I can think of a couple of occasions where I've tipped in Italy, to provide some examples where I think it's appropriate. As usual, just my opinion, and you are doing nothing wrong by not tipping in Italy -

1. On our honeymoon, our cab driver took us on a very roundabout driving tour of Rome - not forcefully, he just asked if we wanted to take the long way. It's a flat fare from FCO into the city, so I gave him another 20, as he spent another 30 minutes showing us some of the things we wouldn't get to by walking. A lot I hadn't seen, and it was my wife's first trip there.

2. Two years ago we had my sister join us in Florence. We took two separate cabs to the airport on the way home since we had a car seat and 3 across the back wasn't going to work. Her cabbie was apparently an ....... and dropped her off really far from the departures area of the terminal, essentially out by the busses if you know FLR. We were waiting in the terminal for her, nowhere to be seen, when she walks in with our cab driver who recognized her, picked her up, drove her back and carried in her luggage. I think I gave him a 20 since I had only a 20 euro note, but another example of where I think he went above and beyond.

3. When we stay at Granduomo, I leave some coins from the previous day, generally 3 euro or so, for the housekeeping staff. They always leave extra cookies and snacks for my daughter.

That's the extent of my tipping history in Italy. It seems cab drivers have made out the best, which is funny because that's who the average tourist is most fearful of getting ripped off by