Earn reward points for virtually every £1 spent. Option to transfer points to the Qantas Frequent Flyer program. Enjoy preferential treatment when you stay at SPG and Marriott properties.
Collect 1 Avios for every £1 spent Receive bonus Avios when you spend in the first months of Cardmembership No annual fee
To choose the best card for each category shown above, our experts analysed rates, features and perks for cards from the current market. If we show any “promoted” picks, these are based on factors that include special features or offers and the commission we receive. If we show any “best” picks, these are our credit card editor’s top picks for different categories and are chosen based on factors that include costs, purpose, rewards and extras. You can read our full methodology here. Keep in mind that our picks may not always be best for you – it’s important to compare for yourself and find a card that does the job you need it to do.
Italy: home of the Roman Colosseum, the Leaning Tower of Pisa…and pizza!
Of course, you may be wondering whether you can use your credit card in Italy to upgrade from one slice to the whole pizza. The answer is: you usually can. Visa and Mastercard credit cards are widely accepted; you’re able to use your American Express card in some places, too.
Compare cards with fee-free currency conversion in Italy
Table: sorted by representative APR, promoted deals first
To make comparing even easier we came up with the Finder Score. Costs, perks and suitability across 120+ cards are all weighted and scaled to produce a score out of 10. The higher the score the better the card – simple.
Look for an ATMs in Italy linked to the Plus or Cirrus systems so that using your Visa or Mastercard card will be easy. Before you travel, be sure to let your bank know you’ll be out of the country to keep your card from getting frozen. Once you insert your card, you will be prompted to choose your language, and English will be one of the choices. Then you’ll enter your 4 digit PIN number. Be aware that the maximum withdrawal limit is €250 at most Italian ATMs, and also be aware of additional fees that may incur with this withdrawal.
Santander All in One Credit Card
0.5 cashback
No FX fees
0% purchases for 15 months
0% balance transfers for 15 months
Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 23.9% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £3 per month, your representative rate is 29.8% APR (variable).
Even if you are able to use your credit card at all the restaurants and shops you encounter on your trip, you will still need cash for small items, such as coffee bars, taking the metro, or even using a public toilet! If you visit small towns, some places will only accept cash, so be sure to have an adequate amount of euro on you.
Italy has moved from magnetic-stripe to chip cards.
If you use a chip-and-signature card, you can use it in Italy just about everywhere you find a manned credit card machine. However, some businesses are hesitant in accepting them because they’re not sure if it’s allowed and some others don’t accept them to cut down on credit card fraud. If you’re getting tickets from a machine, you’ll need to enter a PIN, in which case your chip-and-signature card won’t work.
Is it safe to use my card in Italy?
By exercising some caution when using your credit card in Italy, you’ll have a relatively trouble-free experience.
Keep your PIN safe. Use one hand to enter the PIN and the other to shield it from prying eyes and hidden cameras.
Select ATMs with care. Try and stick to ATMs in banks and avoid using ones in the street.
Watch out for “skimmers”. When installed in an ATM, a card skimmer works by stealing information from credit and debit cards. If you feel the card slot is not as smooth as it should be or if there’s a problem with the keypad, cancel your transaction and look for another ATM.
Keeping your credit card (physically) safe
Remain alert to street crime, especially where two or more people work in distracting victims before decamping with their valuables. Instances of theft at airports are not uncommon, so stay vigilant while arriving and departing.
Potential credit card fees
Credit card fees can leave a noticeable dent in your pocket when you’re travelling overseas, so know what you’re up against well in advance and choose a card with no or low fees.
Foreign transaction fees
British credit card issuers typically charge a fee equivalent to 1% to 3% of your transaction, so carefully review your card’s fine print to avoid statement surprises. Some cards designed for travel come with no foreign transaction fees, so this could be a good time to switch.
If a retailer offers to bill your credit card in sterling, dynamic currency conversion comes into play. While this might sound like a good deal, you’ll actually end up getting a worse exchange rate, and you might also end up paying currency conversion fees. Whenever you’re presented with an option, choose to pay in euro.
