You will need to pay for things either by credit/debit card or Euros. US dollars are not accepted anywhere.
Credit Cards
Credit cards and Debit Cards are accepted just about everywhere in Greece including cabs, restaurants, and all hotels.
Important Note: You should bring a few different credit cards if you have them. I have run into vendors at times that fail to accept my card and I will switch to another one.
If you want to save money while using credit cards follow the tips below;
- Ensure that you have a debit/credit card with no foreign transaction fees. Most cards do have them and they can be as high as 3%. I always recommend Capital One cards since most of their cards have no foreign transaction fees. CITI, Chase, and many others often charge fees. To see if your card has these fees, just put your full credit card name into Google with the phrase “foreign transaction fees”, and you will get a quick answer (i.e. “Citi Double Cash credit card foreign transaction fees”).
- If you are asked by the merchant whether to charge in Euros or Dollars, always select Euros since there are additional fees if you charge in dollars.
- I would leave the Discover card and the AMEX at home, Discover is almost never accepted and the Amex is not accepted at several places due to the high fees.
Cash
You will also need a little cash for some purchases, I usually start with 200 to 300 Euros, which you can get at AAA before you leave if you are a member. There are also many currency exchange booths at the airports however, their fees can be a bit high, so if using these, be sure you limit your transactions. You should be able to use your ATM card in most parts of the country (see below).
ATM Cards
Using these to get cash is much better than getting cash at currency exchange booths. I would recommend bringing your ATM/Debit card which most likely can be used at most ATMs in Greece. This will also give you a fair exchange rate without erroneous fees. This is the most economical way to get cash while in Greece.
Just like in the US, try to use bank ATMS versus those in the corner of a convenience store, since those will have their own high fees.