Cards rule, cash is a backup, and tipping stays low-key: everything about paying your way around Rome.
עודכן לאחרונה 23 באוגוסט 2026
In a nutshell: Rome runs on the euro, and card payments work almost everywhere - contactless is the norm, businesses are legally obliged to accept digital payment, and you can even tap your card to ride the metro and buses. Bring your PIN, carry a little cash for small purchases, and remember that tipping stays modest. Back to the planning chapter or check what to pack next.
Rome is close to cashless: tap-to-pay rules, the law obliges businesses to take cards, yet a little cash still comes in handy.
| Topic | What to know |
|---|---|
| Currency | The euro (€) - no need to change money before you fly |
| Cards | Visa and Mastercard accepted almost everywhere, Amex less so |
| Contactless | No PIN needed for small amounts; even pays your bus or metro fare |
| ATMs | Bancomat are everywhere; most cap withdrawals at €250 a day |
| Tipping | Service usually included; a few euros or 5 to 10 percent in smart restaurants |
| Cash | Coins and small notes are the useful ones - larger notes often get refused |
Mastercard and Visa are accepted almost everywhere, Amex less so. By law, businesses must accept digital payment, yet carrying a little cash still pays off. Contactless tap-to-pay is the norm across Rome, and for smaller amounts no PIN is needed. You can even tap your card to ride the metro and buses instead of buying a paper ticket.
Cash still circulates in Rome, so ATMs - bancomat in local parlance - are everywhere. They accept cards tied to the Visa, Mastercard, Cirrus and Maestro systems, and most set a daily withdrawal limit of €250. Check with your bank about charges: each withdrawal typically stacks a currency conversion fee on top of a transaction charge.
Rome treats tipping as a minor affair. Restaurant bills generally already include service; if you want to add something, a few euros in a pizzeria or trattoria, or 5 to 10 percent at a smart restaurant, goes down well. Bars and taxis expect nothing, though many people simply round the bill up.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Colosseum | €18 |
| 48-hour Roma Pass | €32 |
| 24-hour travel card | €7 |
| Auditorium concert ticket | from €10 |
Tourism is booming in Rome again, the city is packed and hotels are booked out months in advance; sky-high demand meets dynamic pricing and room rates go through the roof. The best defence is booking early - the earlier, the better.
Hardly any. Cards work almost everywhere - by law businesses must accept digital payment - and contactless can even pay your public transport fare. Still, a little cash smooths small purchases, and bank-run ATMs (bancomat) are everywhere, most capping withdrawals at €250 a day.
The basics of tipping sit above; the fine print is simple. European card receipts have no tip line, so mention the tip before the card is charged or leave cash. Guides, private drivers and others who spend several hours with you earn around 10 percent when they do a great job, and leaving a euro or three each night for housekeeping is the norm.
Italian prices quietly build in a tax on value added, about 22 percent, and visitors can reclaim most of it. Spend more than €155 at a single shop that joins the refund scheme - buys at different shops do not combine - and ask the merchant to complete the refund form, for which a picture of your passport is generally enough. Keep the form with the original receipt, and do not use the goods before you leave.
On your final leg inside the EU, normally the airport, customs stamps the documents - allow generous time and keep the purchases accessible. A refund service such as Global Blue or Planet then pays you out, typically keeping about 4 percent for cash or a card credit; otherwise the stamped form goes to the shop by mail.