Cash advance fees
Using your credit card to withdraw money from an ATM may not make sense unless it’s a bona fide emergency. Each time you withdraw funds from an ATM, you’re likely to pay a cash advance fee. Your APR for cash advances is typically higher than your purchase APR, and you’ll typically get no grace period on interest — instead, you start paying interest immediately. Again, some cards designed for overseas spending will waive the cash advance fee.
The table below serves as an example of how much extra you may pay to use your credit card for in Italy.
Additionally you can get an idea of costs by using these online currency conversion tools from Mastercard and Visa.
What is a cash advance fee?
A cash advance fee is calculated (and charged) when you withdraw cash from your credit card. It’s usually the greater of a flat fee or a percentage of the transaction. For example, “2.5% of the transaction, minimum £3.00”.
How to prepare before travelling to Italy
Go with Visa or Mastercard. Carry at least two cards on your trip to Italy, preferably connected with Visa or Mastercard. If you just take an American Express card, you won’t get to use it in many places.
Think no foreign transaction fees. When there are cards that come with no foreign transaction fees, using ones that charge 2% or 3% of each overseas transaction does not make sense. Some of these cards don’t charge an annual fee, either.
Keep your bank posted. Banks, in their efforts to thwart fraudulent transactions, block credit cards if they detect suspicious activity such as unexpected overseas transactions. To make sure this does not happen to your card, let your bank know about your travel plans before you leave the UK.
Keep the emergency number handy. Know which numbers you’ll need to call if you end up losing your card or if you need an emergency replacement.
Know where you’ll get cash from. Consider using your debit card to withdraw cash from ATMs. If you need to exchange money, stick to banks or official money-exchange offices because possessing counterfeit money in Italy is a serious crime. Try to avoid exchanging money at airports and popular tourist destinations because of typically poor exchange rates.
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Ask yourself these simple questions before you leave so your spending in Italy does not hit any roadblocks.
Which cards will I take? Visa and Mastercard are the favourites. If you’re planning a trip, check out cards which give you complimentary airport lounge access. If you’re planning well in advance, consider earning air miles for your trip with a frequent flyer credit card.
Have I let my bank know? If you don’t inform your bank about your travel plans, you may end up with a temporarily suspended card.
What fees do I need to pay? If your existing cards come with foreign transaction fees, look for one that does not. Paying in Sterling outside of the UK might come with currency conversion fees.
How will I get cash? Using your debit card at an ATM is the simplest way to access your own money. You can carry cash and traveller’s cheques with you. Exchanging sterling to euro is easy and you’ll get several options.
When you’re in Italy, you don’t have to worry about where and when you can use your credit card. Just keep some cash handy to pay for small purchases.
We use banks to take care of all our other financial needs, so surely we should use them when sending an international money transfer, right? Not necessarily. While major UK banks offer money transfer services, they typically present less competitive exchange rates coupled with high transfer fees. Learn how to send money to Italy the smart way.
Visa and Mastercard are almost on a par. American Express follows at a distant third.
There are no currency restrictions, although you’ll need to declare if you’re bringing in more than €10,000 or its equivalent in another currency.
We show offers we can track - that's not every product on the market...yet. Unless we've said otherwise, products are in no particular order. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations of these) aren't ratings, though we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it. This is subject to our terms of use. When you make major financial decisions, consider getting independent financial advice. Always consider your own circumstances when you compare products so you get what's right for you. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables has the source: Moneyfacts Group PLC. In other cases, Finder has sourced data directly from providers.
Chris Lilly is Head of publishing at finder.com. He's a specialist in personal finance, from day-to-day banking to investing to borrowing, and is passionate about helping UK consumers make informed decisions about their money. In his spare time Chris likes forcing his kids to exercise more. See full bio
Chris's expertise
Chris has written 587 Finder guides across topics including:
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Finder.com is an independent comparison platform and information service that aims to provide you with the tools you need to make better decisions. While we are independent, the offers that appear on this site are from companies from which Finder receives compensation. We may receive compensation from our partners for placement of their products or services. We may also receive compensation if you click on certain links posted on our site. While compensation arrangements may affect the order, position or placement of product information, it doesn't influence our assessment of those products. Please don't interpret the order in which products appear on our Site as any endorsement or recommendation from us. Finder compares a wide range of products, providers and services but we don't provide information on all available products, providers or services. Please appreciate that there may be other options available to you than the products, providers or services covered by our service.
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