Wondering if ATMs and places like restaurants shops in Vatican City easily take American Express or its better to get a Visa or Mastercard
You might get lucky with Amex at a higher-end Vatican gift shop, but I wouldn’t count on it. Even in the museum, I had to switch to Mastercard to complete my transaction. None of the major ATMs near the Vatican (Intesa, UniCredit, BNL) showed Amex logos. Bottom line: Visa or Mastercard is the norm in and around Vatican City, and Amex is hit or miss at best.
Amex is kind of useless around the Vatican. I tried it at a restaurant just outside the Vatican wall on Borgo Pio and got a hard no. All the ATMs I tried - UniCredit, BNL, even a Poste Italiane in Rome - refused to process my Amex. My Visa debit worked fine everywhere. If you’re headed to the Vatican zone, just leave Amex out of the plan unless it’s your backup.
Inside the Vatican Museums, I tried Amex and it was declined at both the cafe and the gift shop. Not surprising. Used my Mastercard right after and it worked without a hitch. Same story at the Intesa ATM in Rome outside the Vatican wall - no Amex option. Vatican acceptance is patchy at best for Amex. Bring a Mastercard or Visa to be safe, especially for entry tickets and gift shops.
Tried Amex at a Vatican bookstore and they politely shook their heads. Most shops and cafes near St. Peter’s - definitely the ones inside Vatican attractions - didn’t take it. Visa worked everywhere. Even ATMs outside the Vatican like UniCredit and Intesa didn’t support Amex. So if you're visiting Vatican City, just use Visa or Mastercard - it’s way safer and more accepted.