What would you do in my circumstance? I need to pay 500 euros cash to rent our Rome apartment. However, I will be in Italy for over a week, including 2 days in Umbria right before Rome.

So I don't really want to carry all those euros with me through the trip, unless that's the easiest way. And I think that exceeds the amount I can take out of an ATM for one day, right? What about traveller's checks? Are they easy enough to cash at any bank?

Thanks for all your advice!

That is more than you can usually take out of one ATM at one time. But as long as you speak to your bank ahead of time to confirm and/or increase your daily limit, you can make multiple withdrawals either out of the same machine or 2 or 3 different ATMs.

We found a 200 Euro limit per transaction in Italy. But we also found that we could make repeat transactions at one machine, drawing 200 Euro per transaction.
Travellers cheques are really pretty obsolete.

Last October, we did exactly as Peter did. At one of our hotels in Rome (Residenza Canali), we received a discount for paying cash, and since we stayed 4 nights, we had to have almost 700 €. We just took out the ATM max each day of our visit in Rome. We also paid cash for 5 nights at the Ca d'Andrean in Manarola (Cinqueterre), and did the same thing -- with no problems.

Ask your bank to raise your limit. Mine lets me take out 500 euro per transaction if I ask ahead. Or do multiple transactions during a single day or over several days.

Traveller's checks are worthless except for dire emergencies.

But isn't there a limit on a single withdrawal on each machine? So you make multiple withdrawals, maybe on multiple machines. Sounds like you'll have time to do this ahead of your arrival in Rome. Just beware of the macines running out of money on a Sunday.

For dire emergencies I'm counting on my credit card. (Must check if they've lowered my credit limit.)

As I said - "<I>you can make multiple withdrawals either out of the same machine or 2 or 3 different ATMs.</i>"

There is usually no need to stretch this out or carry all that extra cash over more than one day. Just use the same machine again or step to a nearby one for a 2nd (or 3rd if needed) withdrawal.

I don't like to carry large amounts of cash either, but I would suggest calling your bank to see if they can raise your maximum daily withdrawal. If not, you should withdraw the cash when you are in Umbria. Are you traveling w/ others? Can they take money out as well to total the 500 you need?

I'm not crazy about travellers cheques personally..I find that it takes too long when it comes time to use them.

Cheers!!