Hi Chris,

I know the rates I have given are tourist rates but when you draw from a cash machine then it is the tourist rate that they will use. I always look at the HIFX site for the latest rate because even though their rate is for commercial whereby you transfer £1000,s, it gives me an idea of the current basic rate. When I have used this method in an internet cafe in Fuengirola and then looked at the tourist exchange rate where i change my cash, it is always only around 2 points lower than HIFX. So based on my figures, it appears that the banks offer a lower rate.

The original posting on here was for exchange rates for the purchase of a property where I think the best chances of a good rate are through currency companies who only specialise in this. Other posts have then gone on to basic holiday cash or daily withdrawals from cash machines which as you point out, is a different matter.

Regarding the charges, they were the charges that the bank added when I went online.