Best Places to Spend Crypto in Italy

Best places to spend crypto in Italy

Italy is home to some of Europe’s most authentic crypto-friendly destinations and the best places to spend crypto in Italy span everything from a Ferrari dealership in Maranello to a hillside bar in Rovereto where locals have paid for espresso in Bitcoin since 2014.

Your options are more practical than ever. Destination Venice books custom tours in Bitcoin.

And for everything else, every restaurant, every hotel, every tabaccheria, a UPay crypto card works at any of Italy’s 30+ million PostePay and contactless terminals without requiring the merchant to know anything about cryptocurrency.

This guide covers the best Italy-specific venues by city, the practical tools for day-to-day spending, e.t.c

Read Also: Best Places to Spend Crypto in India

Where can you spend crypto in Italy?

S/NBest Places to Spend Crypto in ItalyCategory
1Destination VeniceTravel
2FerrariAutomobile
3TravalaTravel
4SubwayFood and Drinks
5The Pavillions Hotels and ResortsAccommodation

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1. Destination Venice

Homepage of Destination Venice

Destination Venice is Italy’s first tour operator, and it allows visitors to explore Venice using Bitcoin. The company specializes in experiential activities and custom travel programs across Venice and other parts of Italy. 

With strong partnerships with local suppliers, they provide seamless travel arrangements, exclusive hotel discounts, and 24/7 on-site support. 

2. Ferrari

 Ferrari’s Homepage

Ferrari is a world-renowned luxury automaker known for its high-performance sports cars and rich racing heritage.

As part of its commitment to innovation, Ferrari now accepts cryptocurrency for vehicle purchases. 

The company announced that this payment option would be available at European dealerships from July 2024. This has allowed customers to buy their dream cars using digital assets.

The entry into the European market follows the successful launch of this alternative payment system in the United States less than a year ago, to support dealers in better addressing the evolving needs of its clients.

3. Bitcoin Valley — Italy’s Most Crypto-Friendly Destination

If you want to experience the most genuinely Bitcoin-integrated community in all of Italy and arguably in Europe go to Rovereto, a small city of 40,000 people in the Trentino-Alto Adige region.

This is Bitcoin Valley, the area with the highest density of Lightning Network-accepting merchants relative to its population anywhere in Europe.

Bitcoin Valley was born in 2012 when Marco Amadori, a researcher at the Bruno Kessler Foundation in Trento, gave a TEDx talk about Bitcoin.

A nearby pizzeria agreed to experiment with crypto payments. A newspaper article followed. A bartender and a vegan restaurant owner read it and asked to join.

From that origin story, a circular Bitcoin economy grew organically across Rovereto’s cobblestone streets. Today, 100% of Bitcoin Valley merchants choose to hold their Bitcoin rather than convert it to euros, a meaningful signal of genuine conviction rather than novelty adoption.

What You Can Buy With Bitcoin in Rovereto

  • Mani al Cielo: The first bar in Rovereto to accept Bitcoin. A local institution where the inbitcoin team spends time after work and pays for drinks in sats (the fractional unit of Bitcoin).

    The bar owner has even convinced a local beer producer to accept Bitcoin from him, creating a real circular economy loop.
  • Eredi Marchesi Supermarket (Nova Milanese, Lombardy, near Milan), Italy’s first Bitcoin-accepting supermarket.

    Daily grocery shopping in BTC via Lightning Network POS terminals, powered by inbitcoin and bmanity.it.
  • Local bars, restaurants, ski and snowboard shops, artisan stores, a newspaper stand, a horse-meat butchery, look for the Bitcoin accettato sticker on storefronts across Rovereto’s city centre.

How It Works — The inbitcoin Infrastructure

Inbitcoin, the company behind Bitcoin Valley, provides point-of-sale technology that enables merchants to accept Bitcoin via the Lightning Network, a second-layer payment protocol that makes Bitcoin transactions instant and near-free.

When a customer pays, the merchant receives BTC directly (no automatic conversion to euros, unlike early BitPay integrations). The Altana wallet app handles payments on the customer side.

