Albania: Guesthouses and tour operators often quote prices in euros but hand back change in lek. Carry both, and use Wise's rate as your reference so street exchange offices cannot shortchange you.
Austria: Wise includes a monthly allowance of fee-free ATM withdrawals, then small fees kick in. Take out larger amounts in one go at bank ATMs, and when the machine offers conversion, always choose to be charged in euros.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Use Wise to check the true rate before exchanging cash. Some Sarajevo shops accept euros informally at roughly two marks per euro, but the rate is worse than paying in marks.
Canada: Set it up before traveling and compare the final CAD amount with your existing card. Always carry a second payment method.
Costa Rica: Always choose to be charged in colones, never in US dollars, when a terminal or ATM offers the choice. Dynamic currency conversion in tourist areas can quietly add several percent to every payment.
France: Bank-owned French ATMs rarely add fees, so skip the standalone Euronet machines near tourist sites. When any French ATM or shop terminal offers to convert to your home currency, always refuse and pay in euros.
United Kingdom: You will rarely need a UK cash machine, but if a shop terminal or ATM offers to charge you in your home currency, always decline and choose pounds. That dynamic conversion is consistently the worst rate on offer.
Ireland: Withdraw at AIB or Bank of Ireland branded ATMs, which rarely charge, rather than convenience-store machines that often do. Always choose euros on screen and refuse any offer to convert to your home currency.
Italy: Use bank-branded Bancomat ATMs and always decline the machine's conversion offer. The standalone Euronet ATMs clustered around Italian stations and piazzas charge some of the highest withdrawal fees in Europe.
North Macedonia: Spend your leftover denars before leaving. It is a closed currency that exchange desks abroad rarely touch, and even neighboring countries offer miserable rates for it.
Malta: Keep 20 to 50 euros in cash anyway: Marsaxlokk market vendors, village bars on Gozo and bus drivers with limited change still prefer coins and small notes. Wise withdrawals stay cheap if you remain within the monthly fee-free allowance.
New Zealand: Order a Wise debit card before your trip. It lets you spend in NZD directly from your Wise balance, avoiding foreign transaction fees entirely.
