Money & Banking

Let’s talk about money, because this is where people imagine the biggest headache. It’s not.

Here’s the first thing that surprises folks.

So let’s start with the simple version.

Before you leave, get a debit or credit card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees. Plenty of US banks and cards offer them, and it saves you real money on every single purchase.

For cash, use a bank ATM once you’re there (the ones attached to actual banks, not the standalone tourist machines). You’ll get the best exchange rate, and you’ll rarely need much cash anyway. Italy taps and pays like everywhere else now.

Add one travel-money app like Wise or Revolut, and you can hold euros, send money, and pay with great rates, all from your phone. For a lot of people, that combination is the whole banking story.

Now, if you’re staying longer or paying Italian rent and utilities, you might want a local account.

Traditional Italian banks are old-fashioned. They’ll want your codice fiscale, proof of an address, sometimes more, and it can be slow. Charming, but slow.

So most people skip the old way and use an app-bank instead.

N26, Wise, and Revolut open in minutes, right from your phone, with just your passport and codice fiscale. No residency permit, no branch visit, low or no monthly fees. N26 even gives you an Italian IBAN, which landlords and utility companies like.

A couple of notes. Some app-banks give you a non-Italian IBAN (Lithuania, Belgium, and so on), which once in a while a landlord or an Italian system won’t accept. If that matters for you, N26’s Italian IBAN sidesteps it.

And remember your codice fiscale. Any account, traditional or app, will ask for it. One more reason it’s your first errand.

That’s really the whole picture. No drama. A smart card, a travel app, and an app-bank if you need one. Your money works from day one.

Money sorted? Let’s get your phone working.