Where to exchange money in Italy: cash, ATMs, and cards

The best place to exchange money in Italy depends on how long you’re staying, whether you already have foreign cash, and how often you’ll pay by card. For expats and visitors from non-euro EEA countries, this choice can affect your everyday spending long after you arrive.

Below, we compare cash exchange, ATMs, cards, and Wise in plain English, so you can quickly see which option suits you.

This guide is general information only. Exchange rates, ATM charges, cash rules, and product features can change, so check the current details before you convert or withdraw money.

Key takeaways

• If you need euros after you arrive and don’t already have foreign cash, a bank ATM is a practical place to start.
• Airport and hotel exchange desks can be useful in an emergency, but consider exchanging only a small amount there.
• Use cards for routine spending, and keep some cash as a backup, because some smaller businesses in Italy may prefer cash.
• Check the mid-market exchange rate before you convert, so you have a benchmark for judging the rate you’re offered.
• Consider Wise for converting money online in advance, especially if you want to see the exchange rate and fee before you confirm.

Wise for converting money before you arrive in Italy

• See rate and fee: Check both before you confirm your conversion
• Convert ahead of time: Switch to EUR online and hold the balance
• Spend by card: Pay in euros wherever cards are accepted in Italy

Learn more about the Wise account

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Best places to exchange money in Italy

When you’re comparing where to exchange money in Italy, first decide whether you need cash straight away, plan to pay mostly by card, or want to convert money online before you spend it. For longer stays, how you set up your finances in Italy can matter as much as your first exchange. Expatica’s guide to banking in Italy explains your options.

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Bank ATMs and Bancomat

In Italy, people often use the word Bancomat to mean both a debit card and a cash machine. A Bancomat sign usually points to a cash machine or card services, not an exchange counter.

If you need cash, consider using a cash machine run by a bank and located at or near a bank branch. It’s easier to check who operates it than with stand-alone machines in busy tourist areas.

Read the screen before you accept anything. If the machine offers to charge you in euros or in your home currency, choose euros, so the conversion is handled by your own card provider rather than the machine’s operator.

Insider tip: Look for the bank’s name on the machine or on the welcome screen, not just the word Bancomat.

Exchange offices and bank branches

Exchange offices can make sense if you already have foreign banknotes, your card isn’t working, or you’d prefer to deal with someone face to face. The main risk is focusing on a “0% commission” offer and missing a less favourable exchange rate.

Check the full offer before you hand over any money: the exchange rate, any commission, any fixed handling fee, and whether there’s a minimum amount. An exchange office can advertise no commission and still give you fewer euros, because the exchange rate is less favourable.

Before you agree, ask:

• What exchange rate are you using right now?
• What’s the total fee, including all charges?
• How many euros will I receive?

The rules on carrying cash are separate from the rules on exchanging it. According to Italy’s traveller’s customs guide, you must declare cash and similar assets worth €10,000 or more at customs when you enter or leave Italy. This applies whether you’re travelling to or from another EU country or a country outside the EU.

Airports, stations, and hotels

Exchange desks at airports, stations, and hotels are mainly about convenience. They can help if you arrive late, your card doesn’t work, or you need a small amount for transport, but the exchange rate and fees may be less favourable than other options.

Consider not using them for your whole travel budget. Exchange only what you need to get started, then compare your options again once you can reach a bank ATM or another option.

How to tell if an exchange rate is fair

The mid-market exchange rate is a simple benchmark to check before you exchange money. It’s the midpoint between the buying and selling rates of two currencies on the global markets, before a provider adds its own fee or margin.

Providers can make money in two ways: by charging a visible fee, by using a less favourable exchange rate than the mid-market rate, or both. That’s why a “0% commission” offer doesn’t automatically mean a better deal.

Here’s a simple example, with figures for illustration only. Say the mid-market rate would give you €500. Provider A charges a separate €5 fee and gives you €495. Provider B advertises no commission but uses a less favourable rate, so you receive €487. Provider B costs you more, even though its offer sounds cheaper.

