Money & Measurements
Italy's official currency is the lira. The rate of exchange between U.S. dollars and the lira fluctuates, sometimes significantly, though the exchange rate has recently remained relatively constant around 1550 Italian lire to one U.S. dollar. Check the financial pages of a major city newspaper for the most current rate. (This rate will be a bit higher than the rate you'll actually get.) The lira comes in both coins and paper bills and in many denominations. Beware that Italians sometimes quote prices dropping the last three zeroes, so that instead of 10,000 lire you might just hear "10 lire."Usually the cheapest and easiest way to obtain money abroad is with your home town ATM bank card using the Cirrus and/or Plus systems. To use your bank card, make sure you get a four-digit PIN access code before leaving on your trip. In Italy, look for bank ATMs marked "Bancomat 3." Even if you do have Cirrus/Plus, you may want to carry traveler's checks as a backup. Certainly everyone will find credit cards useful and they often, though not always, provide you with the best exchange rates. Banks are normally open weekdays 8:30 AM-1:30 PM, and some reopen 2:30-3:30 PM.
The metric system is in use throughout Italy.