All of the countries that we will visit use the Euro as currency, with the exception of Croatia. Croatia uses the Kuna. Now for a bit of trivia..."kuna" means marten, a weasel like animal, whose fur Croats used for payment many centuries ago!
Ken & I plan to get some US dollars exchanged for Euros before our departure. Note that credit cards (Visa and MasterCard much more than American Express) are accepted in most shops & restaurants worldwide. Just a note regarding credit cards: note that credit cards with chips rather than magnetic strips are more common in Europe; so you may not be able to get cash from an ATM unless your card has a chip. Not all US credit card companies issue cards with chips but we were able to get one from a credit union last year prior to our overseas trip. It is very easy to use ATMs in Europe to withdraw local currency and the charge is minimal; just be sure that you have a 4-digit PIN. As far as "spending money", cash is needed for some street vendors' touristy items, private tours and for taxis, etc. Remember that tour guides are usually given a tip... it can be in US dollars or Euros for ship's tours; for private tours, it should be in local currency.
Please be sure to let your credit card company know that you will be abroad. Also, have a way to secure your money and credit cards (i.e., inside shirt, belt, etc.) I usually take a small backpack with handwipes, lipgloss, camera, sunscreen, water, etc., but have my money, credit card, etc. close to my body.
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