Before you convert:

1. Look up the mid-market rate for your currency pair.
2. Ask which exchange rate the provider will actually use, and whether any separate fees apply.
3. Compare the final amount you’ll receive in euros, not the slogan on the sign.

If the exchange rate isn’t clear, the list of fees is vague, or staff pressure you to decide quickly, consider comparing other options.

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Which option is best for your situation

Match the option to what you need. A one-off amount of cash, a stay of several weeks, and regular spending in Italy may each call for a different approach.

If you expect to move money between currencies more than once, a multi-currency account may be more practical than repeatedly exchanging small amounts of cash. Expatica’s guide to multi-currency accounts in Italy compares this kind of option in more detail.

Using cards and Bancomat in Italy without extra fees

Once you know where to get euros, the next question is how much cash you need. Cards are widely accepted in cities, larger towns, supermarkets, chain stores, and many restaurants. However, some smaller businesses, markets, beach kiosks, and family-run places may prefer cash, especially outside the main tourist areas.

One fee to watch out for is dynamic currency conversion. This is when a cash machine or card terminal offers to charge you in your home currency instead of euros. It may look helpful, because the total is shown in a currency you know, but it lets the machine’s or terminal’s operator convert the amount at its own rate, which may include a markup.

Choosing euros means your own card provider handles the conversion instead. The same applies at cash machines and card terminals.

Some independent cash machine operators may charge more than machines run by banks. Your own bank or card provider may also charge a foreign transaction fee, a fee for withdrawing cash abroad, or both, so fees on repeated small withdrawals can add up.

Contactless payments are common in Italy, and mobile wallets can be useful for everyday spending where they’re accepted. Still, carry some cash for transport, markets, and businesses that may not accept cards for small purchases.

Tip: If a screen asks whether you want to pay in euros or your home currency, choosing euros means your own card provider converts the amount, rather than the machine’s operator.

Wise as an online alternative for exchanging money

If you’d rather not rely on a physical counter, Wise is one online option to compare. It may suit you if you want to see the exchange rate and fee before you convert, rather than accepting the rate shown at an exchange office or offered by a cash machine.

That matters because part of the cost of exchanging money can be included in the exchange rate itself. With Wise, the exchange rate and fee are shown separately before you confirm, so you can compare the total with your card provider or an exchange office.

Wise Europe is not a bank. It’s an authorised payment institution.

How Wise works in practice

The basic steps are simple: open a Wise account, add money, check the live exchange rate and fee, convert to euros, and keep the balance until you need it. Before you rely on it, check the current Wise pricing and regional availability, because fees, features, and access depend on where you live.

You can use the Wise card to spend the money in your Wise account in shops, restaurants, and other places in Italy that accept cards. That can be useful for everyday spending, but some smaller businesses may still prefer cash. Before you convert money or order the card, compare the live exchange rate, the card fees, and the product terms.

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Final thoughts

The best place to exchange money in Italy depends on your situation, not on one provider. A bank ATM is a practical way to get euros once you arrive. Exchange offices make sense if you already have foreign banknotes. Airport, station and hotel desks are best kept for small, urgent amounts. Cards cover most everyday spending, but keep some cash for markets, transport and smaller businesses.

Whichever option you choose, compare the final amount in euros, not the headline fee. A “0% commission” offer can still cost you more if the exchange rate is less favourable. Check the mid-market rate first as a benchmark. If a machine or terminal offers to charge you in your home currency, choose euros so your own card provider handles the conversion. And remember that cash of €10,000 or more must be declared at customs when you enter or leave Italy.

If you expect to move money between currencies more than once, or you’ll be in Italy for a while, an online option such as Wise can be worth comparing. It shows the exchange rate and fee before you confirm. With a few minutes of preparation, you can keep the cost of getting euros low and avoid unpleasant surprises.