Banknotes and coins of Bulgaria

Monetary units - bills and coins of Bulgaria - are called left and stotinki, they are denoted by international coding as BGN. So one lion is equal to one hundred stotinki.

Currency board regime

In order for the lion to exist as a stable state currency, since 2002 Bulgaria has been pegged to the euro. Accordingly, before that, there was a link to the German brand.

The left-to-euro exchange rate is maintained at a ratio of 1.96 to 1, respectively. For comparison: the exchange rate of the dollar to the lion is maintained in the ratio of 60 cents to 1 lev. Since 1999, there has been a replacement of paper bills throughout Bulgaria. To avoid problems, one should pay attention to the year of issue of the banknote. If it indicates production from 1991 to 1998, then such a bill is invalid.

The nominal value in circulation is equal to one, two and five (coins of Bulgaria), as well as ten, twenty and fifty levs (banknotes).

Where to exchange money?

Banks in Bulgaria work from 9 to 16 hours on weekdays with a break for lunch, and on weekends and holidays their doors are closed. The bank is a reliable structure. The United Bank of Bulgaria sets a very favorable exchange rate. Bulgarian lion can be obtained by providing the employee with his passport. The minus of this method is the absence of representative offices of the bank in the resort zones. When contacting the bank, it is recommended to demand not only paper banknotes, but also coins of Bulgaria.

But it is much more profitable to exchange money at specialized exchange points, called Exchange or Change. They work from early morning until late at night. It is better to go there in the morning - at this time Bulgaria's money is exchanged at a favorable rate.

Resort areas use a lower exchange rate, favoring dollars and euros. Near the markets Change can exchange and Russian rubles, but it is extremely unprofitable.

It should be attentive when in the exchange office offer a standing rate with a commission of 1% - usually this information is located on the door of the item. But tourists often do not notice a smaller inscription next to it, which says that such an action only works with a certain amount. Smaller amounts are exchanged at a different rate, and the commission will be 20%.

Cashless payments

Calculation of plastic cards in Bulgaria is welcomed in all institutions except the market, therefore the need to change money is not available in principle. It is preliminary necessary to clarify whether hotels, cafes, shops have a terminal for payment. Accept in Bulgaria only "Visa" or "Mastercard".

If you need to get cash in Bulgaria, it is better to withdraw them from the ATM, and then go to the exchange office. If you skip step with the ATM, you can stumble upon the employee of the Change point unclean on the hand, which can write off a large amount from the card. Use a better debit card.

How not to fall for the tricks of scammers?

The most common method of fraud is common among exchange points. They only sell coins of Bulgaria, buying the euro. Reverse operations in these institutions are not carried out. At the same time, the euro is bought at the selling price!

From the outside, it looks like this: tourists come to Exchange, seeing the rate of the left-to-euro ratio as 1.95 to 1. As soon as the exchange operation is completed, the check has a completely different amount, more precisely the other ratio is 1.57 to 1. As Only tourists ask for an explanation of the wrong exchange, they get an answer that at the rate of 1.96 to 1 euro is sold, but here the purchase is made at the price indicated in the check - this rule. On the same question about where such information is indicated, the cashier politely points to the door of the booth, which just obscures all the figures from the client's eyes.

Wanting to get his money back, the cashier announces that this is impossible now, but the euro is not available at the exchange office. I wonder where they disappear in a few minutes? About the time when it will be possible to carry out a return exchange, no one reports. Further inquiries of representatives of exchange offices are not interested, therefore they pretend that they do not understand the Russian language and retire.

Therefore, it is better to request all documents with exchange rate information prior to the transaction. If there is indicated the SALE of the euro in the ratio of 1.85 to 1, then this is a good course. You can, except for banknotes, ask the cashier for money to pay for small expenses.

Scammers are not in a hurry to submit documents to customers, referring to closed safes, lack of superiors and other circumstances. It's all calculated on the visitors and inattentive guests of the country. Since rarely, who decides to claim fraud in the courts, the cashiers happily rub their palms, stacking profits in his pocket.

VAT refund

All guests of the country have the right to return VAT at a rate of 20% under the rules of tax free. You can do this only if you make a purchase worth more than 1 000 Bulgarian leva within a single store.

Return the legal 20% can be directly when leaving the country in a specialized return point located at the airport.