1202 What currency to take?

Hi everyone,

We are off to the masseria salamina near fasano in Puglia next week, what would people suggest is best to take for money.
Are travellers cheques readily accepted in the region, or is it best to stick with just a credit card?

Category
General chat about Italy

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 08/28/2005 - 00:02

I've always found changing up travellers cheques a bit of a pain...if you have a Debit card you can draw cash at most cash Points just like in the UK(as long as your debit card has the Maestro sign on the back !!! :rolleyes: ...and the cash point has the Maestro sign )...your bank does charge but I don't think it is anymore than the exchange bureaux and saves carry travellers cheques and large amounts of cash.
We live here now and still have a UK bank account at the moment and use the cashpoint all the time. If you opened a Nationwide account they don't charge for drawing cash abroad. Sadly you have to have a Uk address so we missed the boat on that one !!!!
Credit cards accepted in a lot of places but may not be in smaller shops and restaurants.Hope this helps. :)

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 08/30/2005 - 05:14

[QUOTE=alex and lyn]
Credit cards accepted in a lot of places but may not be in smaller shops and restaurants.[/QUOTE]

One word of warning about credit cards - if you make an unusual purchase - the computer may freeze your card [anti-fraud controls].

Whenever we go over to Italy and make a purchase for the house [like a kitchen, furniture etc] the Credit Card often won't work.

You can try phoning the credit card company before you go, to warn them - but our company [Natwest] still often freeze the card when we are over.

The best bet is to ask your company for the number you can dial from when abroad - so you can talk to them if they freeze the card, and get it working again.

Also - give them a mobile phone contact number, rather than your UK landline - then they can contact you.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 08/30/2005 - 08:33

Hi,

I used my debit card in Venice in February and if I remember correctly, my bank charged £1.50 per withdrawal. I found this to be the safest, most hassle-free way of using money abroad.

Stephanie

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 08/30/2005 - 10:13

Open a Nationwide current account and then you can use your debit card to your hearts content without charges (as long as you have the funds that is).

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 08/30/2005 - 11:16

Now I think about, we also had problems with the credit card for household stuff...rang credit card co. and they didn't seem to know what we on about...but did unfreeze card...made purchase...tried again a few days later ...frozen again...now don't use it ...their loss !!! :cool:

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 09/01/2005 - 07:02

Hi,

I would not recommend travellers cheques at all. Stick with your credit cards or "cash Card" and withdraw the cash whenever you need it.

Be aware that most bars or newsagents wont accept Credit Cards.

Davide

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 02/11/2006 - 02:08

[QUOTE=Iona]Hi,

I used my debit card in Venice in February and if I remember correctly, my bank charged £1.50 per withdrawal. I found this to be the safest, most hassle-free way of using money abroad.

Stephanie[/QUOTE]

There are two banks that I know of that don't charge for overseas (extra UK) withdrawals Citibank and Nationwide BS