Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - currency exchange

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The dollar will most assuredly not be accepted in most places in Western Europe. Try spending dollars at the Tower of London, at the Louvre etc. and see what kind of a response you will get. In so called soft currency countries, any Western (hard) currency will be taken in the unofficial underground black market. BTW, did you know that several of the islands in the Caribean are still part of European countries (France and Holland) and the official currency is the Euro....and I find it hard to believe that in many of the former British colonies in the Caribean that they are unfamiliar with sterling.

Leslie JP Morgan Chase Bank has a website that will deliver Euro ? to your local Chase branch. That's if you are even near a Chase branch. As I think about it, they will Fed Ex it to you also (I think). The exchange rate is ok. You should go with at least some Euro ?.

VINCE -- One would be crazy to try spending dollars at the Tower of London, at the Louvre, etc. I agree. Go back and reread the original question. Does Leslie need to convert her money to Euros before leaving the states? The answer is NO, unless she really wants to feel warm and fuzzy. We disembarked from a cruise in Harwich, England, and bussed to Heathrow to catch our flight back to the States. The bus driver gladly accepted our dollars in tips, because that's all we had, and didn't flinch a bit. In fact, he was very grateful.

Hey Mike You gave him dollars that are worth $.60 cents to him, nice job!!!

The whole thread has become abrasive for no reason at all. Do you need Euro upon arrival in France? No since currency exchanges and ATM's are readilly available. Is it convenient to have Euro before arrival? Perhaps but you lose quite a bit. If convenience is worth losing $10 on every $100 you convert, that's fine but do remember that European airports, railroad stations and banks have always dealt with currency exchange and it is an everyday thing there. In the US, you cannot walk into any bank and exchange Euro for US dollars in many cases. The banks are not equipped for currency exchange. What is under discussion is an attitude. Sure in many tourist related instances, say tipping the bus driver, they are used to getting US dollars, Euro, Swiss Francs, Japanese Yen, Canadian dollars,, South African Rand. It isn't a big problem as the person can go into any bank and convert the currency no problem. What bothers me and others is the attitude that people should take US dollars, should take US dollar travelers cheques. There is a sign at the Tower of London admission booth specifically stating US dollars are not acceptable. Why? Because obviously people have tried to use them and don't understand why they aren't taken. When Europeans come to the US, they understand this attitude is wrong and rarely make an effort to spend their currency in the US. They know enough to use the ATM's to get US dollars or bring their money in US dollar TC's. As several have said, there is no need to call anybody a fool. It is a wholesome discussion and may shed light on the attitudes of some who have never travelled outside the US.

I'll admit I read only the original question and the last post. Leslie, No need to convert to Euro before you leave. Either: 1) Simply take U.S. cash or travelers checks and go to a bank window in the airport and change $300-500 whatever you are comfortable with, OR 2) Use your ATM debit card in the first machine you come across.

I'd like to show up in Europe with $100 or $200 in Euros -- but I'm having a hard time finding someplace here to buy them (well, I found one place where a Euro cost $1.25 -- not too exciting to me). Any ideas on where to get some starter currency?

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34415390

Type "currency" or "currency AND exchange" into the text box to get many more threads on the subject.

I wait until I arrive in Europe and get local currency from the airport ATM (while I'm waiting for my luggage, oftentimes.) I bring about $200 USD that I can exchange some of on the off chance that I run into ATM problems and cannot use a credit card.

If you really want to have some Euros before you get there, you can exchange $100 or so at your US departure airport. Rates will not be good, but on that small amount, it isn't that big a deal.