Two friends in the states asked how we were going to get cash. I said that everything I had read made it simple. Go to a bank, use their ATM and withdraw the money. That said, it was not yet my personal experience, so doubt crept in.
I need not have worried.
There are a few finer points. We made sure that the debit/credit cards we carry have chips and require a PIN. Although some of the world does not require a PIN, so far I am glad I have one.
The first time we went to withdraw cash, it kept being refused. Finally, the nearby guard came over and told us that we were at a bank that would not accept the chip (a common problem I’m sure). We went to another bank nearby and had no trouble.
As an extra security measure, we try to only go to banks. This avoids the possibility of a camera or some other device tracking our transaction. Not all towns have a bank, so it is fortunate that our guidebooks warn about that.