50 euro notes

What exactly are you asking? I have done it and not had any problem. 50 euro notes are what I almost always get out of the ATMs, so you end up having to break them a lot. I have used them at restaurants, shops, hotels, for a tour guide, you name it. I try not to use them at like street markets or in a cafe paying for just a coffee and pastry and places like that but my experience has been that everyone there knows that's what the ATMs spit out so they don't mind so much. in fact I think i paid the balance of a 6-day tour (1200 euros) almost entirely in 50s i accumulated from ATMs.

Debra , Sorry for not being more clear in the question , but you hit the answer anyway. I understand that using a 50 for a small purchase is not a great idea , but I was concerned about the acceptance of the larger bills in the specific situation pertaining to hotels . As I have not been to Italy before and have only used a credit card to pay hotel bills on previous trips , I wondered whether or not hoteliers were reluctant to accept larger denominations in spite of the greater charges. In any event your comments about your experience with this is a great help and I appreciate your response. Many Thanks , Steve

€50 notes are in much higher circulation than $50 bills in the US. You can use one to buy a pack of gum and the clerk won't hesitate for a second to break it.

You won't have any problem with the hotelier accepting a 50 euro note, but my experience has been different from Tom's when it comes to making small purchases. I've found that the merchants will sometimes refuse to sell things if you try to pay with a 50. The general rule is: The smaller the shop, the more likely they are to insist on smaller bills.

Steven, I've paid for large purchases with 50, 100, 200 and even 500 euro notes - hotels would probably not consider a 50 unusual. In smaller shops, I've never had anyone refuse to sell me something because of a 50 euro note, but if the vendor doesn't have change, they will send an employee to another shop or a bank to get change - which could take a few minutes, but they're trying to be helpful. Keep smaller bills on hand for cab rides, if you use them, especially early in the morning (in 35 years of traveling to Europe I've never known a cabbie to start the day with a "bank" of change).

thanks everyone ! your responses have set my mind at ease , Steve .

Since an ATM will likely spit out a pile of 50's and though they are widely accepted, I agree with some posters that in smaller shops, you should try to use smaller notes. Breaking a 50 becomes a task for me any chance I get. Any meal at a busier restaurant where the bill might be 20-30 euro is a chance to break a fifty. Museums where an entrance fee might be 15 or 20 euro for two, same thing. That usually gives me plenty of 10's, 5's, and euro coins for the small shops.

If you are paying a large amount (or indeed any amount close to or over 50 euro) you should not have any issue with the hotel accepting 50 euro notes. I've paid for lodging in Italy with 100 euro notes. The largest denomination is I believe 500 euro. I understand that a lot of people still pay their monthly rent in cash. If your hotel wants cash, they will be prepared to handle large bills.