Practical Travel Tips for Bitcoin Valley

  • Rovereto is 80km south of Innsbruck and 120km north of Verona, easily reachable by train on the main Brenner rail line.
  • Set up a Lightning Network wallet before visiting Phoenix Wallet, Breez, or Blue Wallet all work with the inbitcoin POS terminals
  • Visit bitcoinvalley.eu for an interactive merchant map showing which businesses accept BTC
  • The annual Plan ₿ Forum in nearby Lugano (just over the Swiss border) runs each October and draws 4,000+ crypto attendees from 64 countries, a worthwhile extension to a Rovereto trip

3. Travala

Travala’s Homepage

Travala is a blockchain-based travel platform that makes booking trips to Italy seamless. Its travel guide and discounted rates help travelers easily plan their stays and activities. 

The platform accepts over 100 cryptocurrencies alongside traditional payments. This allows users to book with crypto and earn up to 10% back in Bitcoin.

Subway

Subway’s Homepage

While Subway in Italy doesn’t accept crypto directly, you can enjoy their favorite sandwiches and meals using cryptocurrency through gift cards.

By purchasing Subway gift cards with crypto from select platforms, you can conveniently pay for their orders without local currency.

4. The Pavilions Hotels & Resorts

The Pavillions Italy’s Homepage

The Pavilions Hotels & Resorts is also among the best places you can spend crypto in Italy. It provides luxury stays with a focus on sustainable tourism and community support. 

Guests can also book their accommodations using cryptocurrency, making travel more convenient for crypto holders.

Other Crypto-Friendly Cities Worth Knowing in Italy

1. Rome — National Capital, Growing Ecosystem

Rome has the highest absolute number of crypto ATMs of any Italian city, concentrated around Termini railway station and the EUR business district.

Tourism-focused businesses are gradually adding Bitcoin payment options, particularly tour operators and accommodation.

Use Travala to book crypto-friendly hotels. For everyday spending, a UPay card works at any of Rome’s thousands of POS terminals. Find merchant locations via CoinMap.org.

2. Milan: Finance Hub, Highest Merchant Density

Lombardy (of which Milan is the capital) has Italy’s highest absolute number of Bitcoin-accepting businesses — 149 as of tracked data, with continued growth. 

Eredi Marchesi Supermarket in nearby Nova Milanese is the landmark example.

Milan is also where Intesa Sanpaolo, Italy’s largest bank, has begun offering crypto investment products to its clients, a signal of mainstream institutional acceptance.

Crypto ATMs at Stazione Centrale allow quick conversion on arrival.

3. Florence & Venice: Tourism-Led Adoption

Florence and Venice have seen adoption driven by the tourism sector rather than resident demand. 

Destination Venice is the landmark crypto-accepting business in Venice, Italy’s first tour operator to accept Bitcoin, offering private experiences, hotel discounts, and custom itineraries.

In Florence, crypto card acceptance (via UPay or similar Visa/Mastercard-backed cards) works across all merchant categories without requiring native crypto adoption.

4. Rovereto / Trentino: Bitcoin Valley (Most Genuine)

See the full Bitcoin Valley section above. This is the only Italian location where a genuinely circular Bitcoin economy exists, merchants accept, hold, and spend Bitcoin among themselves.

Highest Lightning Network density in Italy, lowest friction for crypto payments.

5. Bologna — Academic Hub, Crypto Curious

Bologna consistently appears in Statista data as one of the top Italian cities for crypto ATM density and merchant adoption.

Its large student population (home to Europe’s oldest university, the University of Bologna) drives crypto curiosity. Local crypto ATMs are concentrated around Piazza Maggiore and the Fiera district.

Tools for Spending Crypto in Italy

Shot of banknotes and coins

Source: Freepik

Crypto Wallet

A crypto wallet is the first thing you need to hold and manage your digital currencies. Wallets like Upay allow you to store your crypto safely and spend it easily. 

