipped our Scala Reale guides and were surprised that the other people in our group did not. The guides are so obviously students (with all that implies financially) that it seemed kind of cheap not to. Our guides were enormously knowledgeable and very patient, and we loved the tours - so what's a few bucks to say thanks?<BR><BR>The Scavi tour, on the other hand, was much shorter, and led by an employee who was all business and did not even linger long enough to tip.

Don't tip. It is patronising and selfish (in that it gives the giver a puffed-up sense of his or her importance and benevolence.) Europeans do not expect to be tipped in the same way that their US counteparts do. Where lots of US tourists go, so do the habits they import. For example, guides on Bruges canal boats actually solicit tips, standing at the exit of the boat almost cap in hand. Quite a tacky display.

I don't remember tipping being discouraged at all, and I read through all the materials quite thoroughly as well as the web site. We tipped about $10-20 (for the both of us) depending on the length of the tour, and how good the guide was. They all seemed gracious and appreciative when tipped. I don't see why it would inappropriate to tip a guide that is not part owner in the company as they are on a fixed rate of pay. Additionally, I think there is nothing wrong with rewarding them for doing an exceptional job.

When at Pompeii we took a guided tour and tipped the guide about 5e each. He was a wonderful guide with a great sense of humor that made Pompeii come alive for us, so it was just our way of saying thanks.<BR>On the other hand if you get a guide who is reciting by rote the facts and isn't all that great, I wouldn't tip them.<BR>Also when taking a London walks tour my friend and I got a student discount (4&pound; instead of 5, so just let him keep the 10&pound; note)

Sue:<BR><BR>Since these people are not professional guides and are probably working with Scala Reale under the table and being therefore underpaid, this looks to me like one of the wery few cases in which a tip is welcome in italy. Do not tip a professional guide, but do tip these guys, and since they are americans, tip them like you would in the Usa. If you feel uncertain about tipping being welcome, just (tactfully) ask them before giving them the money.

I can't say about that particular tour, but I noticed many Americans who would tip their tour guides in U.S. dollars - which I think would be somewhat rude. How would you like to be tipped in Pesos? I always figured about $5 per person in the party - converted to their currency of course.

I have taken 2 tours with Scala Reale and both times tipped the guides 20%, which seemed fair to me. Consider it's a 4hr tour with a max of 6 persons at then $50US. So of the $300 (if everyone shows up) how much is the guide paid?<BR> I recently booked a tour (and registration payment) with them in March and their e-mail said &quot;TOTAL = 69<BR>(not including gratuity)&quot;.<BR>Regards, Walter

Last week I received an email from Scala Reale soliciting feedback on last summer's tours, so I wrote back asking about tips. They replied &quot;In Italy, tipping is at the whim of the customer and you should not feel obligated to tip.&quot; Specifically re: their policy, they stated that tipping is appreciated but not required; and amounts range between 5 - 50 Euros. <BR><BR>Given the ability of our guide and the great experience we had, I was happy to tip. Trust me, Nigel, the amount was nowhere near enough to make me feel puffed-up &amp; important, LOL!