My 'free' walking tour in Prague ended with me hiding from the guide in a bakery

So I'm in Prague last fall, right? I see a sign for a 'free' walking tour and think, sweet, perfect budget hack. The guide was this super intense guy who talked for two hours straight about the history of every single cobblestone. At the end, he blocks the door of a cafe and gives this speech about how we MUST tip him, like, 20 euros each because his 'family depends on it.' I panicked, said I needed the bathroom, and ducked out the back through the kitchen. I spent the next 15 minutes hiding behind a display of kolaches in a different bakery until I saw his group leave. Now I always ask up front, 'Is this truly free, or is there a set or expected tip at the end?' Has anyone else had a 'free' tour turn into a high-pressure sales pitch?

2 comments

2 Comments

rivera.christopher10d ago

That whole situation sounds so stressful. Had a similar thing happen with a street food tour in Bangkok where the "free" part ended at the first stall.

kellyr1810d ago

It's the bait-and-switch that gets me. They bank on you being too polite or too deep into the group to walk away once you realize the "free" part is over. Makes you wonder if the first taste is even the real quality stuff, or just a cheap hook.