Yes. Bulgaria now uses the euro, and it is the only legal tender in the country. For a visit, that means hotel bills, restaurant tabs, taxis and shop purchases are paid in euro. Old lev notes are no longer used for payment, but the national bank still exchanges them.
Short answer
Bulgaria is now part of the euro area. The lev, the old national currency, has left everyday use, so you need euro for anything you pay locally, from the room bill at check-out to a coffee on the beach.
For Irish travellers, that means the euro cash and cards you use at home work in the same way here. If you travel from the UK, you will need to change pounds or pay by card, just as you would in Spain, Portugal or Greece.
The changeover dates
Two dates matter:
- 1 January 2026: Bulgaria joins the euro area and the euro comes into use.
- 1 February 2026: the euro becomes the sole legal tender.
January 2026 was a short overlap when the lev could still be used alongside the euro. From February onwards, payments are in euro only. Any holiday you book now falls after both dates, so there is no lev period to plan around.
Old lev notes
If you have lev notes left from an earlier trip, you cannot spend them in shops, restaurants or hotels. You can still exchange them for euro at the Bulgarian National Bank, which does so without a time limit.
Other places, such as banks or currency counters at home, may or may not take lev, so check before you rely on them. Keep the notes together and bring them with you if you plan to visit the national bank during your trip.
Paying for hotels and extras
Hotel bills in Bulgaria are now charged in euro. That covers the room if you pay at the hotel, plus extras such as spa treatments, room service, parking and drinks outside your meal plan.
If you booked through a UK website or tour operator, your confirmation may show pounds, because that is where you paid. Anything you settle at the hotel itself, at check-in or check-out, will be in euro.
When you pay by card, the terminal may offer to charge you in pounds instead of euro. Check your card provider's fees for use abroad before you travel, so you can decide which option suits you. For a plain guide to room types, meal plans and other booking words, see Bulgarian hotel terms.
Cards and cash
Card acceptance varies from one business to the next, so do not assume every place takes every card. Ask your hotel before arrival which cards it accepts for the room and for extras, and whether it takes a card deposit at check-in.
Carry some euro in cash as a back-up for small purchases, tips and taxis. Cash machines in Bulgaria now pay out euro, so you can top up locally rather than carrying large sums from home.
If this is your first trip, read first time in Bulgaria for wider planning tips. Before you pay a deposit anywhere, run through the hotel booking checklist.
Questions
Is the lev still accepted?
No. The euro is now the only legal tender in Bulgaria, so hotels, restaurants, shops and taxis take payment in euro. Keep any old lev notes for exchange at the Bulgarian National Bank rather than trying to spend them, and pay in euro or by card instead.
Where can lev be exchanged?
At the Bulgarian National Bank. It exchanges lev notes for euro without a time limit. Other options, such as banks or currency counters at home, may or may not take lev, so check with them before you travel and keep your notes together until you can exchange them.
Do Bulgarian hotels charge in euro?
Yes. With the euro as the only legal tender, hotel bills, extras and on-site services are charged in euro. A booking made through a UK website or tour operator may show another currency, but anything you pay at the hotel itself will be in euro, so plan your spending money with that in mind.
Are cards widely accepted?
Check with each business. Card acceptance depends on the place, so ask your hotel before arrival which cards it takes for the room and for extras. Carry some euro in cash as a back-up for small purchases, and check what your own card provider charges for use abroad before you go.