Italy — Currency & Money

Currency is the euro (EUR). Cards (Visa, Mastercard, contactless via Apple/Google Pay) are accepted almost everywhere including small bars and taxis, though rural trattorias and some tobacco shops (tabacchi) still prefer cash. ATMs (bancomat) at Italian banks (Intesa Sanpaolo, UniCredit, BPER) are generally fee-free on the local side, but standalone Euronet machines in tourist zones apply markups of 5–10 EUR plus poor DCC rates — always decline conversion and pay in EUR.

Tipping is modest: rounding up a restaurant bill or leaving 1–2 EUR is normal, 5–10% is generous. Note the coperto (cover charge) of 1–3 EUR per person is standard and not a tip. Taxi drivers get rounded fares.