Hello, I and my husband are travelling to Spain in a week a half and wondering where to buy Euros. Is it good to have all the Money we need converted to Euros here in US? We read some suggestions about withdrawing the Euros directly at the ATMs in Spain as they give good conversion rate? Is that true? Please suggest! Thanks
Posted by
New Paltz, NY
9099 posts
Best to use ATMs after you land in in Spain, as this will get you the best exchange rate. Be sure to let your bank know your travel plans so your cards don't get blocked. Also it's a good idea to have some emergency cash stored in a money belt, just in case.
Posted by
Boulder, CO, USA
719 posts
Definitely ATMs. They're fast, convenient, safe, and you won't have to carry lots of cash on you all of the time. I usually hit an ATM in the airport upon landing, and withdrawal about 250-300 euros, then I'm on my way. As I deplete those funds, I just visit another ATM. Much simpler. No commissions to pay at an ATM, either.
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9363 posts
In addition to notifying your bank of your travel plans, it's a good idea to take a second ATM card (on a separate account) in case of problems with one. (Sometimes those issues can be resolved by just going to a different ATM, though.) Also, have with you the non-800 number of your bank in case you need to call them while you are gone. US 800 numbers won't work in Europe.
Posted by
Toronto, ON, Canada
112 posts
Regarding the issue of "no commission" at ATMs........some of them charge significant service charges, at least when withdrawing Euros with a foreign card. I visited several ATMs in different locations when I was in Spain last month, and the first one wanted to charge me a 5 Euro s/c; when I went to a different ATM of a different bank, there was no service charge. If the machine you use wants to charge a service charge, cancel your transaction and try a different machine from a different bank.
Posted by
Honolulu/Seattle, HI/WA, USA
2788 posts
Have you tried to check out all the information on this subject that is listed elsewhere on this web site by going to:
"Graffiti Wall > Money/Communication > ATMs: Minimizing Fees"? Your question, in one form or another gets asked on this web site at least weekly. Good luck and happy travels.
Posted by
Phoenix, AZ
76 posts
Sorry if this is slightly off topic.. but regarding taking ATM / Credit Cards. What I do in scan copies of my Credit Cards (front and back) and email them to myself. That way if they are lost or stolen I can still get all the information off them and I don't have to worry about carrying around photocopies.