Belarus Info
Joined: 20 Apr 2007
Posts: 13
Home Country: belarus
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 Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 11:32 am Post subject: SHOPPING IN BELARUS / BELARUS SHOPPING GUIDE |
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SHOPPING IN BELARUS
General
Wooden caskets, trinket boxes, straw items, decorative plates and other handicraft items are good buys. Typical Russian souvenirs like the wooden matreshka dolls and original samovars are also available. Scarina Avenue is the main street with antique shops and two department stores. Only Belarusian Roubles are accepted. However, nearly every shop has a currency exchange counter. Some shops are closed on Sunday, but tourist shops are usually open every day. Antiquities, valuables, works of art and manuscripts other than those offered for sale in souvenir shops require an export licence.
Shopping hours
Mon-Sat 0900-2000. In big cities shops are open daily and many open 24 hours a day.
Banking hours
Mon-Fri 0900-1700.
Currency
Belarusian Rouble (BYR). Notes are in denominations of BYR100,000, 50,000, 20,000, 10,000, 5000, 1000, 500, 100, 50, 20 and 10.
Currency exchange
Foreign currency should only be exchanged at banks, money-changing kiosks and official bureaux de change, and all transactions must be recorded on the currency declaration form which is issued on arrival. It is wise to retain all exchange receipts. It is best to change money in US dollars, Euros or Russian roubles since travellers may encounter difficulties with other currencies. Most aspects of a tour, including accommodation, transport and meals, are paid before departure (through Belintourist or a recognised tour operator), so large amounts of spending money are not necessary. The US dollar or Euros are the preferred foreign currencies. Some foreign currencies may be hard to exchange.
Credit & debit cards
Major European and international credit cards, including American Express, Cirrus, EC, Electron, EuroCard/MasterCard, Maestro and Visa are accepted in some larger hotels and at foreign currency shops and restaurants. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available. There are a number of ATMs in downtown Minsk.
Traveller's cheques
May be accepted at larger banks, but cash is easier to exchange. To avoid exchange rate charges, traveller's cheques should be taken in US dollars or Euros.
Currency restrictions
The import and export of local currency is prohibited. All remaining local currency must be reconverted at the point of departure. The import of foreign currency is unlimited, subject to declaration. The export of foreign currency is limited to the amount declared on arrival. Foreign banknotes and coins must be exported within two months of import. |
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