We are going on a half board holiday to Bansko for 1 week. I have no idea how much cash I will need, was thinking around the £500 mark . What do you think? Should we take all cash, some cash and a visa card or travellers cheques . How readily available are cash machines in Bansko. Thanks.

Sorry should have said 2 Adults travelling.

Don't know about Bansko specifically but I always use ATMs in Bugaria (the VISA ATM Locator shows 18 ATMs in Bansko) - always using Debit Cards which have no fees for foreign transactions (currently Metro Bank's Mastercard Debit, now that Nationwide have introduced charges).

If I did not have a fee-free card, I would take Sterling and change it in high street banks, which offer the safest method of currency exchange at the best rates - DO NOT use street-side 'Exchange Offices', which are notorious for cheating tourists. Travellers Cheques tend to attract poor rates of exchange, as do the majority of Debit/Credit Cards issued by UK high street banks, see HERE for detailed charges/fees.

As to how much to take, how long is a piece of string? I could live extremely comfortably for at least a month, if not more, on £500 in Bulgaria, including housing costs, but I don't participate in 'touristy' activities when I am there.

Baldur

Hi Marlou.

Further to what Baldur has said if taking sterling make sure the notes are not torn or have been written on by our bank tellers when doing their cash ups , although it is getting less frequent now some banks will still not accept notes which are not unmarked or torn. apart from that enjoy yourselves.

cheque centre chain in UK are giving 2.26 Lev to the £ just now, which is better than the banks in Sunny Beach or Sveti Vlas were paying last summer. Might be worth getting a few in just now.

just to follow on about exchange rates, a question.

How can the banks and travel agents get away with paying out exchange rates that are so obviously wrong, and a rip off ?

I looked tonight on my banks website and they are offering 2.16 Lev to the £. But if you multiply their Euro rate by 1.95, which is the normal Euro-Lev rate, you get 2.26.

I've asked a few times over the years in various banks and travel agents about this discrepancy and get the usual "we dont set the rate " or "it changes every day " sort of answer.

But thats not the real answer. They rely on us not knowing anything about exchange rates or other currencies, and just taking whatever they want to dish out.

Lloyds TSB 2.16
RBS 2.17
Thomas Cook 2.24
M and S 2.22
TravelEx 2.22

So if you are changing only £100 , you can be given up to 10Lev less, depending on where you take you hard earned cash. £1000, and you could be done out of 100Lev, which goes a long way in BG.

Its as big a scandal as the Payment protection rip offs.

justjoe,
This is exactly the same as Bulgaria. In the cities you can get 2.38 but in resort of Albena at the moment Banks and Hotels are offering 2.25. yesterday in Hastings 2.29 lev to £1 and 1.19euro to £1 no commission. Tonyt.

Need to keep showing these. Our banks are a joke.

Lloyds TSB 2.17

Post office 2.20

M and S 2.23

Cheque Centre 2.27

Thats still a 10Lev difference for every £100 you change. That is just ripping people off.

justjoe. rate at http://www.chequecentre.co.uk today was 2.311 for a pound. it makes all the others look sick. Tonyt.

2:40 for £1 in SB last week

2:38 lev for £1 at checquecentre today.Seems ok

Hi, our cheque centre today was 2.391 and just a few mins ago Bulgarian banks were offering 2.537.
little whisper heard the other day 3.00 at Christmas Tonyt