Going to Greece for 2 weeks July 2015...

Masala

What advice would you have in relation to Euro???

Should I bring 2 weeks of CASH.... ????? Is the €60 max withdrawal on ATM apply to overseas cards?????

Has anyone returned recently????

Am worried in carrying over €2000 in cash.....

Any advice

Eponymous

I always find the British Foreign Office provides the best information.

Today their advice is:

FCO wrote:

While banks are closed in Greece and some withdrawals are limited, make sure you take sufficient euros in cash to cover the duration of your stay, emergencies, unforeseen circumstances and any unexpected delays. You should take appropriate security precautions against theft. There are currently no restrictions on taking unspent euros out of Greece at the end of your stay.

So basically take what you need cash-wise - you can still use Visa Debit/Credit cards there too. Obviously take care for pickpockets - tourists may be seen as a handy source of much needed cash!

coylemj

The €60 limit on ATM withdrawals only applies to locals. In practice the limit for locals is €50 because they're only filling the machines with €50 notes. As a tourist you need to be aware that a lot of the ATMs will get emptied by locals who queue up to withdraw today's allowance at a minute past midnight so it's possible that by the time you get to them in the early morning, they have been cleaned out. You may attract the attention of pickpockets and muggers by gong to an ATM in the afternoon because it will identify you as a tourist and with no limit on your potential withdrawal, you would be an attractive target so exercise caution and I wouldn't go to an ATM alone.

Try to bring mostly €10 and €20 notes with you, I heard a Greek guy on TV say that because the ATMs are dispensing nothing but €50 notes, there is now a severe shortage of smaller notes and the banks are all closed which means that retailers can't exchange the bigger notes for a float of smaller ones.

Expect to be asked to pay cash for everything, some retailers are suspicious of credit cards in case the banking system collapses and they end up getting paid in Drachmas.

katydid

Masala wrote: »

What advice would you have in relation to Euro???

Should I bring 2 weeks of CASH.... ????? Is the €60 max withdrawal on ATM apply to overseas cards?????

Has anyone returned recently????

Am worried in carrying over €2000 in cash.....

Any advice

I was there for the first two weeks of June, and even then, a lot of places wouldn't take credit cards, so we ended up withdrawing a lot of cash. Theoretically, foreigners can withdraw more than the 60 euro a day Greeks are limited to, but I can't see the banks giving out money for much longer.

I think you have no choice but to take cash. The average cost for an evening meal, starters, main course and a drink for two is about forty euro, and drinks are not far off Irish prices. You can get cheap lunches, gyros or whatever for two or three euro. Multiply that by however many days you're there...

I'm not saying they won't take credit cards, but most didn't, and the others were extremely reluctant.

katydid

Eponymous wrote: »

I you can still use Visa Debit/Credit cards there too.

Depending where you are, it can be very difficult.

Atlantic Dawn

You could also get money sent via Western Union along with ATM withdrawls...

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/07/us-greecebanks-western-union-idUSKCN0PH1F420150707

katydid

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

You could also get money sent via Western Union along with ATM withdrawls...

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/07/us-greecebanks-western-union-idUSKCN0PH1F420150707

Do they have offices? How do they get the money to people? If it's through the banks, the banks are closed...

Atlantic Dawn

katydid wrote: »

Do they have offices? How do they get the money to people? If it's through the banks, the banks are closed...

They have locations across Greece, seperate from the banks, details of locations here. You show your ID, either passport or driving licence and you receive the money that was sent to you.

http://locations.westernunion.com/search/greece/attica/athens

katydid

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

They have locations across Greece, seperate from the banks, details of locations here. You show your ID, either passport or driving licence and you receive the money that was sent to you.

http://locations.westernunion.com/search/greece/attica/athens

Ah ok. thanks. Seems to be mainly post offices.

You have to wonder, though, how realistic that would be. The post offices presumably get their money from the banks and if the banks are closed.

Atlantic Dawn

katydid wrote: »

Ah ok. thanks. Seems to be mainly post offices.

You have to wonder, though, how realistic that would be. The post offices presumably get their money from the banks and if the banks are closed.

Yes I would use your cash as Plan A, ATM as Plan B and Western Union as Plan C.

Nodge1965

make sure western union is working for greece. I tried it about 10 days back and transferring money to greece didnt seem to be an option at the time