Exchange, Banks

Exchange
Travellers' cheques, credit cards, personal bank cheques... paying in Italy
Exchange on Sundays and holidays

Exchange.

Banks usually offer the best exchange rate, although you have to pay a modest commission to exchange cash (usually 5,000 Ital. Lira, app. 2.8 US$).
If you want to know the present international exchange rate of your currency, please click on this link:
Currency converter

Banks or exchange bureaus will reduce the value of 1-1.5 % if you want to buy Ital. Lira, and then apply also the modest commission above mentioned.
The US dollar is a fickle international currency, whose value might change even in the same day. As a result of all this, it is better if you enquire well before exchanging money.
The banks are open Mon.-Fri. 8.45 AM - 1.30 PM and then again usually between 3 and 4 PM.

Traveller's cheques, credit cards, personal bank cheques... paying in Italy

They are not popular in Italy, nor welcomed in many if not most places. If you rely on them, be prepared to go to banks and change the traveller's cheques, or to use your card in the bank ATMs (Automatic Teller Machines). On the other hand, they are a better solution to bringing cash with you, as you will prevent thefts. Banks charge 5-10,000 Ital. Lira (app. 3-6 US$) to change traveller' s cheques.
Credit cards are accepted in Italy (and especially in Rome) in selected places, so use them when you can, but don't rely on them to pay normally.
It is not a good idea to rely on your personal bank cheques. They will not be accepted in Italy, unless the persons or the Company you have to pay know you well. In any case the ones accepting your cheque will have to pay a bank commission to cash the cheque and they will ask you to reimburse it to them. It is also not a good idea to cash Ital. Lira with your personal cheque in banks. You generally need a bank account to do this, and hence you should be resident in the country.

Exchanging on Sundays and holidays

There are also plenty of private exchanges near the popular monuments or sights, and they are open also in the afternoon. We found the best ones in Piazza Barberini. You will find them before and after the corner with Via Veneto. Pay attention, these exhange offices have often (but not always) less favourable rates.
On Sundays the Thomas Cook offices in Piazza Barberini and in Via della Conciliazione (the way to the Vatican) are open in the morning.