Currency
The official currency is the Lev (BGN), which is divided
into 100 stotinki. The Lev is tied to the Euro at a fixed rate of
EUR1 = 1.955 lev. Bulgaria has strict currency regulations. If you
enter Bulgaria with cash of any currency amounting to the
equivalent of 8,000 leva or more, you must declare it to customs
officials. Foreign currency may be exchanged in banks, hotels or at
one of the numerous bureaux de change, however due to a common
practice of misleading rates of exchange it is better to go to
banks or hotels to change money. A receipt called a bordereaux is
issued when exchanging currency, indicating the amount that will be
given, and it must be kept until departure. Not all banks accept
travellers cheques and those that do usually charge a 5%
commission. Major international credit cards are increasingly
becoming accepted by tourist hotels, upmarket shops and
restaurants, travel agents and car rental agents, but Bulgaria is
still largely a cash economy. There are ATMs in the main cities and
at Black Sea resorts.
