The ATM fee that pdhenry mentions above is one that should not be taken lightly. While ATMs are, perhaps, the best way to get money while in Europe, the fees can hit you hard if you're not careful.

While I'm out of the US, I preload a bunch of money into my PayPal account and use the PP debit card to withdraw it. They only charge $1 per withdrawal (which is significantly better than the $5 my bank also charges), and I also get 1.5 percent back on purchases if I happen to use it as a Visa.

This way, I don't have to switch banks, either.

Mike