Italy/Euros?

[rjn5656]

Will be going to Italy on a escorted tour in Sept. Wondering, do we get Euros here at our bank, get them at airport in NY or Rome, Bank in Rome, hotels, etc. Does everywhere take credit cards, (lunch, dinner, souveneirs, tours, etc)

Never traveedl to Europe before so wondering if anyone can help me?

[ohiogolf]

I am going in September too. This will be my third trip there. I just get my Euros at the airport ATM. Use a credit card with no fees if you have one.

[ohiogolf]

Credit cards are easy to use in Rome and other major cities. If you are traveling in the rural countryside ( the best part of Italy) have cash handy for small restaurants, just in case.

[PennBF]

Hi rjn5656.I am sure you will get a lot of help from TOTV but a couple of things. You do need Euro's in Italy, if you have an account with Citizen's bank you can exchange some US currency there or you can do it at the airport. You do want to have some small euro's so you can tip when you get to Italy. Be sure to call your credit card co. and tell them when you will be in Europe so they can mark their records and approve any charges. Some cards charge 3% for purchases and some 0$. You may want to check with your CC to see if they charge a rate? The biggest problem in Italy are "pickpockets". Violent crimes are less. You should be careful if children run up begging, etc. As while some are begging some are picking pockets. A belt wallet is a good thing. The best was to travel in big cities in Europe is to be as cautious as you would be in New York City or any big city in the US. Just one last thing..YOu may want to go to one of the Urgent Cares and ask a Dr if they will give you a perscription for Cipro just in case you get ill while away. I don't want to overdo advice but these are a couple of things that are key.:bowdown:

[The20Percent]

Our fourth trip to Italy is coming up next month also. An ATM/Debit card used in Italy is the cheapest way for spending cash. Make sure you have two of them (one that you carry and one for your wife to carry) that way if you lose one or one gets stuck in the machine you will have a backup. You might also want to call your bank and increase the amount of cash you can take out per day and also let them know you will be using the card out of country. Most of the time though we use credit cards through out Europe (and the world) with no problems and it's always nice to accumulate those air miles! Be sure to get a no foreign fee card as the other poster suggested. I have two of these that I take, one is through Capital One and the other is a Chase Sapphire. Most of Europe has started using chip embedded cards and sometimes you will find a restaurant or small business that cannot accept anything but these. We encountered this in Patmos Greece but luckily the restaurant owner accepted my US currency after trying all five of my non-embedded credit cards. I have since called Chase and they sent me two new chip embedded cards free of charge.

Another good pointer is to take all your ATM, debit, credit cards and your passports and put them in a computer scanner or copying machine and make front and rear copies of them. Leave a copy with a friend or family member that you trust and maybe carry another copy in a very secure place. This way if you lose a card or heaven forbid your passport, you will have the card numbers and contact numbers on your cards to call the issuing company and you will also have proof of your passport if you have to apply for a new one at an embassy out of country. Use the next tip below and you should never have to worry about that happening, but it's always good to be more safe than not.

Italy is safe to travel in and the only thing you may have to worry about is pickpockets. We have traveled to over 50 countries and have never experienced a problem anywhere...I always take many precautions though. A better alternative to the money belt (with more space) is a hidden travel pouch. They are well made with two loops which your belt goes through. You then insert your cash, cards and passports inside this nylon zipped pouch and then shove the pouch (the man does) inside his pants. Very secure and non-recognizable. You can find these and other neat travel products at magellans.com.

Don't forget travel insurance in case anything unexpected happens with your trip or your health. The best rates can be found online at insuremytrip.com. You can compare companies and their products and add or subtract coverage which you may or may not need.

Italy will steal your heart and beckon your return. Have fun!

[theorem painter]

If you plan on carrying a purse my advise is to tie the zipper shut with a shoe lace or a large pin. I was almost the victim of a pickpocket in Florence. She managed to get my Baggalini messenger bag open while it was securely under my arm. I didn't feel a thing. If she hadn't touched the inside of my arm I never would have known. Also when you use your credit card they may ask you if you want the transaction in dollars. Say no because there is a fee for it. have fun!

[Lauren Sweeny]

Look at the security purses, wallets and totes travel belts on these travel catalogs or .Google on line. ( Madgellen and Travel Smith) they have steel wires thru the handles and steel mesh to prevent cutting,they also have RFD security areas . I have purchased disposable underwear and Ex officio( spelling not right but you will find them) they dry fast and wash well in a sink. Europe does not supply washcloth . Use those address labels you get in mail *****inside*** your luggage on your camera etc!keep to give new friends on the trip. Purchase a lite umbrella to stick in your bag,perhaps those dollar store rain jackets too.If you can go to The Christmas Tree Store in Altmonte Springs off 466 they have a huge supply of travel sized hygiene items . In Italy they do not want coins and will try not to give change in Euros be prepared .

[CFrance]

I strongly advise not to use a credit card to get cash at an ATM machine. Use a debit card. The credit card will start charging you interest the minute you use it to withdraw cash. On Capital One, they put the amount drawn and interest charged way underneath the total due, and you might not notice it.

My husband once withdrew $20 on our Capital One card by mistake, and I wasn't paying attention to this on the bill because I didn't know he did it. Finally I called and said what's the interest charge? They explained it to me. So I had to tack on $20 plus a few dollars for any interest and add it to the balance due. That was the only way to erase the charge. (He knows better now.)

[Carla B]

My husband carries a worn wallet in his back pocket filled with no-value currency, such as Caribbean soles. No one tried to steal it while we were in central Europe last year but I bet it won't survive a trip to Southern Europe.