Credit cards in Rome

[grannynanny]

Do most restaurants and vendors accept credit cards?

Nancy

[Aussie Gal]

We returned from a land trip to Italy a month ago and we found that most restaurants will accept credit cards. Visa and Mastercard are the most popular ones, Amex is not so popular. Some restaurants required cash only but not very many.

 

Jennie

[Keith1010]

Yes, most stores (think that's what you mean) and restaurants accept credit cards. Be sure to contact your credit card company before your trip begins to ensure that they know your dates of travel and where you are going so they don't think there is fraud on your card.

 

Keith

[loadstone]

Over the past few years I have spent about 6 weeks in Rome. My recommendation would be to have a small amount of Euros, but yes most places take credit cards. You actually get the bank to bank exchange rate which is better than the tourist rip off exchange such as through Western Union, etc.

 

Places like pizzerias or gelato stores (may not take credit cards because they charging less than 10 euros). Yes I am focused on food. Also street vendors who sell earrings, calanders, etc. don't take credit cards. If you wind up by the Trevi Fountain heading towards Via del Corso there are many such street vendors.

 

Hope that helps!

[Birdsailing]

When we were in Italy last month, we also found that Visa and Mastercard were accepted pretty often, but you have to be prepared for when they are not. At the train station, restaurants, and ticket offices, even when credit cards were posted as being accepted, we were sometimes told they were not, or the machine was broken. Also, sometimes they do not want to make change, so take plenty of cash, always with some small bills. Of course, as always, carry it in a safe manner. We were very glad we did.

[photographia]

Over the years there have been a few times when I've encountered a Roman shop that proudly displays the "we take this credit card" sticker on their front door, but then they refuse to take mine. The "problem" is that my purchase, in their opinion, is too small. Since they have to pay the credit-card company something when they do a cc transaction, they unilaterally decide that they'll only take cards for "big" purchases, and they themselves decide what that term means.

 

An example was a camera-shop in Trastevere--heaven-sent since my camera battery had just died! A new battery cost about 12 Euros. The store owner informed me that he would only take credit cards for purchase of a camera, not for just a battery!

 

I have subsequently found out that this is absolutely against all the cc company rules. If a business proclaims that they take cards, they are obliged to take them, period, and not arbitrarily decide on their own when they will and will not accept them. An Sicilian friend of mine, whenever she encounters this in Italy, immediately gets on the phone to Visa or Mastercard--whereupon the shop-clerk suddenly decides that he'll take her card after all.

[auntdot]

This is interesting reading for someone who has never been to Europe!!

 

From my research most of the hotels in Italy seem to want 'cash' for the stay. We always find we get a good rate for exchanging money at our own bank before we leave Canada, but because several hundred euros at each place are required we could be carrying a huge amount of cash which makes me nervous.

 

I also don't like the idea of using an ATM in a place like Rome when I read about all the pickpockets and thieving.

 

How do we get around this problem? What kind of rate do banks in Italy give? Thanks for any/all advice!

Dot

[bunnyette]

I used ATMs in Rome a few times and had no problems with thieves/gypsies/pickpockets. I used some precautions - well lit area, DH standing guard, only during business hours so if there was a problem, I could go in the bank to get it resolved. Never had anything happen and was far more convenient then carrying huge sums of euros.

[WeBeGone]

Thanks for this info. We leave tomorrow !

[mad4mky]

Thanks for this info. We leave tomorrow !

 

Bon Voyage! :D