Foreign exchange guide to Greece and the Euro (EUR)
The euro (ISO: EUR) is involved in slightly more than 30% of all foreign exchange deals, and as such, is the world’s second most traded currency, behind the US dollar.
The euro is the currency of the eurozone (officially called the ‘euro area’), which consists of 19 of the 28 member states of the European Union, and is used by almost 350 million Europeans. It was introduced in January 1999.
Of all the thousands of exchange rates that exist in the world, the euro-to-US dollar exchange rate is the most actively traded, or most ‘liquid’.
Since its introduction, the euro’s lowest value against the dollar came in October 2000 when EUR/USD hit lows of 0.8231. The currency was strongest in July 2008, shortly before the worst stage of the 2007-2009 financial crisis, when EUR/USD reached 1.6038.
There are currently more than twenty nations and territories which peg their currencies to the euro, the largest of which is Denmark.
The euro is currently a more appealing investment than the US dollar as fiscal support and COVID-19 containment open the door to a faster paced recovery than what is likely in the US. With current USD weakness and strong long-term prospects for the European Union, there is speculation that the euro could be a contender as the world’s new reserve currency. In the short term the euro could be susceptible to swings, however in the longterm the euro has very good prospects. The currency is poised to move above 1.1850 and extend toward 1.20 in coming weeks.
In mid-July euro strengthened four-month highs (around 1.15 against the US dollar) as european leaders delivered a difficult agreement on a coronavirus rescue package to help member states manage the economic downturn. The historic stimulus package will see the bloc issue 750 billion euros (US$860 billion) of joint debt and is seen by market commentators as positive for the euro.
The Euro spent 2019 on a downwards trajectory, starting the year with highs at US1.1550 but then slid all year until October where it bottomed out at US$1.09 on Oct 1, close to long-term lows. Since then it has climbed back over the 1 year average of US1.11 towards US1.15.
For more EUR currency market forecasts you can read the full article Euro Forecasts. The below interactive chart shows the USD to EUR exchange rate, trend and recent alerts for the last 90 days.
| USD/EUR rate | Change | Period |
|---|---|---|
| 03 Aug 2020 : 0.8503 | 0.2% ▲ | 1 Week |
| 11 Jul 2020 : 0.8850 | 3.8% ▼ | 30 Days |
| 12 May 2020 : 0.9220 | 7.6% ▼ | 90 Days |
| 11 Aug 2019 : 0.8922 | 4.5% ▼ | 1 Year |
| 12 Aug 2015 : 0.8963 | 5% ▼ | 5 Years |
| 13 Aug 2010 : 0.7834 | 8.7% ▲ | 10 Years |
Converted at USD/EUR wholesale exchange rate, compare foreign transfer and spend/travel exchange rates.
The domestic currency in Greece is the Euro.
The three letter currency code for the Euro is EUR — symbol is €.
It is the domestic currency in Eurozone, Aaland Islands, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, French Guinea, French Southern Territories, Germany, Greece, Guadeloupe, Vatican City, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Martinique, Mayotte, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Portugal, Reunion, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain.
No, the Euro is freely available and convertible. See guide: What is a closed currency?
Although the news has been full of negative stories about the financial and immigrant crises which have engulfed Greece in recent years, there are still many reasons to visit this delightful country. From its stunning beaches and superb mountain scenery to great food, astounding history and, above all, its warm Hellenic welcome. It is also a very affordable country to travel in. As one of the continent’s most popular destinations during the summer times, people from around the world flock to its famous islands for the sun, and to the cities for the history.
Greece is known for its food. Restaurants will cost about 20 EUR for a nice dinner, even in the tourist area. If you add wine, expect to pay about 30 EUR. A meal at a very luxurious restaurant will begin at 30 EUR.
The currency used in Greece is the Euro. You can find ATMs in every major town and city, and practically every inhabited Greek island has at least one machine. You will find ATMs in supermarkets, airports, ferry ports, metro stations and other public places. You will be able to use your credit cards in shops and hotels, fuel stations and shops up and down the country. When it comes to bars and tavernas though, you may need to check their machine is working. You would be surprised at how many card machines are faulty in these places when they work perfectly everywhere else.
Because Greece has a lot of islands, you will be dealing with lots ferries and boats. Expect to spend an average of 36 EUR per a trip, though you could spend as little as 12 EUR if the islands are really close together. From Athens, most ferries to the islands costs around 60 EUR. Slow, overnight island ferries begin at 13 EUR. Buses and trains around the mainland are around 20 EUR. It’s 1.20 EUR for a single ride on the Athens train system.
Many people go to Greece for the islands but the mainland has a great deal to offer, from the imposing Pindus mountain range in the north to the empty golden beaches of the western Peloponnese. It also boasts the greatest number of archaeological sites.Travelling between the main towns is easy on the comprehensive KTEL bus network, with local services radiating out to villages.You can also make use of the limited but extremely cheap national rail service for a number of key destinations. Greece is a cheap country and even cheaper when you get out of the touristy Greek islands or popular destinations. Head off the beaten path and you will usually see prices drop by 30% or more.
Eating is casual in Greece. Look for restaurants where the locals are eating, as the food will be much better. Just remember that Greeks eat late, often after 10pm. Always ask for local barrelled wine, which is cheaper than bottled, or try a fiery spirit such as ouzo or tsipouro. Likewise, don't be fobbed off with bottled water, as what comes out of the tap is perfectly drinkable. Punctuality is not considered a big issue in Greece. There is a healthy Mediterranean belief that most things can be put off and nothing needs to be done in a hurry. So don't expect service in a restaurant to be too snappy or transportation always to run like clockwork.
Save money and time by Ordering your Euro online from Travelex, you get better rates and can pick up the EUR cash locally or even on travel day at the airport.
Another popular option is to use a Pre-paid Travel Card. Your Debit/Credit Card provider will charge you 2% from market mid-rate, but your bank may also charge an extra 3% as an “Overseas Transaction Charge” plus “Overseas ATM” fees for withdrawing cash.
For card purchases if offered a choice of currencies always select to Pay in Euro otherwise you may get much worst exchange rates.
When searching around for information on how to get a good exchange rate when sending money to Greece you need to start with finding out the latest Euro exchange rate for foreign-transfers, which can be very different to the wholesale rate.
Then compare your bank's exchange rates to several licensed FX providers exchange rate and fees to see how much you can save - we make that calculation easy in the below table.
When sending money to Greece it’s important to compare your bank’s rates & fees with those we have negotiated with our partner money transfer providers. To get a better deal you should follow these 4 simple steps :
Use the above Send to Euro calculator to compare the exchange rates of FX specialist providers rates versus your bank's standard rates you can hopefully save around 5% and maybe more - end result is more Euro deposited into the recipient bank account and less margins and fees kept by the banks!