Regional guide

For US travelers

Money in Europe, country by country.

Europe is the most card friendly region we cover. Across the west and north you can tap for almost everything, and in the Nordics you can go days without touching cash, though prices there run high once you convert. The money quirks are consistent: many cities add a small nightly tourist tax that lands at checkout rather than in the rate you booked, and the bright standalone ATMs in tourist squares, Euronet above all, charge steep fees and push a poor exchange rate.

One rule holds everywhere here: always pay in the local currency, never dollars, on any card terminal or ATM, and let your own bank do the conversion. Below is every country we cover in Europe, with a quick read on how card friendly it is and what to watch, then a full money guide for each. Start with where you are headed.

AustriaCards work fine, but Austria still runs on more cash than most of Western Europe.Cards in citiesTourist tax to expectWatch ATM feesCroatiaOn the euro since 2023 and widely card-friendly, so tap in the towns, keep some euros for the islands, konobas and ferries, use bank ATMs rather than the coastal Euronet machines, and always pay in euros, not US dollars.Card-friendlyWatch ATM feesCzechiaOne of Europe's most card-friendly countries, with a small Prague city fee and a couple of tourist-money traps to dodge.Card-friendlyTourist tax to expectWatch ATM feesDenmarkCard-first and nearly cashless, with a flat 25% tax already in every price; the krone is tied to the euro but you still pay in kroner, not euros.Card-friendlyFranceDay to day, France is mostly card.Card-friendlyTourist tax to expectWatch ATM feesGeorgiaUS citizens can stay in Georgia visa-free for up to a year, but from 2026 you must carry travel insurance to enter. The lari is the currency, Tbilisi and Batumi are very card-friendly, and you will want cash for markets, rural areas and shared minibuses.Card-friendlyGermanyMore cash-loving than its reputation suggests, with a patchwork of city bed taxes to plan for.Cards in citiesTourist tax to expectWatch ATM feesGreeceCards work in the cities, but the islands still run on cash and a nightly climate fee.Cards in citiesTourist tax to expectHungaryCards are taken almost everywhere, so tap where you can, keep some forint for market stalls, baths and taxis, use bank ATMs rather than the tourist-area exchange booths and Euronet machines, and always pay in forint, not euros or dollars.Card-friendlyTourist tax to expectWatch ATM feesIcelandMaybe the most cashless country on earth: tap for everything, carry almost no cash, decline dollar conversion, and budget for very high prices plus a small nightly lodging tax.Card-friendlyTourist tax to expectIrelandAbout as cashless as travel gets: tap your card almost everywhere, carry a little euro cash as backup, decline dollar conversion, and mind two things: the VAT you can claim back on shopping and the car-rental insurance excess.Card-friendlyItalyItaly is very card-friendly now, but keep some euros for the little things.Card-friendlyTourist tax to expectWatch ATM feesNetherlandsOne of Europe's most cashless countries, with a catch: not every card type works everywhere.Card-friendlyTourist tax to expectNorwayCard-friendly and nearly cashless, but it is kroner not euros, everything is expensive, and a new opt-in visitor's tax started in summer 2026 in places like Lofoten and Bergen.Card-friendlyTourist tax to expectPolandOne of the most cashless countries in Europe, so tap your card or phone almost everywhere, keep a little zloty for the smallest stalls, sidestep the Euronet ATMs and their poor rates, and always pay in zloty, not euros or dollars.Card-friendlyWatch ATM feesPortugalPortugal is very card-friendly, but keep a little cash for the small stuff.Card-friendlyTourist tax to expectWatch ATM feesSpainSpain is very card-friendly, but keep some euros for tapas and small towns.Card-friendlyTourist tax to expectWatch ATM feesSwedenOne of the most cashless places on earth, so your card is king, but it is kronor not euros, plenty of spots take no cash at all, and prices run high.Card-friendlySwitzerlandCard-friendly and tidy, but it's francs, not euros, and everything costs more than you expect.Card-friendlyTourist tax to expectUnited KingdomThe UK is the most card-first country here. You barely need cash.Card-friendlyTourist tax to expectWatch ATM fees

Compare across countries: the cost of a day, ranked,where Americans travel most, and how tipping compares to home.