Where you're paying
What works
Bizum: the rule for tourists
- Bizum requires a Spanish-issued IBAN and a +34 mobile number. Tourists usually can't use it directly.
- Revolut, Wise and other e-money providers allow Bizum top-ups only from inside your Spanish account if they are partnered.
- Some Spanish customers can pay their share for you via Bizum at a restaurant 鈥?e.g. host pays the bill and you reimburse them in cash.
- Merchant fee to receive Bizum is very low (under 0.5%), so merchants prefer it to cards.
Advertisement
How to read results
- Contactless: 99% of card payments in urban Spain are contactless. Foreign Visa/Mastercard work.
- Card minimum: many bars have a minimum spend for cards (鈧? or 鈧?). Sometimes display is missing 鈥?ask before ordering.
- Cash: still the best backup. ATMs at banks are best (avoid Euronet 鈥?see Tool 11).
- Foreign card traps: DCC (Dynamic Currency Conversion) at terminals 鈥?always choose to pay in EUR (not your home currency) to avoid a 3-5% markup.
Limitations
- Some venues quietly refuse to take AmEx or JCB 鈥?bring Visa/Mastercard.
- "Contacto sin contacto" sometimes fails on metalised chip cards from US banks; have backup card.
- Cash-only venues are rare but exist in rural pueblos (esp. Galicia).
FAQ
What's the cashless ceiling? No general cap. Some terminals ask PIN 鈧? for back-up cards only.
Should I get a Bizum-compatible Spanish account?
If staying 8+ days with lots of small-shop interactions, yes. ImaginBank, BBVA, Openbank offer non-resident accounts with debit cards.
Taxi: card or cash? Madrid: card required by law (no surcharge). Barcelona: card accepted, may add 0.5鈥撯偓1. Better signal in-app.