Exchanging Euro's in Rome (Small Denominations)

[riffatsea]

Always check rates(although sometimes only pennies apart)as most "exchange stores"here in the USA have terrible rates!

I find that a few hundred euros are plenty and then use my credit card or ATM card to get more as needed.

My bank,Wells Fargo, does charge a slightly worse rate than at the ATM because their ATM fees are quite high.Each case must be decided on an individual basis.

[oshawa]

It's also a good practice to have ATM cards for different accounts. We set up a 2nd checking account so we'd have another ATM card with a different bank to use when we travel in Europe. You can run into a situation where cards from one bank just won't work.

 

That was helpful on our first trip because an ATM machine ate my card at our 2nd port in Greece. (I had taken precautions and written down each card number along with the international numbers to call in case of loss/theft.)

 

When we were there in May, I decided at the FCO airport while waiting for our flight home to withdraw more Euros to have for the next trip (since it was at a pretty good exchange rate.) One set of our ATM cards would not work in the airport, but the ones from the other bank did. I had no idea why because we'd mainly used the first set in Rome. (We hadn't withdrawn from an ATM the previous day, so I knew we weren't over our daily limit.)

Thanks to all for responding. I really screwed up with the Euro's and definitely feel that my bank should have told me when they sent me to another branch that they did not have small denominations. Unfortunately, since I am leaving tonight for Italy I will have to get more Euro's from the Toronto Airport currency exchange and hope they will perhaps give me some smaller denominations for the E500's. If not I will have to rely on the bank (the |Italian Centrtal State Bank) as one CC advised. Thanks all for your input and wish me luck.

[CathyCruises]

Good luck and safe travels!

[sultan_sfo]

The OP has already started his trip. Nevertheless, this may be interesting.

 

From BBC on-line Aug 24:

 

24 August 2010 Last updated at 15:32 ET Man caught with 55,000 euros in pants at St Pancras

 

Banks in the UK recently withdrew the 500 euro note over links to crime

A man caught entering the UK with 55,000 euros stuffed down his pants has had the cash confiscated because he was unable to account for it.

...

 

British banks withdrew 500 euro notes from sale in May after it emerged 90% of UK demand was linked to crime.

 

 

Unfortunately, my bank in Canada was only able to provide me with 2 E500 notes. I did have a few Euro's on hand to manage for a day or so but will need to exchange the larger notes for smaller denominations. Where could I exchange these? Would |I have to go to a bank or is there a currency exchange at the airport that would accommodate me?

 

Need your help!

 

Thanks to all for responding. I really screwed up with the Euro's and definitely feel that my bank should have told me when they sent me to another branch that they did not have small denominations. Unfortunately, since I am leaving tonight for Italy I will have to get more Euro's from the Toronto Airport currency exchange and hope they will perhaps give me some smaller denominations for the E500's. If not I will have to rely on the bank (the |Italian Centrtal State Bank) as one CC advised. Thanks all for your input and wish me luck.

[notentirelynormal]

After reading this thread, I asked Rome In Limo if they were okay with me using 500 EU notes to pay them and they said they were. Using it to buy a cup of coffee, not so much, but that most business as a general rule were happy to accept it.