Wondering if ATMs and places like restaurants shops in Greece easily take American Express or its better to get a Visa or Mastercard
Greece is improving with card payments, but Amex acceptance is still limited. Restaurants in Monastiraki and island beach clubs didn’t accept it. Visa/Mastercard worked everywhere, including ATMs and ferries. I budgeted €90-110 per day with meals, metro tickets, and boat trips. If you stick to luxury hotels, Amex might be fine, but if you want authentic tavernas or market shopping, Visa is the better choice. Amex will slow you down in Greece.
In Athens, I could use Amex at Zara and a five-star hotel, but in smaller towns like Nafplio or Meteora villages, it was Visa or nothing. ATMs didn’t recognize my Amex either. Meals were €15-25 with wine, so I kept €50-70 cash daily. Visa was reliable everywhere, even in rural petrol stations. Amex is only for upscale city hotels in Greece. Mastercard and Visa cover everything else.
When I travelled through Santorini and Crete, Amex was spotty. Fancy restaurants overlooking the caldera might accept it, but small tavernas, bars, and souvenir shops didn’t. ATMs charged €2-3 fees and worked only with Visa/Mastercard. I spent around €80-120 per day between ferries, meals, and beach clubs. For Greek islands, cash plus a Visa is essential. Amex worked at one luxury resort but nowhere else.
Greece is more welcoming to cards than it used to be, but American Express is still limited. In Athens, big hotels and touristy restaurants in Plaka took it, but island tavernas often refused. ATMs from Alpha Bank and Piraeus worked fine with Visa/Mastercard, not Amex. Meals are €10-20, ferries cost €30-60, so budget €100 daily. Visa was smooth for both shops and metro tickets. Amex wasn’t worth relying on.