Cash or card in Athens — what do locals actually use?

Greeks use cards for most transactions now, but cash still matters in specific situations. Tavernas and kafeneions in residential neighborhoods — Kypseli, Exarchia, Pangrati — frequently run card-free, and the same goes for street food vendors, laiki (weekly street markets), and smaller kiosks called periptera. The metro, trams, and buses require a transit card loaded with credit, bought at station machines that accept both cash and card. Museum admissions, larger restaurants, and any tourist-facing business near Monastiraki or Syntagma will take Visa and Mastercard without issue. American Express is still hit-or-miss. Practically speaking, carry 50-80 euros in small bills — tens and twenties, not fifties if you can help it, since smaller places struggle to make change. ATMs are genuinely everywhere in the center; use your bank's partner network or expect a 3-5 euro surcharge per withdrawal. The locals themselves largely tap their phones or cards, but they also know which corner taverna only takes cash.

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