Italy Currency Guide
The currency of Italy and how to prepare for payments — all on one page.
Currency
Euro
EUR · €
Checking rates
Check with your bank app or card issuer before you go
The rate and fees you actually pay differ by bank and card issuer.
Payment Tips to Remember
Always pay in the local currency
If a terminal asks whether to charge in your home currency, always choose the local currency. Choosing your home currency triggers DCC (dynamic currency conversion), which adds a hidden markup.
Set up a travel card before you fly
Prepaid multi-currency travel cards let you convert money in the app beforehand and pay like a debit card locally. Fees are usually lower than cash exchange counters, and you can freeze the card instantly from the app if lost.
Airport exchange counters: last resort
Airport counters are convenient but tend to offer some of the worst rates. If you need cash, exchange via your bank's app before departure or consider withdrawing from a local ATM.
Check ATM fees on screen
Local ATMs may add their own operator fee. Check the fee shown on the confirmation screen before proceeding. If the ATM offers conversion to your home currency (DCC), choosing the local currency is usually better.
Keep some small cash
Every country has places that don't take cards — markets, tips, small transport. Carrying a small amount of cash in separate places keeps you covered.
Cards for Abroad
Explore the Wise multi-currency card
One account holding 40+ currencies, converting and paying at mid-market based rates. Handy for multi-country trips — no need to exchange for each currency separately.
Learn more
Local data
Get an eSIM for Italy before you go
Activate mobile data with a QR code instead of swapping SIM cards. Buy it before departure and switch it on the moment you land.
Airalo
Yesim
Saily
Drimsim
Check prices and availability on the booking sites.
City Guides in Italy
Rome
Two-thousand-year-old ruins stand in the middle of a working city. The main sights sit within walking distance of each other, which makes it an easy first stop in Italy.
Venice
A city on water with no cars. Staying on the main island or on the mainland (Mestre) changes both your budget and your travel time considerably.
Florence
Renaissance art concentrated in one place. The centre is small enough to walk, and it works as a base for day trips across Tuscany.
Milan
Fashion and design, and Italy's northern rail gateway. The metro is good, so staying near a station keeps things simple.
Naples
The home of pizza and the jumping-off point for Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast. Lively, and worth keeping an eye on your belongings.
Dolomites
A limestone mountain range in northern Italy and a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is a region rather than a city, so you pick a base village (Cortina d'Ampezzo, Ortisei and the like) and get around by car.