Withdrawal at ATM

I don't think it's any more dangerous to use a foreign ATM than one near home. I have withdrawn cash from ATMs in Europe on many trips with no issues. I don't keep all my funds in a checking account, of course, so there would be a limit to what could be stolen if it were to happen.

Just make sure to decline having the machine do the conversion to dollars for you. It will always cost more than having your bank at home do the conversion.

Do you use ATMs at home for cash withdrawals? If so, there is risk there too. When I travel I withdraw as much as I think I will need for most of the trip. With the use of credit cards, cash needs are conservative and it minimizes frequent cash withdrawals and increased risk. I also use banks with inside ATMs, if at all possible as these are difficult to tamper with. Cover your pin, and ensure you take card, cash and receipt. Don't let people rush you.
Don't accept help from strangers on how to use the ATM.
If that still makes you nervous, buy Euros at home.

The fee will be high if you use a credit card to remove cash. Personally, I set up another checking account for travel purposes with a no fee debit card. Then I don't need to worry about my main account losing funds. But if you think about it, the risk is the same in having your debit card skimmed in the US.

Hbet1992, if you’re concerned about your bank account getting hacked, do what I do: set up a separate “travel” account with just a couple $1000 in it and ATM access. If you do have problems with ATM fraud, it will not affect your “home” bank account.

Be sure to take two credit cards from different banks, one to use every day, the other as backup (different banks in case the problem is bank related).

Thanks for the input. Will plan accordingly. Safe, adventurous travels to all!

Yes, plus there are options for credit unions or banks with zero fee withdrawal. E.g. Schwab has a debit card option where they not not only charge no fees, they rebate fees other banks' ATMs charge you. In some European countries now, it's impossible to avoid ATMs that charge a fee, even if your home bank does not charge a fee. I haven't been to Portugal for a few years - not sure what the situation is there these days.

I recently returned from Portugal. Neither of the random bank connected ATMs I used charged a fee.
Credit card use was non-problematic, too. There was only one time I was given a choice of being charged in euro or dollar. Every other time I was charged in euro.

MUCH different that recent trips to Spain, where finding an ATM that didn't charge a fee was difficult, and I sometimes had to argue about CC payments being charged in dollars.

Using an ATM w/your Debit Card is the best and least expensive way to get Euros. We've been doing it this way for years. Just be sure to put a 'travel alert' on your CC and Debit Card. Also, here on this website, under TRAVEL TIPS, read the section on MONEY. And we also recommend reading the RS book, EUROPE THROUGH THE BACK DOOR - so many great travel tips in that book. You can get it here in the store, but usually it's cheaper on Amazon.

Just be sure it is an actual ATM, NOT an exchange kiosk.

We've used ATMs in Europe for years without issue. Just as in the states, use ATMs in financial institutions and be on the lookout for anything suspicious.

Our ATM is tied to an account with limited funds, so even if it is compromised, I won’t be out too terribly much. It definitely isn’t tied to any significant amount of money. If I happened to need that much cash (unlikely nowadays) I can transfer more money into the account. In today’s world of ever increasing contactless payment, you should find that very little cash is actually needed.

The ATM’s in Portugal are named Multibanco. Be sure to use them and not the Euronet machines. They are all yellow and blue.
After living here for seven years, I use my (local) debit card all the time and have never had a problem. During this same seven years, my U.S. credit card has been hacked 3-4 times - always when I use it during visits to the States..
And, the Multibanco machines have a €400 per day limit. You can only get €200 out at a time - but can do it twice in rapid succession. No worries about someone emptying your account.