Car Rental Valencia Spain: Airport Pick-Up and Driving Tips

For a city break focused on the centre, probably not. Valencia Cathedral, the Basilica of Our Lady of the Forsaken, the Palau del Marqués de Dos Aigües and the National Museum of Ceramics are all in the old quarter, and the Museu de Belles Arts, the Institut Valencià d'Art Modern and the Plaza de Toros are about a mile out. Even the City of Arts and Sciences, L'Oceanogràfic and L'Umbracle are only around 2 to 2.5 miles from the centre.

Car hire in Valencia makes more sense if you are staying outside the city or want to range further. Alboraya is about 2.5 miles away on the coast, Catarroja about 5 miles, and La Pobla de Farnals, also coastal, about 8 miles. Dénia, with its ferry port, is roughly 47 miles away, which is where having your own car turns a complicated day into a simple one.

A sensible pattern for a week or a fortnight is to go car-free for the city days and book a car only for the days you plan to leave Valencia.

The obvious pick-up point is Valencia Airport (VLC), which takes direct flights from the UK. Car rental at Valencia Airport means you can drive straight off: Manises is a minute away, the city about 8 minutes, Alboraya about 10 minutes and Catarroja around 11 minutes. If you are heading to one of the coastal towns rather than the city, collecting on arrival saves a separate transfer.

If you only want a car for part of the trip, it can be easier to arrive without one, spend the first days on foot in the centre and arrange car hire in Valencia itself for the days you plan to explore. Either way, the comparison on this page lets you check car rentals at Valencia Airport alongside other options before you commit.

Distances here are short. The Valencia ferry port is about 4 miles from the centre, Manises about 4 miles, and the coastal towns of Alboraya and La Pobla de Farnals between roughly 2.5 and 8 miles. The longest likely run is to Dénia, about 47 miles, comfortably a day out.

The weather shapes the driving more than the terrain. July and August both reach around 31°C, so a car that has stood in the sun will be very hot; let it air before setting off and keep water in the car. September is the wettest month, with around 84mm of rain over about 8 days, and March, October and November are also showery, so allow extra time on wet roads.

With most of the major sights inside the city, many visitors find it easiest to park once and walk, keeping the car for trips beyond Valencia.

Look first at the fuel policy. A full-to-full arrangement, where you collect and return the car with a full tank, is the simplest to manage and avoids paying for fuel you never use. Then read what the excess is and decide whether you want cover to reduce it; the cheapest-looking quote can look different once excess and extras are added.

If you are travelling with children, request child seats at the time of booking rather than at the desk. People searching for cheap car hire in Valencia often find the best value comes from comparing like for like, so check mileage terms, the pick-up location and opening times together. The live comparison here lets you set Valencia car hire airport quotes side by side, and you can also check hotel prices, package holidays, and tours and tickets for the city.