Euro (EUR; symbol €) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of €500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of €2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents.

Foreign money can be changed at banks, railway stations and airports and very often at major hotels (albeit usually at a less advantageous exchange rate).

MasterCard, American Express, Cirrus, Maestro and Visa are widely accepted. Some restaurants charge an extra ‘service fee’ if you pay the bill by credit or debit card – ask the establishment whether this is the case before using your card. 

ATMs are widely available throughout Italy. Look for the ‘Bancomat’ sign for machines with multilingual interfaces. Pickpocketing and petty thievery can be problematic in tourist areas, so take care to keep belongings secure and be vigilant when making cash withdrawals. 

Traveller's cheques are rarely accepted even at banks. Expect high exchange rates at banks and at exchange offices. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take traveller's cheques in Euros, Pounds Sterling or US Dollars.

These vary from city to city but, in general, Mon-Fri 0830-1330 and 1500-1600.