How much should we carry on us?

[Covey]

The Euro denominated travel cards are an excellent way to carry money. They are either Visa or Mastercard, can be used in virtually every ATM in Spain, and you do not get unpleasant surprises on the exchange rate.

You need to carry two separate methods of getting money if possible, so a Travel Money card and a normal debit card will do.

Sadly the Brits are getting stuffed on the €/£ exchange rate at the moment. Three years ago it was €1.43/£, last year it was €1/£ and this year it is a little better at €1.1/£.

[stainer1986]

Yes please to some one-pot cooking recipes in Logrono Pilgrim.
I intend to start walking from StJPDP in mid July - anyone else planning on starting around then?

[dbird10]

We had expected to be able to use both debit and credit cards on the Camino and were disappointed on both counts. We walked from Roncesvalles and did not use a credit or debit card until Finisterre. My partner and I used ATMs and withdrew about 200 euros at a time. Not all bank machines will accept north american debit cards so we overpaid our Visa so we were in a credit position and took cash advances through ATMs along the way.

[Covey]

There are lots of different Spanish banks, some of which like Santander are very large banks with overseas branches, and some are small "local" savings banks.

When using your card in a Spanish ATM, check to see if the ATM has the Visa or Mastercard logo. If it does not, then it probably will not accept your cards, or give you any money.

I always use Santander as there is always one in the center of the main towns and cities.

If you are arriving in Spain from the "Americas" make sure you have told your bank that you are going to be in Europe withdrawing cash and the dates you will be away from.

Standing in the rain in some remote Spanish town trying to phone your US banks customer relations desk to ask why your card does not work in Spain ain't much fun.. Every year I come across people having problems with US issued cards.

Europeans do not appear to have these problems because the card companies assume we travel a lot around Europe.

[Franky]

Yes please to some one-pot cooking recipes in Logrono Pilgrim.
I intend to start walking from StJPDP in mid July - anyone else planning on starting around then?

I'm starting July 10th, from usa to Madrid to Pam or STJPDp which ever I figure out how to do when im there

[HuskyNerd]

Good to remember that there are some stretches of the Camino in which ATMs are scarce. I left Leon with too little cash in hand and discovered I was flat broke when I got to Rabanal since I couldn't find a convenient ATM in Astorga. Fortunately the restaurant at Rabanal accepted a credit/debit card, so at least I could eat. But I actually wasn't able to get cash until Ponferrada since the Molinaseca ATM was out of order. I was able at least stay overnight and eat with a credit card at La Posada Hotel there. Anyway, it's good to look at the map, consider what size towns are ahead for the next few days, and plan ATM visits accordingly.

[mosesmew]

Hi , Since I have never used any of these cards, dumb question: Do you get a print out telling you the "balance", of $$ let on card when you withdraw funds? Also, can I purchase them in the Airport (London),or only banks? Thanks! N~

[Covey]

There are a number of cards that people use along the Ways.

The standard bank Debit Card allows you to draw cash from any UK/French/Spanish ATM which displays the Mastercard/Visa logo and the money in local currency is debited from your bank current account back home. The exchange rate and charges vary between banks. My bank does not charge me a fee for using my card overseas and the exchange rate is reasonable, but the overseas bank will charge a fee for using the ATM which will be debited to your home bank account.

Some use a credit card to withdraw cash but often the exchange rate is not so good and again there are fees for each transaction. What you draw from the ATM's is debited from your credit limit on the card, and you have of course to make arrangements to pay the card account when it is presented, even if you are away.

There is a form of bank card which is increasingly available which is a "pre-pay" card where you credit the card with a lump sum before you leave home and this is converted at the time into Euros which sit on the card account until you use them. The advantage of this type of card, often called a Travel Card, is that you have a known and fixed exchange rate before you set off. You usually have to pay a small fee every time you draw cash at an ATM but can also use the card in a shop or hotel if needed as it acts in exactly the same way as a debit/credit card in any Visa/Mastercard terminal.

The ATM machines belonging to the large banks in Spain are multi-lingual and will switch to English in your case when you insert your card.

My Travel card will give me the available balance displayed on the ATM screen, but credit cards do not usually display the available balance.

You need to sort out your cards with your bank before leaving home and tell the bank that you are going to Europe for XX weeks, otherwise your Canadian cards might not give you any money in Spain. The UK banks assume that their customers are going to wander around Europe so our cards will work OK, but Canadian and USA banks do not assume that their customers will travel abroad, and therefore tend to block requests for cash against bank cards UNLESS you have told the bank that you are going to travel to Europe.

[mosesmew]

I'll check into this with my Bank! Thank you.....

[Rod]

I have just tried out the CAXTON currency card, once the account is set up it can be loaded via text message they give a good rate of exchange and no ATM charges. I will be taking this plus my debit card and a credit card as an emergency back up