Should I bring euros to Italy?

Should I bring a lot of euros with me from home? No. The first thing to know is that when visiting Rome, bringing a lot of money with you is a very bad idea. By buying euros in advance, you will get ripped off on the exchange rate in your home country.



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It's always wise to carry a small amount of cash for smaller cafes and restaurants, some public transport options, and taxis who may not accept credit card payments. We once visited the same restaurant 5 years in a row, only to discover each time that their card machine was out of order!

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Resist the urge to buy foreign currency before your trip. Some tourists feel like they just have to have euros or British pounds in their pockets when they step off the airplane, but they pay the price in bad stateside exchange rates. Wait until you arrive to withdraw money.

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European travelers should always have some cash on hand; getting it from an ATM abroad is usually the easiest, most advantageous way. If you need cash from an ATM, it's usually better to use a debit card, because credit cards often charge a high interest rate for a cash advance.

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You hardly need any cash at all. You can use your credit or debit card wherever there is a PoS (point of sale) machine. Your card needs to be on the Mastercard or VISA international network to function.

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Using credit and debit cards in Italy is the easiest and cheapest way to get local currency. Make sure to notify your banks that you'll be traveling to Italy before you go. Be sure your PIN is both four digits long and numbers rather than letters.

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Don't bring any more cash with you than you'd normally carry with you in your own country on a daily basis. Bear in mind the increased pickpocketing risk for a tourist in Rome. When you get to the airport, get one or two hundred euros out of one of the ATMs in the baggage hall just in case (they don't charge fees).

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Tipping at restaurants and cafés depends on the service When it comes to tipping at restaurants, Italians will tell you they only tip on truly exceptional service or when dining in the finest restaurants. Even then, they usually only tip an extra 10 to 15 percent, or often just the change left over from the bill.

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You can use the euro in 20 EU countries: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain. Discover more about the euro, which countries use it and the exchange rates.

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This is so entirely dependent on your own travel preferences that it's tough to estimate but we recommend putting aside roughly €700 to €1700 for spending money for one week in Europe.

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You don't need to bring any cash. You might want to get 100 Euro from an ATM at the airport when you arrive in Italy and hit ATMs as needed throughout you trip. Consider getting larger sums to avoid the (roughly) $2 ATM fee everytime you use an ATM.

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Bring $100-200 USD cash, but keep it stashed away and don't change into Euro. It's only to be used as a fallback if every ATM in the country is out of order at the same time. Use ATMs to withdraw Euro from cash machine in the airport upon arrival, and replenish your Euro supply at an ATM when you run low.

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Adding it all up, it looks to me as though you could keep your expenses for food and public transportation to 600 euros total (for both of you) for the three days. Of course, shopping, taxis within Rome, and maybe an occasional tour guide, would add to that.

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Buy currency before you travel. Doing so gives you time to shop around for the best rate. Plus, when you arrive, you won't have to immediately find a bank or currency exchange. Do some research ahead of time to see if US dollars are widely accepted at places you plan to go to.

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While credit cards are easy to carry and more secure than cash, you should always have some local cash on you when traveling. It's just good sense. Besides the fact that some local shops and vendors won't accept credit cards, having some cash provides a safety net in case your bank shuts off your card for any reason.

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Advantages of using cash If your spending discipline breaks down when you use credit cards, cash may be a better choice while you let loose on vacation. No foreign transaction fees: Many credit cards charge an extra fee of up to 3% on purchases made outside the country, although you can find cards that don't.

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