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Money and Tipping
The euro and the other currencies of the Mediterranean, how to pay, and what to tip, country by country.
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The euro and the other currencies of the Mediterranean, how to pay, and what to tip, country by country.
Money
Eleven of the countries on this site use the euro: Portugal, Spain, France, Monaco, Italy (with San Marino and the Vatican), Malta, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Greece and Cyprus. Elsewhere you will need the local currency, though at the leading hotels almost everything goes on the room bill and a card. Checked 31 October 2026.
| Where | Currency | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Slovenia, Greece, Cyprus | Euro (€) | Members of the euro area. |
| Croatia | Euro (€) | Since 1 January 2023, when it replaced the kuna. |
| Monaco, San Marino, the Vatican | Euro (€) | Used by agreement with the European Union. |
| Montenegro | Euro (€) | Used although Montenegro is not in the European Union. |
| Gibraltar | Gibraltar pound (£) | At par with sterling, and British notes are used alongside it. |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Convertible mark (KM) | Euros are not widely accepted. |
| Albania | Lek (L) | Euros are often accepted in the tourist areas. |
| Türkiye | Turkish lira (₺) | Cards are accepted widely in the cities and resorts. |
| Israel | New shekel (₪) | Cards are accepted almost everywhere. |
| Egypt | Egyptian pound (E£) | Carry small notes for tips. |
| Tunisia | Tunisian dinar (DT) | A closed currency: change money on arrival, keep the receipts and change what is left before you leave. |
| Algeria | Algerian dinar (DA) | Cash still matters outside the big hotels. |
| Morocco | Dirham (DH) | A closed currency, changed on arrival; keep the receipts to change dirhams back. |
Paying
Visa and Mastercard are accepted almost everywhere in the euro countries, and contactless payment, including by phone, is the everyday way to pay. American Express is taken at the leading hotels and many restaurants and shops, less often in small places, so carry a second card.
When a card terminal or cash machine offers to charge you in dollars, choose the local currency instead: the conversion it offers is almost always at a worse rate than your own bank’s.
Keep some cash in small notes for tips, cafés, markets and island taxis. Use cash machines inside banks rather than standalone ones in tourist streets.
Visitors from outside the European Union can usually reclaim VAT on purchases from shops that offer tax-free shopping: ask for the form when you pay and have it validated at customs when you leave the EU.
Tipping
Tipping around the Mediterranean is smaller and quieter than in the United States: service is often included, and a tip is a thank-you rather than an obligation. At luxury hotels, the custom almost everywhere is about €2–5 a bag for the porter, €5–10 a day for housekeeping, and €10–20 for a concierge who goes out of the way for you, or the same in local currency.
| Country | Restaurants | Taxis and drivers |
|---|---|---|
| Portugal | About 5–10%, about 10% in fine dining | Round up |
| Spain | 5–10% for good service | Round up |
| France and Monaco | Service is included; about 5%, 5–10% for exceptional service | Round up |
| Italy | A few euros, up to about 10% for excellent service; check for servizio on the bill | Round up |
| Malta and Slovenia | About 5–10% for good service | Round up |
| Croatia and Montenegro | Around 10% | Round up |
| Greece | 5–10% for good service | Round up, or 5–10% on longer journeys |
| Cyprus | Check for a service charge; otherwise 5–10% | Round up |
| Türkiye | 10–15% if service is not included | Round up |
| Israel | 10–12%, 15% for excellent service, ideally in cash | Round up; ₪10–20 for airport transfers with luggage |
| Egypt | A small extra tip on top of the 12% service charge | Small notes for drivers and guides |
| Morocco | Around 10% in upscale restaurants | About 10 dirhams |
| Gibraltar | Check for a service charge; otherwise about 10% | Round up |
From our customs and etiquette guide, which has the full detail for every country.
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