Let’s talk about one of the biggest mistakes people make – tipping in Valencia. Spain does not have a strong tipping culture like in The United States or the UK. So let’s talk about the tipping etiquette in Valencia so you can budget appropriately (and still keep everyone happy). 

Tipping in Spain

Do you tip in Spain? Well, the short answer is: No, not really. 

People will sometimes occasionally leave a few euros for exceptional service, but it is by no means necessary. 

So whether you’re in restaurants or a hotel – tips are not expected in Spain. There are a few instances where a small tip is appreciated. Here are a few examples:

• Sit-down restaurants: 1–2 euros for exceptional service
• Hotels: 1–2 euros for bellhops or extraordinary cleaning
• Tours: A few euros for paid tours, and 5–10 euros for “free” tours 

Tipping Etiquette in Valencia

Luckily, tipping in Valencia is similar to other parts of Spain. In other words – tipping is almost never necessary. 

In Valencia, most service workers generally earn a living wage directly from their employer. This means that tips are only a small bonus to show your appreciation. 

So if you received an excellent service or you feel like the person truly made your experience better, than a small tip is a nice way to thank them. 

But you should never feel obligated to leave a tip in Valencia. 

Now, let’s talk about different situations where you might feel like you need to tip in Valencia.

How much to tip at restaurants

Restaurants are the most common place you’ll tip in Valencia. But even then, you should only tip 1–2 euros, or even just some of the spare change from your meal. 

But since “restaurants” many different establishments, here is a more detailed breakdown:

Drinks and Baked Goods

If you’re at a bar, club, or just getting drinks at a restaurant – you don’t need to tip. 

In these situations, it’s very uncommon to tip. I would suggest only tipping for something exceptional or out of the ordinary. 

For example – let’s say you spill a drink and the staff offers to make you a new drink for free. In that case, leaving 1–2 euros is a good way to show your gratitude. 

But in most other situations, you don’t need to tip in bars in Valencia. 

The same goes at cafés. You do not need to tip when ordering coffee. It’s not expected or customary. 

Note: Sometimes you’ll see a tip jar, but that is 100% a marketing tactic aimed at foreigners that don’t know the rules in Valencia. 

Sit-down restaurants

In sit-down restaurants, leaving a small tip is a nice gesture. 

• For good service, leave some spare change. 
• For great service, leave €1
• For exceptional service, leave €2

Tipping is not expected, required, or even customary in Valencia. Spain requires the restaurants to pay their workers a livable wage, so you shouldn’t feel obligated to leave a tip if you don’t want to. 

Personally, I only ever leave tips at the restaurants I really love or when the server was exceptionally nice and made the experience better. 

But I would say that for probably 80% of the time – most people don’t leave any tips at all.  

Takeaway

If you’re ordering takeaway – you don’t need to tip. There’s not really any exceptional services being provided, so it’s not expected. 

However, if you order from a delivery service (UberEats, Glovo, and JustEat are common here) – sometimes you can leave a tip. 

Typically, I will leave a small tip if it’s raining or if it’s a holiday. In that case, 1–2 euros is sufficient. But for your average Friday night, I don’t usually leave a tip. 

How much to tip at hotels

For the majority of travelers, you don’t need to tip at hotels. In Valencia, tipping isn’t very common at hotels. 

However, if you’re staying at a luxury hotel or the staff goes out of their way to provide an excellent service, you can leave a few euros. 

In that case, here is how much you should tip at hotels:

Bellhops or porters

Generally, 1–2 euros per bag is appropriate. Just like in restaurants, these workers are already paid a living wage, so tipping is not required. 

However, if you’d like to show your gratitude, you can leave a small tip. This is more common at luxury hotels. 

Housekeeping

You don’t need to tip housekeeping unless you feel like they provided an above-and-beyond service. 

For example, if you’re traveling with children and the room is exceptionally messy, then 1–2 euros per day is appreciated. 

But for normal housekeeping, it’s not necessary to tip in Valencia. 

Concierge

A concierge is generally only a service you’ll see in luxury and higher-end hotels. These are going to be more personalized assistants provided by the hotel. 

