What Countries Use the Euro? (& Other Accepted Currencies)

One of the most important things to consider when traveling overseas is the local currency. Do you need to exchange money ahead of time? What’s the current exchange rate? These are questions worth answering before you hop on a plane.

Speaking from experience — I once arrived in a foreign country completely unprepared. I didn’t know enough about the currency and ended up getting scammed within minutes of landing. It wasn’t a fun welcome, but it taught me a valuable lesson.

Let’s not dwell on mistakes, though. The key takeaway? Know the currency before you go. Take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with what’s used locally, get a rough idea of everyday prices, and you’ll walk into situations like catching a taxi, booking a hotel, or eating at a restaurant with far more confidence and awareness.

What countries use Euro?

If you’re heading to Europe, chances are you’ll visit a country that uses the Euro (€). This is the official currency of most European Union (EU) member states and a few others that have adopted it for convenience and stability.

That said, not every European country uses the Euro. Some EU members have chosen to stick with their own national currencies, and a few non-EU countries have adopted the Euro unofficially.

Here’s a handy table of countries where the Euro is used:

Country	Country Capital	Currency	Accept Euro?	Continent
Albania	Tirana	Albanian lek	Yes, widely accepted	Europe
Andorra	Andorra la Vella	Euro	-	Europe
Austria	Vienna	Euro	-	Europe
Azerbaijan	Baku	Azerbaijani manat	Not accepted, exchange required	Asia, Europe
Belarus	Minsk	Belarusian ruble	Not accepted, exchange required	Europe
Belgium	Brussels	Euro	-	Europe
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Sarajevo	Convertible mark	Accepted unofficially in some places	Europe
Bulgaria	Sofia	Bulgarian lev	Not accepted, exchange required	Europe
Croatia	Zagreb	Euro	-	Europe
Cyprus	Nicosia	Euro	-	Asia, Politically European
Czechia (Czech Republic)	Prague	Czech koruna	Depending on service	Europe
Denmark	Copenhagen	Danish krone	Depending on service	Europe
Estonia	Tallinn	Euro	-	Europe
Finland	Helsinki	Euro	-	Europe
France	Paris	Euro	-	Europe
Georgia	Tbilisi	Georgian lari	Depending on service	Europe, Asia
Germany	Berlin	Euro	-	Europe
Greece	Athens	Euro	-	Europe
Holy See (Vatican City)	Vatican City	Euro	-	Europe
Hungary	Budapest	Hungarian forint	Depending on service	Europe
Iceland	Reykjavík	Icelandic króna	Depending on service	Europe
Ireland	Dublin	Euro	-	Europe
Italy	Rome	Euro	-	Europe
Kazakhstan	Astana	Kazakhstani tenge	Not accepted, exchange required	Asia, Europe
Kosovo	Pristina	Euro	-	Europe
Latvia	Riga	Euro	-	Europe
Liechtenstein	Vaduz	Swiss franc	Yes, widely accepted	Europe
Lithuania	Vilnius	Euro	-	Europe
Luxembourg	Luxembourg	Euro	-	Europe
Malta	Valletta	Euro	-	Europe
Moldova	Chișinău	Moldovan leu	Yes, widely accepted	Europe
Monaco	Monaco	Euro	-	Europe
Montenegro	Podgorica	Euro	-	Europe
Netherlands, The	Amsterdam	Euro	-	Europe
North Macedonia	Skopje	Macedonian denar	Depending on service	Europe
Norway	Oslo	Norwegian krone	Not accepted, exchange required	Europe
Poland	Warsaw	Polish zloty	Depending on service	Europe
Portugal	Lisbon	Euro	-	Europe
Romania	Bucharest	Romanian Leu	Depending on service	Europe
Russia	Moscow	Russian ruble	Not accepted, exchange required	Asia, Europe
San Marino	San Marino	Euro	-	Europe
Serbia	Belgrade	Serbian dinar	Depending on service	Europe
Slovakia	Bratislava	Euro	-	Europe
Slovenia	Ljubljana	Euro	-	Europe
Spain	Madrid	Euro	-	Europe
Sweden	Stockholm	Swedish krona	Not accepted, exchange required	Europe
Switzerland	Bern	Swiss franc	Depending on service	Europe
Türkiye (Turkey)	Ankara	Turkish lira	Depending on service	Europe, Asia
Ukraine	Kyiv	Ukrainian hryvnia	Not accepted, exchange required	Europe
United Kingdom, The	London	Pound sterling	Not accepted, exchange required	Europe

