Car Hire Valencia Airport

With sensational coastline to the north and south and the rugged beauty of the Spanish landscape inland, Valencia is a fine place to drive around. On the roads outside the city, traffic is relatively light, though in Valencia itself It’s best to avoid peak commuter hours. 

Driving is on the right-hand side of the road in Spain, with overtaking on the left. In the city and other built-up areas, the speed limit is normally 50km/h, although there may be slower zones, particularly near schools. On Spanish motorways, or ‘autopistas’, the maximum speed limit is typically 120km/h.

Autovias are generally free to drive on, such as the A-3 that leads from Valencia Airport to the city in around 20 minutes. Autopistas are often toll roads however, though they are usually the fastest route between cities. If you want to drive north to Barcelona for example, you’ll need to use the AP-7. The same road acts as a semi-ring-road around the west of Valencia, if you want to avoid the centre entirely.

Valencia is driver-friendly, although some of the old town is pedestrianised. In these areas, it’s best to use a car park and proceed on foot. On-street parking is limited but there are many multi-storey and underground car parks with varying charges.

If you’re planning on seeing more of Spain, the A-3 runs west of Valencia Airport and takes you inland until you meet the AP-36, which you can take north-west to Madrid in about three and a half hours.

Much further south of Valencia is the Costa del Sol, meanwhile, reachable via the AP-7 and a number of quieter, more scenic coastal roads.

The modern side of Valencia boasts a series of breath-taking buildings that look boldly towards the future, but it also preserves its long and impressive history through numerous architectural masterpieces, and an old town buzzing with life.

There are some gorgeous beaches too, in a place that knows how to both excite and relax.

Grandeur and gardens

As the third largest city in Spain, Valencia has more than one focal point. There’s the charming old town, of course, but another hub can be found around Santiago Calatrava’s remarkable City of Arts and Sciences.

This multimedia landmark now stands as a beacon for the city, as well as a hotspot for arts and culture. Built into the Turia riverbed, here you’ll find everything from a planetarium and science museum to a colossal aquarium and opera house.  

The fantastic Turia Gardens are next door, providing a vast array of green space. Follow a footpath, enjoy a game of tennis or just relax in the natural environment. There’s no finer place to be on a sunny day, and you can almost forget you’re in the heart of a city.

Moors and more

Like many coastal Spanish towns and cities, Valencia has a long history of being conquered by invaders – and reclaimed by the Spanish. This history is expressed by the oldest buildings, with churches constructed upon mosques built upon Roman temples.

Head into the Ciutat Vella, the old town, and you’re right where the Romans first laid down their roots. Visit La Almoina Archaeological Museum underneath the plaza to find Roman remains, second-century baths and two of the main streets from this ancient era.

Then delve into the story of the Moors, who held Valencia for more than 500 years. While many of their additions to the city were subsequently torn down, their presence is still felt in Moorish city fortifications, as well in their undeniable influence on the city’s cuisine and customs. 

Once back under Spanish control, the city was rebuilt again in a new image, with the Gothic style of the cathedral and the sensational Silk Exchange, known as La Lonja de la Seda. Here you’ll be in awe of the Hall of Columns and the majestic ceiling into which they disappear.

Cruise the coast

Beyond the city lies a bounty of beaches, and with car hire at Valencia Airport you can easily drive to them – or head even further afield to Barcelona or Alicante.

A little known gem, just north-east of Benidorm, is Dénia. Often used as a hopping-off port for ferries to the Balearics, it has a handsome castle and old town that makes it more than worth a day trip.

The port city also plays host to perhaps the region’s best restaurant, Quique Dacosta, which currently holds three Michelin stars. Located close to the beach, meals here can be expensive – but provide a truly memorable experience.

Hire a car at Valencia Airport to uncover the best of a truly great Spanish city, and soak up the wider wonders that the region has to offer.