San Marino
Currency in San Marino: what to use and how to exchange
San Marino uses the euro (EUR, €) and issues its own coins, so you need no second currency if you are coming from Italy. Bring a card for most spending and a few euro notes and coins for small purchases; if you need more cash, an ATM withdrawal is usually cheaper than an exchange counter in the old town.
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GuideSan Marino
Key facts
- Currency
- Euro (EUR, €); San Marino mints its own euro coins
- Fixed ratecheck
- €1 = 1936.27 Italian lira (historic peg, for reference only)
- Cardscheck
- Reported as accepted in most hotels, restaurants and shops in the old town; small bars and stalls may be cash-only
- ATMscheck
- Reported in Città di San Marino and Borgo Maggiore; withdraw in EUR
- Cash to carrycheck
- Some euro notes and coins for small purchases; no set amount needed
- Best exchangecheck
- ATM withdrawal or an Italian bank usually beats an old-town exchange office
- Tipping
- As Italy: round up or leave €1–2 a person
Details
San Marino is not in the eurozone but uses the euro under an agreement with the European Union, and it strikes its own national coins. For a visitor this changes nothing practical: prices are in euro, notes are the standard European ones, and your Italian change is valid here. If you collect coins, San Marino issues are legal tender across the euro area and turn up in normal change, though the commemorative ones are often kept.
The country is small and almost all of it is reached on a day trip from Rimini. That shapes the money question: you will probably arrive with euro already in your pocket, spend a few hours on the ridge, and leave. There is no separate currency to buy and no border where you would need to change money, so the only real decisions are how much cash to carry and where to get more if you run short.
Card acceptance is reported as good in the places most visitors use: hotels, restaurants around Piazza della Libertà, museums and the tower ticket offices. It thins out at the edges, where a coffee at a small bar or a souvenir stall is the kind of purchase where cash is quicker (check). Contactless is common in Italy and works the same way here (check).
If you need cash, use an ATM rather than an exchange counter. Machines in Città di San Marino and Borgo Maggiore are reported to dispense euro (check), and your home bank's rate plus any fixed fee is usually better than the posted rate at a bureau. Decline the machine's own conversion offer if it asks, and let your bank do the conversion. Exchange offices exist in the old town for convenience (check), but their spread is typically wider than a withdrawal.
San Marino's own coins are worth a look if you are interested, but do not plan a trip around buying them. Banks in the old town can handle straightforward exchange during opening hours (check); outside those hours your options are ATMs. Keep a few euro coins for small purchases.
Summary table
| Item | What to expect | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Currency | Euro (EUR, €) | No |
| San Marino coins | Legal tender across the euro area; issued locally | No |
| Cards | Reported as widely accepted in hotels, restaurants and museums; less so at small bars and stalls | Yes |
| ATMs | Reported in Città di San Marino and Borgo Maggiore; dispense euro | Yes |
| Exchange offices | Reported in the old town; rates usually worse than an ATM | Yes |
| Cash to carry | Some euro notes and coins for small purchases | Yes |
| Tipping | Round up or €1–2 a person, as in Italy | No |
Tips
- Arrive with euro from Italy; there is no need to buy a second currency.
- Use an ATM for extra cash and decline the machine's conversion offer.
- Keep small notes and coins for small bars and stalls.
- Ask for the total in euro and check the card terminal shows EUR, not your home currency.
- If you want San Marino coins as a souvenir, ask at a bank rather than paying a premium at a tourist shop.
FAQ
Questions people ask
What currency is used in San Marino?
The euro (EUR, €). San Marino is not in the eurozone but uses the euro under an agreement with the EU and issues its own coins, which are valid across the euro area. You do not need a second currency if you are coming from Italy.
Where is the best place to exchange money in San Marino?
An ATM is usually the cheapest option, because your bank's rate plus a fixed fee normally beats the posted rate at an old-town exchange office. Decline the machine's own conversion offer and let your bank convert. ATM locations and exchange-office availability: check.
Is it better to bring cash or use a card in San Marino?
Use a card for hotels, restaurants, museums and tower tickets, and carry some euro notes and coins for small bars and souvenir stalls. Most visitors arrive with euro from Italy and rarely need to exchange. Card acceptance at smaller places: check.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check