Valencia Airport (IATA code VLC) is located approximately five miles west of Valencia, in the nearby area of Manises and Quart de Poblet. It may be referred to as `Manises Airport` by some. The airport serves as a hub for Iberia, Ryanair and Vueling.

Lines 3 and 5 of Metrovalencia, Valencia`s subway, commuter rail and tram service, take people from the airport to the city center for under €3 one-way. Trains leave every 15 minutes on weekdays and every 20 minutes on weekends and public holidays. Service begins at the 5 o`clock hour each morning (from 7 a.m. on Sundays and holidays) and ending before 1 a.m. each night. For people interested in traveling on Metrovalencia`s lines multiple times or across a series of days, special passes called the Bonometro Ticket and the TuiN Card are available for purchase at any Metrovalencia station.

Line 150 of the city bus (Valencia-Airport) takes people into the city nearly every half-hour from approximately 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day. The one-way ticket can be purchased on the bus and is priced at under €5. The bus stop is located outside of the arrivals lobby near the ring road around the airport terminal.

Worldwide car rental companies such as Sixt, Hertz, Avis, Europcar, Enterprise, and Goldcar operate out of Valencia Airport. A variety of makes and models can be rented for under €60 per day. The Autovia del Este leads into Avenida del Cid and connects the airport with Valencia city center.

Taxis are available for hire outside the arrivals lobby at Valencia Airport. Keep in mind that taxis leaving the airport incur an extra fee, with a base fare starting in the €15 range. Factor in at least €2 per mile once the trip has started. Make sure your taxi driver turns on the meter before departing and don`t feel shy about asking for a receipt (they are legally obligated to give you one should you ask). Fares are higher between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. weekdays, on weekends, and during public holidays.

Most trains coming to Valencia, including all new domestic high-speed trains, will drop passengers off at Valencia Joaquin Sorolla railway station. Less than a mile to the north is Valencia Estacio del Nord railway station, which connects passengers to smaller destinations across Spain as well as to Portbou on the French border.

Metrovalencia Lines 1, 2 and 7 run through Jesús station, across the street from Joaquin Sorolla station. Lines 3, 5 and 9 run through Xàtiva station which is located close to Estacio del Nord station, near the Plaça de Bous on Carrer d'Alacant. One-way fares are priced in the neighborhood of €3.

Taxi stands are available outside the entrance to Joaquin Sorolla station and outside the side entrance to Estacio del Nord (exit through the doors closest to platform #6). A taxi ride to Ciutat Vella or Eixample from either station can be hired, with costs usually below €10.

Started in 1988, Metrovalencia (www.metrovalencia.es) is a mix of Metro, light commuter rail and trams all in one system. Six lines (1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9) are considered Metro lines and three (4, 6, 8) are considered tram lines. With 137 stations cast across nearly 100 miles of track, Metrovalencia is one of Europe`s largest, most detailed and most successful mass transit systems (with over 60 million riders counted in 2016).

Tickets can be bought at every Metrovalencia station, including special passes which can be recharged with money at will, and give discounts for taking a high number of rides during a set time period. These passes include the Bonometro Ticket and the TuiN Card. Fares start at about €2, with an upcharge of at least €1 for each zone you pass through while traveling (Metrovalencia`s service map consists of four zones).

The Valencia Municipal Transit Company (Empresa Municipal de Transportes de Valencia, often referred to as EMT) runs over 40 bus lines in and around the city of Valencia. Extra routes also run during the nighttime hours and in the summertime. To locate bus stations, look for `EMT` signs with the letters in red.

One bus ticket without connections (un billete sencillo) costs under €2. Tickets can be bought on the bus when boarding, or online at www.emtvalencia.es.

It is easy to hail a taxi in Valencia while out on the street. Just wave your hand if you see a taxi who has turned its fare light color to green.

All taxis are white with the license number, the Valencian government emblem, and the phrase `AREA DE VALENCIA` all clearly shown on the back seat side doors. Have your destination written on a piece of paper, and make sure the meter is turned on before departing. The meter will start under €5 in Valencia city center, with €2 added for each mile traveled. Fares are higher between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. weekdays, on weekends, and during public holidays.

