The Netherlands · Amsterdam
- Weather in September
- Daytime high 64–70°F · evening / night low 52–57°F.
- Currency: the euro (€). Amsterdam is the easiest city of the trip for cards — use a card for most purchases (restaurants, museums, hotels, shops, transit).
- Carry only a small amount of euro cash for tips, small cafés and markets. If you need cash, use a bank ATM; avoid the currency-exchange booths, whose rates are usually worse.
- Pack as for the rest of the trip: short-sleeve shirts for the day, a light jacket or sweater for cooler evenings, and comfortable walking shoes.
Poland · Kraków
- Weather in September
- Daytime high 68–73°F · evening / night low 50–55°F.
- Currency: the Polish złoty (PLN). Do not exchange a large amount before you go.
- Bring a Visa or Mastercard with no foreign-transaction fee and use it for most things.
- Cash is needed most for restrooms, tips, and small shops. Pull 300–500 PLN from a reputable ATM after you arrive.
Hungary · Budapest
- Weather in September
- Daytime high 72–76°F · evening / night low 54–57°F.
- Currency: the Hungarian forint (HUF / Ft) — not the euro for daily purchases. Some tourist spots take euros, but at poor rates.
- Do not exchange a large amount beforehand. Plan on roughly 30,000–50,000 HUF (about $85–$140).
Croatia · Dubrovnik
- Weather in September
- Daytime high 80–82°F · evening / night low 75–77°F.
- Currency: the euro (€).
- When paying by card or using an ATM, choose to be charged in EUR, not USD — decline “dynamic currency conversion” if it is offered.
- Bring and use euros, pay by card where possible, about €100–€200 total cash.
Italy · Rome, Florence & Venice
- Weather in September
- Daytime high 82–84°F · evening / night low 75–77°F.
- Currency: the euro (€). Do not do a large currency exchange before the trip.
- Bring a no-foreign-transaction-fee credit card, use it for most purchases, and pull a small amount of euros from a bank ATM after arrival — about €100–€200 total cash.