First visit!

[Altea]

Hello,
We are visiting San Stefano's for the first time in a couple of weeks and it's also our first try at self-catering!  We're wondering if anyone can advise or guide us as to how much cash we should bring for breakfasts and dinners.  We are only visiting for a week but as we don't know the restaurants and what the average price of a meal will be, we're sort of in the dark.  We are booked in at the Tsaros apartments and believe we can have breakfast there for X amount of Euros, so that's good, will save me cooking!!! Any tips on how much cash we'll need will be much appreciated. Also, do the restaurants accept credit cards or do they prefer cash.  We are really excited about our upcoming holiday, it sounds and looks like a super place to unwind in mid May!
Thanks so much☺

[Gavlah1973]

How much do you eat???!!!

We stayed at Tsaros last year and would sometimes eat breakfast andn the room (toast and cereal) then have a lunch either at Tsaros pool bar or down in the village.
You can buy a bacon and egg baguette style sarnie at Tsaros with coffee for about €4 each.
Condor in the village does a full english for €5/6 each

Do you normally eat a cooked brekkie at home every day?

[Gavlah1973]

Average dinner prices are €3/4 for a starter and €8/9 for a main.
A lot of restaurants do set menus with a choice of a starter and a main inc drink for €8/9

We take circa €1000 for two weeks for everything

[hippopots]

Everyone's different on how much they spend.
There is a lot of choice in San Stef, to suit all budgets.
Breakfast has already been mentioned.
There are 4 supermarkets and a bakery, to pick up provisions if necessary.
Sandwiches and toasties are available in quite a few of the bars at lunchtime for about 2 -4 euros.
There are 2 gyros grills, where you can get gyros or souvlaki for just a couple of euros.
A lot of the tavernas do set menus for 7 -10 euros a head, with a couple of others charging slightly more, but nowhere is (in my opinion ) really expensive.
Just don't buy donuts off the 'donut man' on the beach!! Unhygenic, and known to try and rip people off!
 

[Waspman]

Credit cards are widely accepted in Agios (San) Stefanos, the exceptions are the following taverna's, Fantasea and Beachcomber both in the old part of the village.

[Jimbo]

Eating and drinking in Agios Stefanos is generally much cheaper than anywhere else. Paleokastritsa can be nearly twice as much!

If you take 1,000 Euros you will almost certainly come back with lots left over. Take some English money - you can change it with the beautiful women at San Stefanos Travel.

[Rover]

Simple rule re credit cards is to check first! Suspect Olympia may not accept them, but can not comment on others.

[Altea]

Many thanks for all the money tips, very helpful advice from everyone!

[tenbeech]

 Hi Altea      You are staying at our favourite apartments in our favourite resort , As mentioned earlier 500 euros a week is plenty, bottled water can be bought from the poolside bar ,  saving you carrying it up Cardiac Hill .   we would sugest you carry on walking up the hill fom Tsaros to tha Akrotiri Bar for the best views of San Stef and some lovely food and local beer. Let us know when you get back.

[BarbaraG]

Hi Altea, I'd be wary of using your credit card for smallish purchases, because of the "non-sterling transaction fee" which gets added onto your credit card statement. This appeared a couple of years ago and makes what seemed like a bargain at the time, not so much!

[Andy7]

In the Little Prince last year two people could enjoy a 3 course meal and wine for 23euro or about £19 with great entertainment and atmosphere, not many places in Europe you can do that!

Andy

[Andy7]

Hi Altea, I'd be wary of using your credit card for smallish purchases, because of the "non-sterling transaction fee" which gets added onto your credit card statement. This appeared a couple of years ago and makes what seemed like a bargain at the time, not so much!

That's a good point, leave your credit cards at home bring sterling and change it at San Stefano travel, this year you should get nearly 1.2 euro to the pound.

Andy

[Rover]

There are cards which do not charge for "overseas" transactions. The Post Office MasterCard is one, and you can use this card to buy currency online from the Post Office at no extra cost. The Post Office rate is usually reasonable, and you get four or more weeks credit at no cost.

[Gavlah1973]

Or get one of the Sainsburys pre paid credit cards. Brilliant idea. Just use them to take cash out or use as a credit card in shops/restaurants to make purchases

[Waspman]

There are cards which do not charge for "overseas" transactions. The Post Office MasterCard is one, and you can use this card to buy currency online from the Post Office at no extra cost. The Post Office rate is usually reasonable, and you get four or more weeks credit at no cost.

Rover is correct, sorry Jimbo & Andy you're wrong. The "no commission" credit cards are by far the best value, even for "smallish purchases", much better than taking Sterling and exchanging it for euros (as Jimbo & Andy suggests), this can be one of the worst methods of exchanging currency as there is always a commission charge, usually 2%

As Rover says the Post Office credit card is good, as is Halifax Clarity, the older type Nationwide and Santander Zero and Saga credit cards.

I take three no commission credit cards and use them as often as I can (for purchases and definitely not for withdrawing cash from ATM's) far safer than carrying cash and gives much better value than paying cash. I give tips in euros.

Gav's suggestion is also better than exchanging cash.

You can always call in to see the beautiful San Stefanos Travel girls but you don't have to feel obliged to exchange your cash there.