Can you use US dollars in Italy?

Answer 1

Italy is part of the European Union and uses the euro, the common currency of that confederation.

While US dollars are sometimes acceptable you'll usually get a terrible exchange rate from merchants, hotels, etc. because the euro is almost as widely used in the world and is perceived by some to be becoming a stronger currency. Trying to pay a bill with US dollars in Europe is becoming about as common as trying to pay a bill in the US by using British pounds; i.e. not at all.

It's far better to use a credit card or take euro cash out of an ATM, provided you're careful about minimizing any surcharges imposed by the banks involved. Some credit cards charge 2 to 5% for converting between euros and dollars, and some banks impose a similar fee when withdrawing from an ATM, so you'll need to shop around.

Answer 2

No - the currency for most European countries is the Euro. You would need to convert dollars to Euros at a bank or bureau de change.