What is a Free Tour & How Much do They Cost?
In recent years, free tours have become one of the most popular and accessible ways to start exploring a city while traveling. Exploring a city accompanied by a guide who can walk you through its history and culture is a fantastic way to get a taste of wherever you’re visiting.
For those unfamiliar with the concept of free tours, the name might sound a little odd at first. Free tours don’t have a fixed price (hence, ‘free’) but rather operate on a tip-based system, where participants pay what they feel the experience was worth.
Free tours often raise other practical questions among travelers. How much should you tip? What happens if you don’t show up or forget to cancel? At Civitatis, we’ve facilitated millions of free tours, so we feel more than qualified to quell any free tour-related concerns you might have, so that you can book with complete peace of mind and know exactly what you’re getting into.
Free Tours: What You Need to Know
How do Free Tours Work?
The way a free tour works is very simple, and it’s precisely this simplicity that has made the concept so popular. Below, we’ve outlined its main features to make it easier to understand:
1. Booking
Through platforms like Civitatis, you choose the free tour you’re interested in (for example, a free tour of Shinjuku or a free tour of Rome) and select the time that best suits you. Booking is free and is only necessary so that the guide can estimate the group size and organize logistics.
2. Meeting your tour guide
You go to the designated meeting point at the agreed time. Guides usually carry an umbrella, wear a T-shirt with their company’s logo, or have some other identifying sign so you can easily find them. This is especially important in very touristy destinations, where several guides from different companies may gather in the same square. This information is always included in the booking confirmation or voucher you receive by email.
3. Tour experience
You’ll walk through the city’s most famous sights while the guide explains their history and shares interesting stories. As most guides are locals or long-term residents, they know the destination well and usually provide helpful travel tips, such as affordable places to eat, how to use public transportation, and recommendations based on the group’s interests.
4. Tip
At the end of the tour, each participant gives the guide the tip they feel is fair for their work.
How Much Should You Leave as a Tip on a Free Tour?
Okay, time for the million-dollar question (the answer isn’t quite so much…): How much should you tip on a free tour? The philosophy behind free tours is that you decide the price at the end of the experience, based on how satisfied you were with the guide’s work. There’s no fixed fee, but there is a general range that’s considered fair and standard. It’s not a mandatory minimum, but rather an unwritten rule that allows guides to earn money for their work while giving travelers the freedom to value the experience subjectively.
In general, most people pay between €10 and €20 per person for a free tour, or the local currency equivalent. This range may vary slightly depending on factors such as the quality and enthusiasm of the guide, the traveler’s own budget, the cost of living in the destination, and the length of the tour. At the end of the day, though, it’s up to you to decide how much to tip.
Can You Use Card to Tip on a Free Tour?
Payment for a free tour is usually made in cash and directly to the guide at the end of the activity. It’s therefore a good idea to carry small bills in the local currency, so you can adjust the tip easily and avoid issues with large notes that the guide may not be able to change.
Some guides do accept payments via mobile apps, debit cards, or other digital methods, but this is still not the norm. For this reason, the safest option is to assume you’ll need to pay in cash.
If you’re unsure about the available payment methods, it’s best to contact the guide before the tour. The booking confirmation usually includes a phone number or email address where you can ask these questions in advance.
How Much Does a Free Tour Guide Make?
A free tour guide’s earnings vary dramatically. Generally speaking, guides work freelance and do not have a fixed salary. How much an individual guide makes on any given day depends on factors such as the number of participants, how many tours they do per day, and the tourist season.
Free tour guides also face a number of separate costs, including transport, guiding licenses, and local taxes. Likewise, many work with specialized travel platforms, which typically charge a fixed fee in exchange for providing visibility, marketing, and booking infrastructure needed to attract participants.
How Long Do Free Tours Last?
The duration of a free tour can vary significantly from one city to another, and even between different routes within the same city. However, in most cases, a free tour lasts between 1.5 and 3 hours.
What Happens if You Don’t Show Up?
Although booking a free tour is free and does not involve any upfront cost, it’s important to cancel your reservation if you know you won’t be able to attend. Why?
On the one hand, guides have a limited number of places on their free tours, and spots will often sell out. If you then don’t show up, this directly affects people who could have joined in your place, as well as the tour guide themselves, who will lose out financially.
At Civitatis, we offer a quick and easy cancellation process. You can cancel your booking from the confirmation email or via the Civitatis app (available for Android and iOS) in just a few clicks. It’s not a problem if you can’t make it, but the sooner you cancel, the better.
How Many People Can Join a Free Tour?
Free tour group sizes can vary. In smaller destinations or during the off-season, you might find yourself on a free tour with 10 people, or even fewer. In more popular destinations/periods, groups will usually max out at around 25 people.
Local regulations can be a limiting factor when it comes to group sizes. In cities such as Venice or Toledo, for example, group sizes are limited by law.
At Civitatis, we maintain direct relationships with our guides and closely track traveler feedback. This allows us to continuously monitor group sizes and quality standards, ensuring a consistently positive experience for both guides and participants.
Hopefully, this short article has answered any of your questions about free tours. It’s common for guides to go over many of these points at the beginning or end of each tour, explaining how to pay and how much people usually tip… but you’ll already be an expert going into your first free tour!
We believe free tours are one of the best ways to dip your toe into a city, learn from local experts, and understand its culture in an accessible and affordable way. At Civitatis, we offer a wide range of free tours and other activities worldwide to help you make the most of your trip.
