Valencia . Car Hire in Valencia and Area Guide

Situated in the centre of the Spanish Mediterranean coastline is the city of Valencia. It is the third largest city in Spain, and capital of the autonomous community of Valencia. For visitors wishing to hire a car, car rental can be found in a number of places: at Valencia airport (VLC), the train station and in the downtown office.

A good place to start is the Plaza del Ayuntamiento which is a central square lined with flower stalls and a magnificent floodlit fountain. It also houses the Museo Historico Municipal whose library has an 18th century map of Valencia.

If you fancy a wander, you can't go wrong with the the old quarter, the Barrio del Carmen, with its windy streets, reminiscent of the city's Moorish past. There are plenty of cafes, restaurants or bars in which to sample tapas, paella or freshly caught seafood. You should also try the local drink known as 'horchata' which is made from tiger nuts, water and sugar. If it's nightlife you're after, this area is also one of the liveliest in Spain.

The Cathedral of Valencia commonly known as the 'Seu', is definitely a sight not to be missed with its eclectic mix of architectural styles. If you're feeling fit, it's worth the climb up the cathedral tower, the Miguelete, where you'll be compensated with some amazing views of the city. A large number of visitors come to see the gold and agate chalice (the Santo Caliz) which is said to be the one used by Christ at the Last Supper . the Holy Grail.

Your browser may not support display of this image. Plaza del Mercado is home to the Silk Market called La Lonja, one of the best examples of gothic civil architecture in Europe, the baroque style Santos Juanes Church and the Mercado Central, a colourful indoor market with over 800 square metres of stalls and interesting modernist architecture. The market is only open in the morning though - so make sure you arrive early.

The city has seen vast improvements over the last few years, namely the building of the giant complex of the Ciudad de las Artes ye las Ciencas (City of Arts and Sciences) which is on the outskirts of the city and is the third most visited attraction in Spain. The centre comprises of the Hemesferic - an imax cinema; Museo de las Ciencias . a science museum; and Parque Oceanografico . one of the world's largest aquariums, plus Palau de les Arts a fantastic opera house.

If you're an art fan you'll definitely want to visit the Museu de Belles Artes which has one of the best broad-spectrum collections in the country with works by artists such as El Greco, Goya and Ribera.

La Albufera

If you're hiring a car and fancy a change from the city, one place worth visiting is La Albufera which is 12km south of Valencia. This nature reserve is the second largest in Spain and attracts around 250 species of birds. It consists of the lagoon of La Albufera itself, the wetlands around it and the adjacent shoreline, the devesa. This is definitely the place to come if you're into birdwatching.

The Costa Blanca

You can't go to Valencia without visiting the coastline, so why not use your hire car and go south of the City to the beautiful strip of coastline known as the Costa Blanca. Much of the Costa has been heavily commercialised but if you want to visit one of the more Spanish resorts, Your browser may not support display of this image. Gandia is a great place to visit, 65km south of Valencia. Gandia Playa is a huge beach and gets very busy in summer, particularly in August when the Spaniards take their holiday. Whilst the seafront has recently been modernised, the old town is quieter with a more provincial feel.

Valencia Transport Centres

Valencia's airport (VLC) (also known as Manises airport) is located 8km to the west of the city. Several car hire companies can be found within the airport terminal. The airport car park is located some distance from the terminal, and a shuttle service takes you from the car park to the terminal.

Valencia's train station is called Estacion del Nord and is situated just a short stroll from the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, the central square. Cars can also be hired from here.

Valencia's bus station is a little way out of the city on the north side of the river. It will take approximately 25 minutes to walk into the city from here otherwise you can take a local bus or metro.

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