Listen to “240. Money Matters: Italy travel tips on cards, cash and more” on Spreaker.
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Planning a trip to Italy and stressed about handling money matters? We break down the essential money tips for traveling in Italy, from using the best travel debit cards to navigating hidden fees and using cash efficiently. Discover how to make your Italian adventures smoother and more enjoyable with these practical financial tips!
Summary
In this episode, we’re diving into some essential money tips for your Italian adventures. Untold Italy founder Katy Clarke shares invaluable advice on navigating the Euro, using debit and credit cards, and managing cash in Italy. From the benefits of the Wise card to the quirks of local tipping customs, Katy covers it all to ensure your travels are smooth and stress-free. To help you budget for your trip, you can try our trip cost calculator.
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What you’ll learn in this episode
- Use of debit and credit cards is common for payments in Italy, with a preference for Visa and Mastercard, though there are challenges with using American Express and other non-Visa/Mastercard options
- Apple and Google Pay are now commonplace, but it is best to carry physical cards as a backup
- Using standard credit cards to build up your points is an option, but be careful to check exchange rates and fees
- Katy’s personal choice is the Wise account and card due to no fees, good exchange rates and ease of use. The app is easy to use and offers functions like the ability to quickly add funds, check your PIN and freeze your card. It is key to set this up well in advance of your trip
- There is not much necessity for a lot of cash. It is usually best to take this out when you get to Italy at a bank ATM (avoid Euronet at all costs)
- Cash is useful for small transactions under €5 (e.g., coffee, water at bars), bathroom facilities at train stations, taxi payments (though use apps when you can), leaving small tips in certain situations – it is not customary to tip large amounts in Italy, if at all
- Coperto is a cover charge that is common at restaurants and you will also find a service charge called Servizio most used in tourist hotspots
Timeline Overview
- 03:38 Evaluate credit and debit card options for travel
- 09:25 Use a Wise card or similar for Italy travel convenience
- 10:55 Why you should only use Bank owned ATMS and avoid Euronet at all costs
- 14:13 Tipping in Italy. How big tipping is not the norm and how to go about it
- 15:06 Consider restaurant charges such as servizo and coperto
Italian places, foods and concepts mentioned
Places
- Trattoria Emilia – restaurant in Melbourne that Katy recommends specializing in food from Emilia Romagna
Words / Concepts
- Wise – bank which offers useful accounts and cards that you can pre-load with money separate from your normal accounts and cards – with easy to use app
- Revolut – another option for a card, with app, that you can pre-load for use when you travel
- coperto – a common cover charge used by many restaurants and bars that covers simply the cutlery, bread etc for each customer
- servizio – a service charge added by some restaurants and bars – usually in tourist areas/attractive places to sit
Related content on Untold Italy
Podcasts
- Ep 195 – How to plan your Italy trip for free
- Ep 187 – Cheap eats in Italy – Tasty street foods to try
- Ep 177 – Budget-friendly Venice
- Ep 159 – Popular tourist scams in Italy and how to avoid them
- Ep 145 – Budget-friendly ways to explore Rome
- Ep 116 – Extend your Italy trip budget with these travel hacks
- Ep 007 – Tipping in Italy
Articles
- How much does a trip to Italy cost?
- Tipping in Italy: Everything you need to know
- Best travel apps for Italy
- Travel Insurance for Italy: Why You Need It, Travel Tips & FAQs
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