Prepaid Card for Europe

I am not quite sure I see the point of a prepaid card? It seems that it is just a substitute for carrying cash? In the latter years of us travelling to Europe we used the Halifax Clarity Card ( as mentioned by others) to withdraw cash from ATM's. A day or two later I would transfer money into the Clarity account to avoid interest charges although even if you left it those charges are quite modest. In the main we used credit cards in all those establishments that accepted them. However if you travel to Germany and the Netherlands there is still the need for cash in many places because they use a different banking system unless this has changed dramatically since COVID? From a security risk point of view cards are just as valuable as cash to some. Just one other thing I would flag up about couples if they use the original and second card from the same account, be that credit or debit. If you are unfortunate enough to have one of the cards stolen, banks will often block the other card as they put a stop on that account. So it makes sense for couple to have their own cards from separate accounts. 

David 

I used my trusty Halifax Clarity credit card in an ATM in Laos without any problem, but at 20,000 Laotian kip to the pound immediately became  a millionaire when drawing £50 of cash - and then discovered that although they are good Communists over there, even the border immigration men really prefer to be paid in US dollars, and that the market traders would rather be paid in Thai baht rather than in their own currency. So like  others who have replied  I use a real credit card rather than a pre paid card wherever I go.

Wow, your response has been wonderful, you guys are gold. We now know what to do and look forward to our big adventure. Thanks a million folks, it's much appreciated. 

Wise. We live and bank in France but always carry a Wise card, it was invaluable during our UK tour last September, particularly for those unexpected £sterling purchases like the pair of new car tyres (£300), a replacement caravan door catch/lock (£230) as well as the planned foreign expenditure such as 3 weeks worth of specialist dog food. The card was accepted at every filling station and to settle our tab in the CL pub/restaurant. Tot it all up and it's notably cheaper than paying bank or credit card exchange rates. Wise has an arm in UK and is a Belgian organisation so you're as safe as using your 'home' banking ( except that Wise isn't a credit card so you have no consumer credit act protection, neither have you if using any debit card).

" it's notably cheaper than paying bank or credit card exchange rates. " I'm not sure how you can say this - credit card exchange rates are at the interbank rate which is the best you can get. Debit card rates at ATMs are the same. I have no knowledge of WISE however.

With a decent credit limit a credit card is fine for the things you mention.