Upay, for example, allows users to securely store and spend their cryptocurrencies. It also offers a convenient platform to convert crypto into fiat when necessary, providing a smooth and accessible way to make payments directly from your wallet. 

Crypto Cards

If you prefer using a card to make payments, crypto cards are a great option. Cards like the ones offered by Upay let you link your crypto to a physical or virtual card.  

This option is particularly useful if you wish to use cryptocurrency for several transactions, from retail shopping to dining out.

This means you can shop in stores, pay bills, or make online purchases just like you would with any regular debit or credit card. 

Crypto Gift Cards

For situations where a merchant does not accept cryptocurrency directly, converting your crypto into gift cards is an excellent solution. 

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Platforms like Bitrefill allow users to exchange their crypto for gift cards, which can then be used at a variety of retailers, both online and in physical stores. 

Crypto ATMs

Crypto ATMs are an easy way to buy and sell cryptocurrency in Italy. These machines allow users to convert cash into crypto or withdraw fiat currency from their digital wallets. 

Major cities like Rome, Milan, and Bologna have several crypto ATMs, making it convenient for both residents and tourists to access digital assets.

Tips for Spending Crypto in Italy

Hand holding golden bitcoin and wallet

Source: Freepik

  1. Stay up to date on Italy’s crypto tax laws, especially the capital gains changes effective from January 2026.
  2. Always confirm that a merchant accepts crypto before making a purchase adoption varies widely between cities.
  3. Use a crypto card like UPay so you can pay at any contactless terminal without needing the merchant to accept crypto directly.
  4. Stick to MiCA-compliant platforms and wallets to avoid issues as Italy enforces stricter EU crypto regulations.
  5. Check CoinMap or BitcoinMap before you travel to locate crypto-accepting businesses and ATMs near your destination in Italy.

Challenges of Spending Crypto in Italy

1. Changing Regulations and Taxes

As stated earlier, Italy is introducing new rules under the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) Regulation. This means stricter requirements for crypto exchanges and payment providers. 

Additionally, there have been significant changes to crypto taxation in Italy. The 2025 Budget Law, approved on December 31, 2024, raises the capital gains tax on crypto transactions from 26% to 33%, effective January 1, 2026. 

2. High Transaction Fees

Crypto transactions can be expensive, especially during network congestion. Some payment services also charge extra fees for converting crypto to euros. This makes it less affordable for everyday purchases.

3. Security and Fraud Risks

While blockchain transactions are secure, scams, phishing attacks, and wallet hacks remain common threats. 

Since crypto transactions are irreversible, you need to take extra precautions when choosing payment platforms. 

4. Price Volatility

The value of cryptocurrencies can fluctuate significantly within minutes. This makes pricing unpredictable for both businesses and consumers, discouraging merchants from accepting crypto. 

Thus, the volatile nature of crypto makes it harder for users to budget their spending.

Read Also: Best Places to Spend Crypto in Isreal

Conclusion

Spending crypto in Italy is getting easier, especially in cities like Rome, Milan, Genoa, and Florence, where more businesses now accept digital payments. 

Thus, it is evident that Italy is becoming a more crypto-friendly destination, with more places accepting crypto despite regulatory challenges and limited merchant adoption. 

As the best places to spend crypto in Italy continue to grow, users will have more opportunities to integrate cryptocurrency into their everyday transactions.

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Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)

Do all businesses in Italy accept cryptocurrency?

No, not all businesses accept cryptocurrency, but the number is growing, especially in larger cities and tourist-friendly locations.

Is there a tax on spending crypto in Italy?

Yes, as of 2023, Italy applies a 26% tax on crypto capital gains exceeding €2,000 for individuals who are not entrepreneurs, and proposed changes could increase this rate.

Disclaimer: This article is intended solely for informational purposes and should not be considered trading or investment advice. Nothing herein should be construed as financial, legal, or tax advice. Trading or investing in cryptocurrencies carries a considerable risk of financial loss. Always conduct due diligence before making any trading or investment decisions.

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