Money and Banks
Until Bulgaria joins the Eurozone (target date: Jan 1, 2013) the currency remains the
lev (Lv), which is divided into 100 stotinki (st). There are notes of 2Lv, 5Lv, 10Lv, 20Lv, 50Lv, and 100Lv and coins of 1st, 2st, 5st, 10st, 20st and 50st, and 1Lv. Pegged to the euro, the lev is stable and although hotels and travel agencies frequently quote prices in euros, you will be expected to pay in the local currency. At the time of writing, €1 was equal to 1.95Lv, $1 to 1.35Lv, and £1 to 2.20Lv. Producing a
student ID card at museums and galleries will often get you a discount of between a third and a half.
Banks are open Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm, and there are ATMs in every town. Private exchange bureaux, offering variable rates, are widespread – but beware of hidden commission charges. Also watch out for black market moneychangers who approach unwary foreigners with offers of better rates; if they sound too good to be true, they are. Many smaller banks and offices won’t take traveller’s cheques, and credit cards are generally acceptable only at the more expensive shops, hotels, and restaurants.
Opening hours and holidays
Big-city
shops and
supermarkets are generally open Monday to Friday 8.30am to 6pm or later; on Saturday they close at 2pm. The massive malls that have sprung up in recent years are usually open daily from 10am to 10pm. In rural areas and small towns, an unofficial siesta may prevail between noon and 3pm. Many shops, offices, banks and museums are closed on the following
public holidays: January 1, March 3, Easter Sunday and Monday, May 1, May 24, September 6, September 22, December 25 & December 31. Additional public holidays may occasionally be called by the government.