Vent: I thought the 'free walking tour' tip was a total scam until I tried one in Prague and got a local's guide to cheap eats.

The guide pointed us to a basement pub with $4 pints and a bakery with 50-cent pastries, so has anyone else had a tour guide actually save them real money?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_mary1mo ago

That grilled sardine spot @abbyc33 mentioned sounds perfect. I had a guide in Budapest who took us to a ruin bar where local beers were under two bucks.

abbyc331mo ago

Oh man, that's awesome! I always figured those guides just got a kickback from the tourist traps. My friend did a similar tour in Lisbon and the guide showed them this tiny family-run place for grilled sardines that was way cheaper than the spots by the water. Totally changed my mind about them.

riverhill1mo ago

I’m with you on finding hidden spots, but I still think a lot of these guides are playing a numbers game. They might take you to that cute family place, but they’re probably still getting a cut or hoping you tip big. I’ve had too many experiences where the “local secret” turned out to be just another spot that paid the guide to bring people in.