How cashless is Italy

I use a zero-fees-for-both-sides Italian app called Satispay. I use it to pay almost everywhere, but I don't live on the tourists' path and anyway you couldn't install it without an EU bank account.

Just tap a good old contactless chip&pin credit card or save it on Apple Pay if you will have internet access and you like to tap your phone.

I'd use cash when price is lower than € 10.

I use cash for smaller purchases and a cc or apple pay for the larger expenses (dinner, shopping, hotel)

For small purchases you can use hard cash if you don’t trust apps. For bigger purchases (over €20) I’ve always used a card. There is still a generational divide in Italy. People who are older are more likely to use hard cash still.

And the B&B I booked in Venice for 4 nights asked for cash payment. All my other lodgings for my upcoming trip are CC.

asked for cash

Tax cheaters, good luck

We were at Lake Como last August and the ferry in Bellano would only take cash. We were surprised and had to get more money.

When we were in Italy in September, after nearly six years since we were there last, I was actually surprised at the increased level of card use. It was the preferred method in nearly every restaurant, and common even for small purchases.

Yes, I still used cash, mainly for something small from a market or street vendor, and doing booking.com, only one place requested cash, most took payment through Booking.com or took card. though the nightly room tax for many municipalities was often paid in cash (a couple or few euro per night).

Not mentioned yet, Tap to Pay has really grown with the pandemic, with vendors actually telling me to tap when I went to insert my card. I did notice all of my major cards have reissued cards to include tap to pay, and using it negated the need to punch in a PIN or for most Americans, to sign a slip.

You will still need some cash, but a couple hundred euro will last you a good amount of the trip unless you choose to use cash more than needed.

I am leaving in 2 weeks for 3 weeks in Italy with my goddaughter/niece. Most B&B’s we are staying at ask for cash!

Most BnBs you are staying at are tax cheaters. So what?
You can either find others places or find an ATM. Tertium etc. etc.

My standard advice, put your vacation money into a no-fee Schwab checking account and you pay nothing extra