Table terms

“Not accepted, exchange required”: The euro is not used in day-to-day transactions, even in tourist areas.

Businesses, transport services, and shops typically only accept the official local currency, so you’ll need to exchange your Euros for local money upon arrival or, better yet, before your trip.

While you may be able to find currency exchange booths or withdraw cash from ATMs in the destination country, it’s important not to rely on the Euro being accepted for payments.

Carrying the local currency will help you avoid payment issues and ensure smoother travel.

“Depending on the service”: In some countries that don’t officially use the Euro, certain services, especially those aimed at tourists, may still accept it.

For example, international hotels, car rental companies, or popular restaurants might allow you to pay in Euros even if it’s not the national currency.

However, this is not guaranteed and often depends on the individual business. It’s always safest to carry the local currency or check in advance if Euros will be accepted.

Why the Euro is “widely accepted” in some countries

In certain countries where the Euro isn’t the official currency, it’s still widely accepted, particularly in tourist areas, border regions, or places with strong economic ties to the Eurozone.

This is often due to the country’s reliance on tourism, remittances from citizens working abroad, or the informal use of the Euro in parallel with the local currency.

Examples include:

• Albania – While the Albanian lek is the official currency, Euros are commonly accepted in hotels, travel agencies, and coastal tourist destinations. Many Albanians receive remittances from family members working in the EU, increasing the presence of the Euro in everyday transactions.
• Moldova – In cities and at border crossings, many businesses accept Euros. Remittances from Moldovan citizens working in EU countries make the Euro a familiar and useful currency locally.
• Liechtenstein – Although it officially uses the Swiss franc, its close proximity to Euro-using countries like Austria means that Euros are frequently accepted, particularly in retail and tourism sectors.

Territories that accept the Euro

Several territories outside mainland Europe officially use the euro as their currency due to their political ties to European Union member states. These include overseas territories and autonomous regions of France, Spain, and Portugal.

Territory	Capital	Currency	Administrative country	Continent
Azores	Ponta Delgada	Euro	Portugal	Europe
Canaries	Las Palmas de Gran Canaria	Euro	Spain	Africa
Ceuta and Melilla	Ceuta and Melilla	Euro	Spain	Africa
French Guiana	Cayenne	Euro	France	South America
Guadeloupe	Basse-Terre	Euro	France	North America (Caribbean)
Madeira	Funchal	Euro	Portugal	Europe
Martinique	Fort-de-France	Euro	France	North America (Caribbean)
Mayotte	Mamoudzou	Euro	France	Africa
Réunion	Saint-Denis	Euro	France	Africa
Saint Barthélemy	Gustavia	Euro	France	North America (Caribbean)
Saint Pierre and Miquelon	Saint-Pierre	Euro	France	North America

Although these regions are geographically spread across Africa, the Caribbean, and South America, they are politically linked to eurozone countries, making the euro their official currency.

Tip: try to have some cash on hand before you land!

While some countries may accept Euros in certain situations, it’s always best to get the local currency before you arrive.

This helps you avoid unfavorable exchange rates at airports, limits the risk of scams, and ensures you can pay for essentials like transport, food, or entry fees, especially in places that deal primarily in their national currency.

Having local cash on hand gives you more confidence and flexibility from the moment you land.