Found a free walking tour in Prague that was actually good (and how to tip right)

I was in Prague last month and figured I'd try one of those "free" walking tours you see advertised everywhere. Most of them are basically just long ads for restaurants, but I found one run by a local history student that was legit. He took us through the old Jewish Quarter and told stories about the Golem (which I'd never heard before). The trick for tipping, I learned from a Czech friend later, is to give around 300-400 koruna (about $12-16) per person if the guide was good. The guides rely on that money, so don't stiff them but don't overpay either. Has anyone else had luck with these tours in other cities?

2 comments

2 Comments

baker.ben1mo ago

Oh come on, you're really buying into this? Those "free" walking tours are the biggest tourist trap in every European city I've ever been to. The guides might be locals, but they're still just shilling for tips and pushing you toward overpriced places their buddies run. I've done three of these in different cities and every single time the guide spent half the time plugging restaurants or shops where they get a cut. The Jewish Quarter story about the Golem is cool and all, but you can read that in any guidebook for free. And 300-400 koruna per person? That's highway robbery for something that's supposed to be free. You're better off just grabbing a map and wandering on your own, you'll save a ton and actually see what you want to see.

henrygrant1mo agoMost Upvoted

And honestly, I've got to admit I've been that tourist falling for it hook, line, and sinker. I once tipped a guide 500 koruna because I felt guilty for not buying anything at the overpriced crystal shop she kept steering us toward. My wife still brings it up every time we talk about that trip, says I'm too softhearted for my own good. She's probably right, I did the same thing in Rome with a guy who sold us tickets to a "private" colosseum tour that turned out to be just the regular line with a different name. So yeah, you're not wrong about the racket, but sometimes I think I pay for the entertainment value of watching a local creatively hustle a crowd.