Best travel cards for Italy (UK guide)

Using travel cards is one of the safest and most practical choices for managing your money while traveling abroad. They offer security, reliability and make it easier to stick to your budget. If you're planning a trip to Italy, a travel money card could be an excellent way to handle your spending.

In this guide, we’ll help you find the best travel card for Italy. We’ll compare their features so you can choose the one that best suits your spending habits and needs. We’ll also provide some general travel tips for Italy.

We’ll also show you a cost-effective way to manage your spending in Italy. For international purchases, whether online or in person, you can rely on the Wise international debit card. You can even withdraw euros like a local for low fees* at the mid-market exchange rate.

Learn more about the Wise debit card

What is a travel card?

A travel card, or a travel money card, is a payment method that you load with foreign currencies and mainly use when abroad. Aside from purchases, it can also be used for ATM withdrawals overseas. Unlike travel credit cards, which offer various rewards and benefits but typically don’t hold foreign currency, travel money cards are designed specifically for international spending.

Travel cards have many advantages, with safety being the most significant one. In case someone steals your card, they won't have access to your main account funds, since you're only adding a certain amount of money. Also, travel cards are specifically designed for use while traveling and they often feature lower foreign transaction fees compared to standard debit or credit cards.

An added advantage is that you can only spend the amount you've loaded onto the card, making it easier to stick to your budget.

Best travel cards - a quick comparison

Let’s compare a few of the best travel cards for Italy (and how these measure up with the Wise debit card) and point out their differences:

The Wise debit card is not a travel money card, but a clever debit card that automatically converts your pounds into local currency whenever you spend – so you won’t need to convert your money before spending. Similarly to travel money cards, the Wise debit card enables you to spend overseas and withdraw cash from foreign ATMs.

FairFX currency card²

The FairFX currency card is a prepaid Mastercard that lets you hold funds in 20 different currencies, including euros. Being a Mastercard, it’s accepted at virtually all locations where cards are used, making it a great choice for travel.

The card comes in both physical and virtual formats, so you can easily add it to your mobile wallet. It’s also easy to order - just click 'Create Card' in the Cards section of their website. However, a minimum balance of £50 is required before you do this.

The FairFX card doesn’t come with any monthly fees, card issuance charges or foreign transaction fees.

Travelex Travel Money Card⁴

The Travelex contactless travel card is an excellent choice for trips to Italy for various reasons. First, it supports 22 currencies, euros included. It also comes with free top-ups, ATM withdrawals and foreign transactions.

This card has a £500 daily ATM withdrawal limit and a spending limit of £3,000. You can top it up in-store, online or via the Travelex Money app whenever you need to. The minimum load amount is £50.

You can use this card at millions of retailers and businesses around the world, including in the UK. You can order it online for delivery or pick it up at any Travelex store. You need to be at least 18 years old and have a government-issued photo ID.⁵

Sainsbury's Bank Travel Money Card⁶

Another good option is the Sainsbury’s Bank travel card. This free card lets you use up to 15 currencies, including euros. It automatically detects your location and chooses the adequate currency, which makes it great for travelling.

You can either pick up the card the same day from a local in-store bureau or have it delivered to your home address within 8 days. To collect it in -store, select 'order for collection' on their website. To have it sent to you, choose 'order for delivery' instead.

This travel card uses the Mastercard exchange rate, with better rates for Sainsbury’s Nectar members. There are no foreign transaction or ATM withdrawal fees, except those imposed by banks separately.

With the dedicated Sainsbury’s Bank Travel Money Card app, you can easily manage your finances on the go.

Post Office Travel Money Card⁷

The Post Office Travel Money Card is a contactless prepaid Mastercard designed to be used outside the UK. It’s a convenient way to store euros before your trip to Italy, or any other of the 22 supported currencies.

You can order the card in one of three ways: in-branch, on the official website or through their app. If you apply in person, you’ll receive the card the same day, while online applications take 2-3 working days to process.

If you run out of funds during your stay in Italy, topping up is easy. You can do this through the app or the official Post Office website, with a limit of £5,000 at once.

Travel tips for Italy

Before you head off to Italy, here are a few helpful tips to keep in mind.

Although the share of cash payments in Italy has been declining over the years, it remains relatively high, with around a quarter of all payments still made in cash. Currently, debit cards are the most popular payment method among Italians. That said, travel money cards will be particularly useful during your stay in Italy, offering a convenient and secure way to make payments in both cash and card-based settings.⁸

When it comes to ATMs in Italy, you'll easily find them in any major city. The withdrawal limit per transaction is usually between €250 and €1,000. Keep in mind that this may differ from your travel card's cap. Also, most Italian bank ATMs don’t have any fees, but some charge between €1.5 and €5 per transaction.⁹

Depending on where you're traveling in Italy, you could be at risk of pickpockets. To stay safe, try not to carry large amounts of cash. Also, since the travel money cards we've covered can also be used in virtual form, consider using this as your main payment method.

Travelling abroad? Choose the Wise debit card

That brings us to the end of our guide to the best travel card for Italy. Hopefully, this helps you find the one that suits your needs and makes your travels more convenient.

And if you want another option for spending abroad without worrying about exchange rates and hidden fees, the Wise international debit card could be a great solution.

You can use your Wise card for international payments in 150+ countries, including Italy. It automatically converts your pounds to the currency you need in your destination at the mid-market exchange rate with only a small, transparent currency conversion fee. Open a Wise account online, hold and exchange 40+ currencies and order the Wise card for a one-time fee of £7.

You also get two free ATM withdrawals to the value of 200 GBP each month. After that, there is a charge of 0.5 GBP per withdrawal. There’s also a 1.75% fee on any amount you withdraw above 200 GBP.

Please see the Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise fees & pricing for the most up-to-date information on pricing and fees.

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**Wise will not charge you for these withdrawals, but some additional charges may occur from independent ATM networks.

Sources used:

Sources last checked on date: 04-Dec-2024