I'm wondering if I should cash dollars to euros before leaving home

[Chelly]

Does anyone buy euros before leaving home? I'll be flying to Barcelona and staying a few days pre-cruise. Is it easy to transfer dollars at the airport? Does anyone know if taxi drivers accept dollars? Thanks!!!!

[dfwguy62]

If you use an ATM card, I would probably get most of my Euros at an ATM at the airport upon arriving in Barcelona (and the rest of your time there, actually). You'll probably need Euros for the taxi. However, I often will convert $50 or so to Euros at a currency exchange in the States just in case it's not easy to find an ATM at the European airport. That way, I have enough for a taxi to get to my first destination. So... in general, I do almost all my currency conversion at ATMs.

[ab0si]

The taxi drivers take euros in Barcelona. The taxi drivers in Chicago take US$. It all works out. Many of the taxis will take Visa or Mastercard, but if thinking of doing that check first to see if the cab is one that takes them AND if there is a surcharage.

 

As mentioned, ATMs are usually the best way to exchange. This is true if and only you are using a debit card or "check card" and not a credit card. Next best would be to exchange your dollars at a reputable currency exchange ("cambio" is exchange in Spanish). Banks might or might be better; sorry I do not know.

 

Exchanging $ for euros in the U.S. will generally give you a very poor exchange.

 

At the Barcelona airport there are plenty of both exchange services and ATMs. There is no reason to accept a poor rate by converting in the U.S.

 

Word of warning: Just as with your credit cards, let you debit card bank know which countries you will be in when.

[hylasgirl]

We always take a good share of euros with us. I don't like spending much of my vacation time looking for ATMs and getting my allotment each day. You will need them as soon as you arrive in Europe, and you should know what they all are and look like.

 

And, no... you need euros. Just like NONE of them can spend euros here the USA.

[Keith1010]

Chelly, as you see from the responses there is no right or wrong here.

 

You can get euros ahead of time in the USA or you can do it when you arrive in Barcelona. If you convert when you arrive be sure to use an ATM machine. Also, before you leave be sure to contact you ATM card companey and your credit card company or companies to let them know about the dates for your trip and where you will be so that they do not think this is fraud and temporarily shut down your accounts.

 

For us, we convert to Euros when we arrive but if you feel more comfortable having some ahead of time as others have mentioned I would go ahead and get 50 to 100 Euros ahead of time.

 

And the taxis will take Euros not USA dollars.

 

Keith

[Longtime Cruiser]

We flew into Barcelona without Euros. The ATMs are plentiful at the airport and provide the best rate of exchange.

 

We usually take private tours and always pre-arrange with the driver to stop at an ATM for us to secure Euros for the tour.

 

However, make arrangements with your local bank that you will be in Europe and withdrawing funds. Besides, our bank will only allow us a max of $500 per day--my wife and I have separate cards(on the same account) and we both are allowed a max of $500 per day. This was an issue with us a few years ago. Additionally, I notify my credit card company that I will be in Europe in case I make a large purchase. We had difficulty one year, but the store called the bank for us and we were told "this is protecting you" but the approval was done before we hung up.

 

Have a great trip and enjoy!

 

Steven

[BigGuy25]

Is the $500 maximum withdrawal a day from ATM's pretty standard in Europe (Spain, Monaco, Italy & Greece)?

 

We'll also be in Turkey but I understand that they are not a country that uses the Euro. But, are they accepted there ... like US $$ are accepted in some countries?

[globalnomads]

Turkey's official currency is the NTL (New Turkish Lira) but we found that many stores will accept euros and price stickers were often in euros. The public transportation is an exception to this (NTL only) and some taxi drivers balked at euros. There is a new set of NTL's as of January 2009, but the ones from 2005-2008 are still good. Be cautious about accepting any Turkish Lira from before 2005 as these are no longer good!

[ab0si]

Is the $500 maximum withdrawal a day from ATM's pretty standard in Europe (Spain, Monaco, Italy & Greece)?

 

We'll also be in Turkey but I understand that they are not a country that uses the Euro. But, are they accepted there ... like US $$ are accepted in some countries?

 

The max you can take out per day from an ATM is the lower of what your bank allows and what the owner of the dispensing machine allows.

 

You need Tukrish lira for government run operations (public transportation and most museum). Many shops will take US$, but not all. Ditto on restaurants.

[lisiamc]

We'll also be in Turkey but I understand that they are not a country that uses the Euro. But, are they accepted there ... like US $$ are accepted in some countries?

 

Pretty much any time foreign currency is accepted by a merchant, you can count on not getting a very good deal. The merchant has the hassle of changing the money, and that will be reflected in the price you pay. If you are spending a significant amount of cash, it's worth getting local currency.

 

And this may be just me, but paying in the local currency makes me feel more like a traveller and less like a tourist, if that makes any sense.

 

Lisa

[mafiadon]

My bank allows me $1500 a day, if I go to an ATM and the max I can get from that ATM is 300 euros can I go to another ATM and withdraw another 300 or is that the alloted amount total for that day. Linda

[cusyl]

I like to be prepared, so I ordered my Euros from Bank of America online before we left. I didn't want to stand in line or deal with out of order ATMs on my trip.

