Cash or card in Venice?

[Goingonagondola]

Does anyone know if I'm going to need to take lots of cash to Venice (I know pickpockets are an issue so would be in a money belt under clothes) or if I can use my card? Are there plenty of ATMs and do most shops/restaurants accept cards? What about ferries and palaces and things? Thank you!

Take a card. Starling or Monzo have no fees for use abroad.

Exchange rates at cashpoints in Venice were horrendous.

I’d take cash.

Oh and that was using a prepaid card, the exchange rate seemed to be overwritten by the local bank. It’s Caxton we use for holiday money.

If you use a bank ATM abroad, then they will almost always offer to convert it into pounds (at a terrible exchange rate of between 10 and 15 percent above the wholesale rate). Always reject this by selecting decline conversion and then your own bank will do the conversion. If it's a fee free card like Starling then you will get the MasterCard interbank rate (ie the best wholesale rate) and no fees.

And use an ATM (bankomat) owned by an Italian bank. Avoid the blue and yellow Euronet ATMs that are all over Europe. travellingclaus.com/not-use-euronet-atms-travel/

Thank you all, this is so helpful. My credit card is 0% on foreign purchases so should be ok, as long as I pay it off quickly. Though I suppose I can't withdraw cash as that'd be a hefty fee and I think my debit card might have a horrid charge. I love the look of Monzo so maybe I need a little Monzo account before I go. It's literally 3 days so hopefully wouldn't need to take a fortune...