Italy Currency and Money Guide

The quick answer

Italy uses the euro. Cards are accepted almost everywhere that matters and contactless is normal, but carrying some cash is still sensible: a market stall, a small trattoria in a village, a church donation box and an occasional taxi will all prefer it, and the tourist tax is sometimes collected in cash.

Cards, and the one thing to get right

Visa and Mastercard are taken almost universally; American Express much less so outside hotels and larger restaurants. Italian law requires businesses to accept card payment, so being told the machine is broken for a small bill is worth a polite second ask.

The mistake that costs real money is dynamic currency conversion. When a card machine or an ATM offers to charge you in dollars or pounds instead of euros, it is offering you its own exchange rate, and it will be worse than your bank’s. Always choose euros. That one habit is worth more than any amount of shopping around for a travel card.

Cash and ATMs

An ATM is a bancomat. Use machines attached to a bank rather than the standalone ones in tourist areas, which charge more and are likelier to push conversion at you. Withdraw larger amounts less often if your bank charges per transaction, and tell your bank you are traveling so a first withdrawal is not declined.

Reading an Italian bill

Two lines confuse visitors, and neither is a scam.

• Coperto is a per-person cover charge for the table setting and bread. It is normal, it is legally required to be displayed on the menu, and it has nothing to do with service.
• Servizio is a service charge, and it is far less common. If it appears, it should also be on the menu.

The bill is il conto, and it usually has to be asked for: leaving a table waiting is considered polite rather than neglectful.

Tipping

Tipping is not expected in Italy in the way it is in the United States, and service staff are paid accordingly. Rounding up, or leaving a euro or two for good service in a restaurant, is generous and completely sufficient. A percentage tip on a large bill will not offend anyone, but nobody is waiting for it.

Prices that vary by where you stand

Many bars charge one price at the counter and a higher one for table service, and both must be displayed. Drinking your coffee standing at the bar, as most Italians do, is usually the cheaper option by a wide margin, and it is also the more sociable one. Sitting down in a famous square is a real experience and you are paying for the square. Neither is a trick, but the difference is worth knowing before you sit.

The tourist tax

Almost every Italian city charges a tassa di soggiorno, a per-person, per-night tax on accommodation. It is set by the comune, so it differs from town to town and by the class of hotel, and it is normally collected by your accommodation rather than included in the rate you booked. It is often payable in cash at check-out. We publish no figures here, because they are local and they move. Ask when you book so the amount is not a surprise on the last morning.

Planning with LABUSA Travel

We will tell you what is included in your package and what is collected locally, so the only money conversation you have on the trip is about what to buy.

Sources

• ENIT, Italian National Tourist Board: the official destination, region and practical visitor information for Italy. italia.it. Accessed 11 August 2026.
• UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: Italy travel advice, including safety, local laws and entry requirements. gov.uk. Accessed 11 August 2026.