[ab0si]

My bank allows me $1500 a day, if I go to an ATM and the max I can get from that ATM is 300 euros can I go to another ATM and withdraw another 300 or is that the alloted amount total for that day. Linda

 

Short answer: yes

 

Longer answer: yes, but.

 

If ATM A and ATM B are owned by the same company, you might or might not be able to withdraw an additional amount that "day." The definition of day is tricky due to time differences, weekends, etc. It is the accounting cycle which is different than what we poor mortals think of as a day.:)

 

Not that you asked, but ...

 

If buying stuff to be shipped home, I would strongly suggest using a credit card (not cash -- and cash includes a debit card).

[EV2008]

We already have our Euros ordered from out Bank, the exchange rate was not bad, I expect them to charge a little for the trouble. They ship the money to the Branch we bank at for $6.00. That is worth it to me to have the money that I need up front. So I know how much money I can spend on my Vacation and not loose sight of the spending. Also I will not waste time looking for a place to get money, in case I see something I want and then find a place to get money and then go back and do my purchase.

But that is just me, I just like everything done before hand.

[rebeccalouise]

you should come to Europe with 200 Euros in cash. Use them for things like taxis and bottled water. Use the credit cards for everything else. If you run low- you can always get them from an ATM. I never think it is a good idea to have too much cash on hand.

[Globaliser]

There are indeed some places around the world where the USA dollar, the Euro, and/or the British Pound are taken.

There are plenty of places in the world - even in Western Europe - where the USD is happily taken by many merchants. Many of them enjoy taking - including taking their customers for a ride on the exchange rate.

 

For me, the question is never so much whether places will take foreign money, including the USD. The question is more why anyone should think it's a good idea to try using foreign money in the place concerned. Sometimes there's a good answer to that question, but not often.

[madmarti]

I was wondering if we could buy euros now for a June cruise to Italy? My dh and I are still in the dark ages, according to our sons, we don't use an ATM card. Every day I see the euro going down, so I was thinking of buying them now. madmarti

[chipmaster]

I was wondering if we could buy euros now for a June cruise to Italy? My dh and I are still in the dark ages, according to our sons, we don't use an ATM card. Every day I see the euro going down, so I was thinking of buying them now. madmarti

 

 

If you question is will the euro go up or down, if anyone really knew they would be rich. Last summer I needed to bring few thousand and thought I'd could predict, of course the exchange went the other way at the very very last minute, literally the week we left and cost me a bit. The good news its down a good amount since last summer so your vacation will be cheaper in dollars.

 

It takes a large bank a few days to secure Euros if you are doing it locally, only you can decide if you want to do it now or wait till the week before.

[ab0si]

I was wondering if we could buy euros now for a June cruise to Italy? My dh and I are still in the dark ages, according to our sons, we don't use an ATM card. Every day I see the euro going down, so I was thinking of buying them now. madmarti

 

Sure you can. However, predicting currency fluctuations is always "interesting."

 

If you think the euro is going to fall in relation to the dollar, you want to wait. If you think it is going to rise, you want to buy euros now.

 

I have my own opinion on this... and I consider my currency futures opinion almost, but not quite, as useful as G. W. Bush's opinion on whether one of the 11 dimensional M-theories will lead us to a better understanding of space-time.

[CathyCruises]

If you want to buy them ahead of time, you can order from wellsfargo dot com even if you don't have an account there. They send them overnight by Fed Ex for about $10.

[ToBe]

If you want to buy them ahead of time, you can order from wellsfargo dot com even if you don't have an account there. They send them overnight by Fed Ex for about $10.

We have purchased from Wells Fargo twice. I watch the rate for euros. It was $1.35 It is helpful to get off the plane and not have to wait at a ATM and have easy money for a taxi or tram. I feel that it is more secure to just have 50 euros in a zipped pocket in my pants that is easy to reach. I don't like to show cash or credit cards in crowded places. DH had his pocket picked once when he took out some cash and didn't return his stash to a secure pocket. We are now very into secured pockets. Men have more choices than we do but there are really great pants that have zippers in regular pockets.

 

Temma

[madmarti]

:mad:abOsi, talk about fluctuation, I checked Wells Fargo and Bank of American online today, there was about a 6 cent difference. What's that about? madmarti

[HHusky]

ok, I'm not going to judge or anything, just explain how we do things when we travel, which is quite often. Take from it what you will. We take no cash with us when we leave the country. WHen we land, we use the ATM in the airport and get enough cash to last us a while. ATMs offer the best exchange rates and you don't have to hassle with anything. We try to limit the number of times though that we use an ATM abroad, so we take out a lot and store it in the safe in our room usually. Never had a problem ever from Canada to SE Asia and have always minimized exchange fees and hassle.

[Chelly]

OP again. Thanks everyone for your good advise and excellent suggestions. You have convinced me to get Euros from an ATM at the airport. And.......I won't give my Barcelona taxi driver a single U.S. dollar, even if he begs me for one!

Happy travels.;)

[seastar2]

Great advise to use ATM machines to get Euros.....I usually get a few $ of a currancey at the airport pior to leaving to filimilarize myself with the units.

 

Without getting flamed ....do the atms have an option for english?? (everything here is in spanish and now french) I will be in Spain in Sept..