car hire Valencia

One of Spain’s biggest cities, Valencia spent its early years under uninterrupted Muslim rule, until El Cid and his troops swooped in to turn the city upside down. The town officially swung over to Christianity in 1238, and enjoyed a golden age during the 1500s and 1600s, dominating the Mediterranean trading scene. However, the centuries to follow saw Valencia endure many harrowing challenges, particularly getting the raw end of the deal in both the Spanish Civil War and War of the Spanish Succession. But Valencia reclaimed its independence in 1982, when Franco’s death led to decentralisation in the area.

Valencia’s nightlife scene offers an eclectic selection of venues. If you’re looking to get crazy on the dance floor, Bananas is a fittingly named club filled with revelers all night long. For a more relaxed evening, the cocktail lounge Café de las Horas is full of atmosphere and lavish decoration. The dripping candelabras and tapestries surround you as you take in some blues or jazz.

The recent construction of the City of Arts & Sciences (Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias) also helped Valencia back on its feet. This complex is an aesthetically stunning and vast centre entertaining more than four million travellers a year. The facility offers an interactive science museum, a planetarium, and Europe’s biggest aquarium, the Oceanogràfic. The Fine Arts Museum (Museo de Bellas Artes), considered one of Spain’s finest collections, is also a big draw. The gallery displays works by Ribera, El Greco, Goya, and the Valencian impressionists Pinazo and Sorolla.

The El Saler area offers an idyllic respite from Valencia’s bustling city centre. Just south of Valencia, this spot is a quick car-hire trip away. If you’re looking to hit the links on holiday, the Parador de El Saler boasts one of Europe’s best golf courses, and La Playa de El Saler is a good swimmer’s destination, offering clean waters and beachfront.

Aeropuerto de Manises, Valencia’s Airport, is an easy pick-up point for your rental car.