Joan P. Says:
I’m going to Italy next year. Can I use dollars or do I need to get Italian money?
IL Executive Editor Jennifer Stevens Says:
Hi Joan,
Exciting news for your trip to Italy!
You won’t be able to use dollars there, like you can in much of the Caribbean or Latin America. You’ll need to exchange money before you go or with one of the many currency exchange services you’ll find throughout Italy and the rest of Europe.
Speaking of Europe, Italy uses the same currency as much of the rest of the EU.
On Jan. 1, 2002, the Italian lira was replaced by the euro. From Feb. 9, 2002, the lira ceased to be accepted as legal tender.
Euro banknotes and coins can be used in any of the 20 participating member countries of the eurozone, along with a number of other countries, principalities, and independent states both within and outside Europe.
Along with Italy, the other eurozone countries are Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain. The euro is also the currency used in San Marino and Vatican City.
So once you change your dollars to euro, you can use that same money even if you decide to visit any of the above countries as part of your vacation.
If you’re looking for help planning your stay in Italy, we have a handy Italy Scouting Trip Itineraries and Travel Guide to take a lot of the guesswork out.
Enjoy your visit!
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