In other words – they will make reservations for you, help you plan your trip, etc. 

That’s something you’ll see in 5 star and luxury hotels. In which case, around 5–10 euros per day is recommended. Again, it’s still just a small show of gratitude for their help. 

If you’re staying at 4-star hotels or lower, the front desk team is not expecting a tip and it is not customary. 

Room service

Room service falls into the same categories as before. In general, you do not need to tip for room service in Valencia. 

Perhaps in an extraordinary circumstances, you may want to leave a small tip. But in 95% of situations – you don’t need to tip for room service. 

Tipping in Valencia: Other Services

In many countries – tipping is customary in a wide range of services, not just restaurants. So let’s go over some of the most common situations where you might feel the need to tip. 

Taxis

In Valencia, you do not need to tip your taxi driver. 

Whether it’s a formal taxi or an Uber/Cabify – your fixed rate is the only thing you need to pay. 

When it comes to the city-run taxi service, they have very clear and transparent pricing. This will be listed directly on the window, as well. So do not feel obligated to leave a tip. 

If you decide to pay with cash, you can round up to the nearest dollar if you like. However, this is more for the convenience factor, and not as much as an obligation to tip. 

So save your money and don’t tip in taxis in Spain! 

Hairdresser

In many English-speaking countries, tipping your hairdresser is expected. 

In Valencia – you don’t tip your hairdresser. 

When you go to a salon, hairstylist, or barber, they offer fixed rates. They are not expecting a tip for their services. 

Tour Guides

This is the only other service where sometimes it is customary to tip in Valencia. However, how much you should tip depends on the type of tour. 

If you hire (and pay for) a private tour – then you can tip around €5 for your group. This is just a show of gratitude, as you have already paid for their services. So if you didn’t enjoy your tour, you are not obligated to leave a tip. 

However, there are “Free Tours” provided by the city. 

And while they are technically free, the actual guide expects a tip at the end. 

In these situations, I find it’s best to tip based on how large the tour was. If it’s a small tour with only 5–10 people, then I’ll usually tip around €5-10 per person. 

If it is a large tour with 15+ people, then I would only tip €5 maximum per person. 

This is a bit up to your discretion. If you really loved the tour, feel free to leave a few more euros. And if you didn’t enjoy it, it’s acceptable to leave a smaller tip. 

Is it possible to tip by card?

No, it’s not possible to tip by card in Spain. Nor is it common. 

Which means if you’d like to leave a tip in Valencia – it’s a good idea to have some euros in cash. 

There is no tip line on receipts when paying by card. This means it’s better to just have a bit of spare change to leave tips, especially in restaurants. 

When is it appropriate to tip?

In Valencia, tipping etiquette is usually reserved for situations where you received an extraordinary service. 

So for example, if you have an excellent server at a restaurant that truly made your experience better than average – you can leave a euro or two as a tip. 

However, people working service-based jobs are not expecting a tip and it is never mandatory. For example, you would never leave a tip at a coffee shop or a bakery. 

Keep your tips for experiences that really stand out.

Is tipping expected?

No, tipping is not expected in Valencia. Spain in general does not have a strong tipping culture, so it’s not something you should feel obligated to do. 

The only time you need to tip is when you book a Free Tour. 

Outside of that situation – you can keep your travel budget low and not worry about tipping in Valencia. 

Final Word: You Don’t Need to Tip in Valencia

I know it’s a big culture shock, especially for Americans. But in Valencia – tipping really isn’t common. 

And you would never tip the 20% that’s customary in the US. 

Here, it’s up to the business to pay their workers a livable wage, not the customers. 

So if you have a lovely experience, a small tip in restaurants is just a way of saying Thank You. Don’t think of it as a necessary part of service workers’ wages.  

Believe me – I worked as a server in the US, so this was a big culture shock for me, too! But in my opinion, it’s better to push for dignified wages for those workers – rather than relying on a customer’s grace to pay their bills. 

It’s better for the workers and your budget at the end of the day. 

So enjoy your trip to Valencia and don’t feel obligated to leave tips! 

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