a bank would be a reasonable choice.
tabacs in the area will also change up sterling -usually at a reasonable rate.
hotel receptions also change up money -usually at a lousy rate.
why not just take a bank card and use the ATMs

I am jetting off to The Costa Brava area next week and wondered if it was better to take Sterling cash and convert when over there or take Euros on the current local rate at home ?
Can anyone adivse which is the best way ?
Who would give me the best deal ?
Thanks

see my response above.
also, generally you will get a better exchange rate in a local tabac than by buying euros in the uk, but that depends on the way the euro is going in the f/e market.

does anybody know the rate in calella tabacs at the moment

Going to Calella on 27th july, is it better to exchange money once I get there or would I get a better exchange rate here in Scotland?.

Hi ALDENTE2010 ... on any given day, the exchange rate would normally be marginally better in resort than in the UK. However, the unknown is obviously whether rates might be higher or lower during your holiday than they are right now.

David

Thank you David. Will risk just getting a small amount of Euros to go with, then just exchange as I need to, once there. I got 1.17 to the £ yesterday at Thomas Cook.

That's not bad, if commission free. That's what the Eurochange offices in Spain were giving yesterday too. The best I spotted locally yesterday was €1.14 at the Post Office and €1.15 at M&S.

David

There was no fee, just a straight exchange rate of 1.17

Went to Calella last year and the exchange rate there was very bad,equal to what I could have got in UK. Found a place in Pineda that offered a better rate.So I would shop around in other resorts nearby Malgrat and Santa Susanna before you part with your money.

As a update, as I wrote in the post above.In Pineda del Mar at the moment an exchange is offering 1.13, go to Malgrat and you can get 1.18?

hi we are off to maripins hotel in june .the euro is rubbish.would we be better off getting our euros in spain or at home i know there is plenty of time but the euro does seem to be more rubbish this year .we got 1.17 last year when we went to greece .all advice would be welcome .10weeks to our hols yipeeeee.

if i could predict the way the euro would go i could become a very wealthy man.
over many years travelling, and many of them on costa brava, i have found the best rate is got by using the ATMs in resort.
you just need to make sure you know how much your bank charges you and draw out the money economically- with natwest it is best to draw £300 at a time.
the next best is to go to a tabac, where they will change sterling for euros. beware though that if you use a card to buy baccy or cigs the tabacs tend to use "dynamic conversion" which means they earn commission as well as the banks so you get a lousy deal.
finally, you can get euros over here, but unless you can find somewhere that gives you a fair bit more than your bank it is not usually worth it.

hi all.... it seems reasonable to think that during the holiday season the euro would be in bigger demand....and so you would get lower exchange rates during this time.... we are now coming into the main school holiday season...so do you think I would get a better rate waiting untill just before I go away last week in august first in september , than is on offer now..... the rates arent good just now...best being 1.095....tweetie

Hi TWEETIE PIE ... with all that's going on just now in Europe, I doubt if even the financial experts could make a prediction on whether to buy now or later.

David

hi David....I am usually quite good at timing it right for best rate....Ive usually gone mid sept to mid oct....and waited till just before I go and the rates have been better than july or august.....went early in july and bought in may and watched the rates go down afterwards....last year went last week in july AI and had euros left over from previous years, so wasnt so bothered......this time Ive had too many other things to worry about and forgot to get early.....now in possision Ive not been in before....going in the weeks right at end of school holidays but still within the main holiday weeks....as we wont get back till the 9th sept its only the first week affected by school holidays.....so cant make my mind up about things....take just a few euros and travellers checks hoping rates go up when less people buying euros after the last families with school age children have bought them...and up again when they go home ....????? .......this is a volatile year as you say with everything going on in europe....and nothing is predictable really at the moment....tweetie

editing to update for those interested
tue 28/6 1.086......wed 30/6 1.080

Im off to cala gogo playa d'aro next year. Is it best to take sterling travellers cheques or prepaid travel money card ?

hi beefy666.....if was me would take travellers cheques.....have heard of people having problems with the pre paid cards...dont think they have really caught on as yet and not accepted everywhere....there are charges on them as well I think....tweetie

has anyone found they have a problem chaging sterling travellers cheques?