While we don't recommend driving a car to explore the sights of Valencia, it may be useful to travelers who want to explore areas further afield. There are 14 different underground parking garages in the Ciutat Vella and Eixample areas of Valencia, with all-day passes priced at €20-€30 or even higher. Look for these garages specifically, because many above-ground parking lots routinely close for business at 2 p.m. on select days.

Yes. The entire city of Valencia covers an area that is approximately five miles from west to east and four miles from north to south, divided in the middle by the Turia riverbed. Most sights in the Ciutat Vella and Eixample can be reached within one mile of walking, and travel times can be cut even further when partnered with public transport like Metrovalencia. You will find that it is very easy to walk the neighborhoods of central Valencia.

Considering Valencia is such a large city, petty crime is very rare. With that said, it is not recommended to walk around four small areas at night: El Carme, northwest of Ciutat Vella; the Jardi del Turia in the city center; and el Cabanyal and la Malva-rosa, on the coast. These areas are not very well-lit and safety cannot always be guaranteed.

High season (April through October) will bring thousands of tourists to Valencia each day. Unless you queue at the museum of your choice just as it is opening, you can wait as long as 30 to 60 minutes to enter some of the city's most popular sights. Keep in mind that Las Fallas (mid-March) also brings big crowds to the city.

In the low season (November through March), queue times at museums are much shorter, if they exist at all. Keep in mind that some museums have shorter operating hours during this time of year, so make sure you note which museums are open, and for how long each day, before you arrive in Valencia.

The Valencia Tourist Pass, sold by Visit Valencia (www.visitvalencia.com), offers free admission to some city museums and attractions, such as Llotja de la Seda, Torres dels Serrans, and L`Almoina.

The currency of Spain is the Euro. US dollars are not accepted. Please be sure to have the correct currency on hand or be prepared to exchange your dollars for euros upon arrival. Currency exchange desks and ATMs can be found at the airport and many locations throughout the city.

English may be spoken at your hotel and in tourist areas, but not everywhere. We suggest you get a good English-Spanish dictionary and familiarize yourself with common phrases such as hello, goodbye, excuse me and numbers 1-10. To ask someone if they speak English, say either `Habla inglés?` (Spanish) or `Parles anglès?` (Valencian).

The language written on many street signs is Valencian, a dialect of Catalan. Valencian is understood and spoken by about half the population; the rest speak Castilian Spanish. It is not required to learn Valencian, but Valencians will appreciate the effort if you do take the time to learn basic phrases, such as hello/goodbye, excuse me, and the numbers from 1-10.

Traditionally Valencians, like most Spanish people, have their meals later than in other European countries. Breakfast (esmorzar in Valencian or desayuno in Spanish) is usually from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the morning and is a light meal with 'café amb llet' (in Valencian) or 'café con leche' (in Spanish), which both mean coffee with milk. With the coffee you might have a croissant or a 'tostada' (toast with butter and jam). Lunch is an important meal and usually lasts about two hours, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., but some shops and business close by 1 p.m. Dinner (cena) is generally from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m., but you can often find people eating until midnight. Most upscale restaurants do require a reservation, and depeding on the restaurant, may require booking weeks or even months in advance.

Note: New anti-smoking laws in Spain prohibit smoking in all enclosed public spaces including restaurants and nightclubs.

Valencia is a major shopping center on the Iberian Peninsula. Go to El Carme if you want to view Valencia's alternative shops, featuring the hottest collections from up-and-coming Valencian designers. Plaça de l'Ajuntament and the area around it is the epicenter for designer shopping from around the world. Eixample is the place to go for the teen and twentysomething sets, and there are lots of cafés and live music venues in this area that cater to them as well. Explore the area around the City of Arts and Sciences (Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciencies) to find extra shops.

Biking is popular in Valencia, where there are over 75 miles of dedicated trails just for bicycles. There are a few bicycle rental businesses in Valencia in addition to the city's own initiative, called Valenbisi, which offers bike rentals from over 300 bicycle stations. You can only bike on designated bike trails, bike lanes (called ciclocalles), and in Jardi del Turia. Riders must wear helmets in the city limits. For more information on Valenbisi, visit www.valenbisi.com.