Page 236 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sicily

234  SUR VIV AL GUIDE

Banking and Local Currency

Most hotels, restaurants, shops and petrol stations accept
major credit cards. Those paying with a credit card may be
asked to show identification, such as a passport. Foreign
currency can be changed in banks, although these are often
crowded. All banks will cash travellers’ cheques. Bureaux de
change and foreign exchange machines can only be found in
airports and major towns. ATMs (bancomat) are widespread
and accept most major cards with a PIN number.
A bancomat or automatic
Banks and ATMs teller machine
Bureaux de Change Credit and Debit Cards
ATMs (automatic teller
Banks are generally open from machines) can be found in Major credit cards are widely
8:30am to 1:30pm and 2:30/2:45 major towns, as well as in accepted through out Sicily. VISA
to 3:30/3:45pm from Monday some small villages. To avoid and MasterCard are the most
to Friday. Banking hours are complications, check which popular, while American Express
restrictive and can also be cards the ATM accepts before is often not accepted. Travelling
slightly erratic, so acquire a inserting your card. Costs for with more than one debit (and
small amount of local currency cash withdrawals will be set by credit) card is recommended in
before arriving in Sicily. The your bank. Bear in mind that case one is not accepted.
main bank is Banco di Sicilia, ATMs may run out of notes Some restaurants, cafès and
part of the Unicredit Group. during weekends or before a shops require a minimum
Bureaux de change tend to major holiday. expenditure to accept a credit
give poor exchange rates. The Before travelling, make sure card payment. Always make
bureaux are often open all day, you inform your bank that you sure you have some cash in
and in some places stay open are travelling to Italy, to prevent case your card is not accepted.
until late at night. your card being blocked.
Euro Banknotes Currency
Euro banknotes have seven denominations. The €5 note (grey) is the The euro (€) is the common
smallest, followed by the €10 note (pink), €20 note (blue), €50 note currency of the European
(orange), €100 note (green), €200 note (yellow) and €500 note Union. It went into general
(purple). All notes show the stars of the European Union. circulation on 1 January 2002,
initially for 12 participating
countries. Italy was one of
those 12 countries.
DIRECTORY
Banks and Bureaux
5 euros 10 euros de Change
Banco di Sicilia
Via Roma 314, Palermo. Map 1
C3. Corso Sicilia 36 Ang, Via
Giacomo Puccini, 95131, Catania.
∑ tuttitalia.it/sicilia/29-
50 euros banche
20 euros Palermo Airport
Euro Bank Coins
Banca Nuova
The euro has eight coin denominations: Departures Area Terminal (2nd
€1 and €2; 50 cents, 20 cents, 10 cents, 5 Floor). ∑ bancanuova.it
cents, 2 cents and 1 cent. The €2 and €1 Bureau de change
coins are both silver and gold in colour. Checkin Area A. ∑ gesap.it
5 cents 10 cents Catania Airport
Banca Montepaschi di Siena
Arrival area.
Bureau de change
Ufficio cambio (Arrival area).
∑ sacservice.it
20 cents 50 cents 1 euro 2 euros

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Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Practical template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1.7)
Date 5th March 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm