Perhaps you are a little confused by the title. But it’s neither a typo nor a clickbait. There is more than one currency in Europe – even if it would be logical for the euro to be the single currency. But no worries we got your back and here is a little Currencies Guide for […]
Perhaps you are a little confused by the title. But it’s neither a typo nor a clickbait. There is more than one currency in Europe – even if it would be logical for the euro to be the single currency. But no worries we got your back and here is a little Currencies Guide for Europe.
The least surprising currency in this list: the euro. In 20 of the 27 member states of the European Union the Euro is the official Currency. These countries form the eurozone, officially referred to as the “euro currency area”. To mention just a few examples: the Euro is valid in Austria, Germany, France, Italy, Greece, and Spain. A list of these 20 Countries you can find here.
The seven Countries which are part of the European Union but have a different currency are: Bulgaria, Czech, Hungary, Poland, Rumania, Sweden and Denmark. Every of these countries has their own currency. In Hungary for example it is the Hungarian Forint (HUF) and in Sweden it is the Swedish Krona (SEK).
All of the countries (except for Denmark) are planning to get the Euro or are already in the process of getting it.
Besides this there is one even more special country: Switzerland. It is located in Europe but politically it is not part of the Union, so it also does not have the euro, neither is it going to get it. Here you will need swiss francs.
Generally you can pay in the bigger European cities with card. But be aware that there are smaller shops, cafes or restaurants that don’t accept cards, especially credit cards and you will need some cash for this kind of situation.
If you have dollars (or other non-European currencies) with you, you can change them at the airports or in the city centers. But there is probably an exchange fee, nevertheless be sure to use the official bureaux de change and do not exchange your money on the street or if the place seems shady to you.
The same applies to withdrawing money: It’s best to always go to ATMs that belong to a bank or are in a bank. In many cities there are ATMs near to attractions, but these are often associated with a high fee. To avoid this, it is best to go to official bank ATMs.