Interview with Jessica about travel money and her trip to Greece
Where did you go? Jessica visited Athens, the Greek capital and a large Greek island, Ios.
What cards did you take with you?
Why did you take these cards? Jessica took these two cards with her because they were the credit card and debit card she used in Australia. She also exchanged Australian dollars to euros before she left the country so she had a little money to pay for immediate expenses when she landed.
What about ATM withdrawals? She used her debit card to withdraw money from ATMs in Greece. Her Visa card worked at every ATM she tried to use. She looked for the Visa (Cirrus) logo on the front of the machine. Jessica says she didn't encounter any instances where the ATM was out of cash, although she had heard to watch out for this by other travellers she met along the way. She was charged an international and local ATM fee of about $10 each time she made an ATM withdrawal in addition to a currency conversion fee of 3%.
Where could you use your credit cards? Excluding her airfares to and from Greece, Jessica says she only used her credit card a few times during her holiday: to book a ferry ticket to and from Ios, to pay for her accommodation (Farout Beach Club) and to pay for dinner at a restaurant. She didn't try to use her card to pay for drinks while she was out, she paid cash and left her credit card at home. She describes these island clubs and bars as party focused and didn't want to take her credit card on a night out.
What do you think is the best travel money for Greece? She explains that she didn't have time to apply for a travel friendly account before she left on her holiday — her trip was a bit last minute. If she had her time again, Jessica says that she would have applied for an account which waives the currency conversion fee, international ATM fee — preferably both. She calculates she spent approximately $60 - $70 on international transaction and ATM charges over the course of a three week holiday.
Do you have any Greek travel money tips? Jessica says she got a better price paying cash in some places, especially on the smaller islands. She also recommends keeping €10 and €20 notes handy for shopping, she had a little trouble getting change for €50 when she was buying souvenirs in Ios.
Finally, some good news! Domestic travel is picking up, so some insurers have started offering cover again 🦘 
How much is a euro worth compared to US dollar?
Hi Lee,
Thank you for getting in touch with Finder.
As per our US dollar to Euro exchange rate, 1 USD is equivalent to 0.8633 euro, with date: Tuesday, 16 Oct 00:02AM GMT.
I hope this helps.
Cheers,
Jeni
Is it ok to take english currency to greece
Hello Brenda.
Yes, you may take English currency to Greece and have it changed to Euros there, but you may also take Euros. As to what you should bring is all up to you.
You may continue reading up on the information we have on this page to assess what would be best to bring. Please also note that exchange rates vary on a daily basis, also depending on the travel money provider or exchange bureau.
Alternatively, you also have several other options to choose from aside from taking cash. You may use your debit or credit card, a travel card, or traveller’s cheque. Again, choosing what would best suit you and what you would be comfortable with is all up to you.
Hope this helped.
Cheers,
Gru
Hi I’m going to Zante am I best to change my money into euros before I go or would I get a better exchange rate over there?
Thanks
Hi Leanna,
Thanks for your question.
This depends on whether you’re using a prepaid travel money card or if you’re taking cash. It’ll also depend where you’re planning on exchanging your funds (e.g. airports tend to have less competitive offers than foreign currency exchange offers in Australia and Greece). Unfortunately, as exchange rates are constantly changing, we’re unable to recommend a specific time that’s best for you to exchange your cash.
However, at the very least, you’ll want to make sure you have some Euros handy for when you arrive. This will help cover any costs such as food, taxis or anything else you need before you get a chance to withdraw funds or exchange more cash.
I hope this has helped.
Cheers,
Sally
Hi there, we are mainly travelling to Crete and Rhodes and was wondering if cash would be better than travel card for restaurants and shopping and should it be in smaller denominations
Thanks
Hi Marie,
Thanks for your question.
Cash can be a good idea if you’re travelling in Greece and planning to make regular purchases in cafes, restaurants and markets (especially if they’re outside the major cities). To be safe, though, you should prepare a few travel money options.
If you have cash, you might want to consider taking a travel money or a debit card that has low foreign currency conversion fees and international ATM withdrawal fees, so that you can access your cash easily without incurring too many costs.
If you’re planning on making larger purchases or would like to have some financial security by the way of line of credit, a credit card with low or no foreign transaction fees is another option.
Consider how you’ll be spending your money, where you’ll be travelling and try to pick out a few different travel money options, so that you’re not leaving all of your eggs in one basket.
I hope this has helped.
Cheers,
Sally
if you purchase in one of your locations can we pay with cash ?
Hi FTB,
Thank you for your question.
If you’re referring to purchasing a card, the loading process will depend on the card and the provider you’re with.
Typically you can load funds in the bank at the time of purchase, via an online or telephone Bank Transfer or with BPAY.
I hope this has helped answer your question.
Thanks,
Sally