I am an American citizen traveling to Europe. Plans are to go to Italy, France, Germany and Switzerland.

I have searched and read that I for a short visit, (about 30 days) do not need any visa but merely need to show up for entry.
I will be on a tour, and the tour company (it is a Chinese tour company) also said I do not need any other paper work except a passport.

The tour company told me, that I may need to have 1000 Euro's in cash on my person.
Ok I am the first always to tell people that no BTA is needed to leave a country, but is it possible that upon entry, they will ask proof that I have cash. (or is this more of a scam on my travel company part, to be sure I have cash to spend if and when they take me to tourist areas to buy things. (shopping stops, that most travel companies do)

I just hate to carry cash, and prefer use of a credit or debit card.

Also I do assume, that visa is accepted most everywhere, even if a US or a Chinese visa card.

Also, I still have and will bring some of my US (American) money, should it be exchanged, or does places in Europe accept US currency?

Driving a car? I have both my US (American) drivers license and my International drivers license, that I use in China (yes they accept it, I get stopped by police almost every week I drive and they always accept it in China) So with these two license, can I rent and drive a car in Europe, (Germany esp, I am hoping to visit family there)

Any travel advice that anyone can give me?

** My wife is also going, and she needed a visa (she is Chinese) and has gotten hers plus other travel papers the tour company said was required for her travel.

I've been going back and forth to Europe since 1988, almost every single year.

Not once have I been asked to provide proof I have a certain amount of cash in ANY currency.

And I NEVER, not once have had that much in Euros on me. I only exchange what I've going to need that week....so I never have so much left I loose money exchanging it back.

You will need the international license to rent a vehicle or to drive at all in Europe. I've never rented a vehicle in Europe. I have my own in storage over there I drive every year.

Don't use currency exchanges... you get the worst exchange rates. Most banks, and even post offices (at least in Italy) can exchange money at better rates.

The exact exchange rate on any given day as well as the commissions charged.. can be different from one place to the next. And they do change day to day.

Some places will take American money... you you will pay dearly for it... you get a really bad exchange rate. Visa cards are accepted most places... but beware... the exchange with the card company may no and usually will not be that of the day the purchase was made. You however won't have a lot of cash to be stolen if you go that route.

Don't keep all your cards in one place...make photocopies of all documents in case of loss, front and back. Make a list of the Consulates in every country you will be visiting in case something happens. Like loss, damage or theft of a passport.

Be exceptionally careful of thieves, they may swarm en masse and pick you clean in front of everyone in the middle of the street while crossing it. (happened to someone in a tour group I was with back in 1985, Forget it it was Rome or Paris it happened. Tourists stick out like sore thumbs..

LOL, I will be with a group of 20 Chinese people, so if anyone will stick out, I am sure our group and me, in that group. Of course we plan to leave the group on several occasions, there are days and times allowed for "free usage"

Thanks, that helped a lot,
I have not been to Europe since some old military days, long, long ago, and as far as I remember, never went though customs, we landed in military plane in Europe, and I just walked out gate with military ID, not even a passport.