Tour guide in Rome - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

**travelpunk** · 06-27-2003, 04:53 AM

A really good tip that I picked up from a travel magazine came from a girl living in Rome for a few months.
In the article, she says that one of the best ways to make good money while living in Rome was to give those free tours. For example, when you go to the Colisseum you will see these groups go by with tour guides. talk to the guide and ask who you can talk to about being a tour guide. Then, you work for FREE, BUT YOU GET LOTS OF TIPS! Working for the company is legal as you are not paid. However, showing your knowledge by giving a little history of what the tourists are viewing as well as making it a fun experience for them, these tourists tip you at the end of the tour. she made really good money doing this and met tons of great people. A lot of these tourists are senior citizens and rich folks that pay for tours everywhere they go and they´re used to tipping as thats what is common in America and many other Westernized countries. Anyone heading out to Rome to live, might want to keep this in mind.
It was a good tip that I´ll store for a later date, just in case I find myself in Rome for an extended length of time.

**Canadian Dude** · 06-29-2003, 08:27 PM

That would be pretty sweet dude, i guess you would have to study some though, there is so much to know about the ruins and Italy it self. But when I was in Italy , I saw the tour guides around, it looked like most of them were locals, I even saw a fight between a local guide, and what i guess was a foreign guide...it was funnny to watch....

**travelpunk** · 06-30-2003, 03:03 AM

Most may be locals, but this girl was from the US. Not sure of the logistics, but I think they trained her or before releasing her on her own. But a little bit of studying before you get there wouldn´t be a bad idea. She made a point to go to the free tour guides as there wouldn´t be a risk for the company to hire you since you´re working for free, just living on the tips.

Who won the fight

?!

**Canadian Dude** · 06-30-2003, 05:44 AM

Dude it was nothing to get too excited about, one really big Italian guy and a short scronny guy...funny yes exciting no...

It would be a pretty swwet job, hang'n with tourists all day, who are normally in a good mood, and getting paid to do it...sweetness, and if they give you the training...even better!!! I would be all for it...( Just watch out for the mean Italia guys near the Coliseum, he bites!!!!!