Where is the best place to change a large amount of USD to Euros before my trip?

I will need a large amount of Euros before I reach my destiniation (Rome) so I can pay for my hotel upon arrival. I bank at Washington Mutual, but the branch that will change my USD is not close to me. I am looking for options other than changing at the airport. Your suggestions are greatly appreciated.|||I would try to pay the most of it with a credit card, at the hotel otr restaurant or shops, carry as few cash as possible and keep your creditcard zand other valuables as close to yourself as possible. If you have to change money, do it at home, any bank, the airport and hotles do profit from the exchange. If i where you i would try to take as few cash as possible and take if cash nesseceray from a local atm or even from a local bank at your destination.


Good luck and save journey.|||Good luck and save journey

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|||the airport|||I would put all my money in a debit account that I could draw on at the airport. Generally you get the best rates at the airport or local banks than the hotel itself. You can just pay the hotel by credit or debit card and there is NO conversion hastle for you--Visa or MasterCard handles it.





I did this for our trip to Ireland and Scotland and it worked great. Whenever I needed more money, I went to an ATM in the country I was in.|||ATM in Rome and American Express or WaMu at home (I withdrew from my Chicago account and exchanged at the local AmX)...





I got a good rate exchanging at AmX for a few hundred euros before going to Rome myself, but afterwards I did by ATM. I got market rate plus a 7 dollar fee (pretty good)





I really believe in ATMing in Italy. I got a rate of 1.21 as of last week. Places there are doing at least 1.26 plus fees, so you're losing a lot if you're exchanging in hundreds.|||airport in your country