Since 1995 the number of passengers using Valencia Airport has almost doubled to 3,100,000 in 2004. This huge increase in passenger numbers can be explained by the introduction of a large number of low cost flights from the UK and Europe and a marked increase in the number of foreign property owners in Valencia and to the south along the Costa Blanca.



60% of all passengers arriving at Valencia Airport are from internal Spanish flights and the remaining 40% is mostly from other EU Countries such as the UK, Germany, Italy and France.
The Valencia Airport Terminal is spread out over 3 floors with the main activity for Arrivals and Departures taking place on the ground and 1st floors.
The Arrivals hall is on the ground floor and consists of 6 baggage reclaim areas. On this floor you will also find the main car hire companies and access to the buses and taxis.
The Departure Hall is on the First Floor of the Terminal and in the departure lounge (after check in) you will find 8 or so shops selling a range of goods from newspapers in all languages to jewellery, clothes and of course cigarettes, alcohol and perfume. There is also a VIP lounge in this area.
There are not any trains at Valencia Airport but the Valencia Airport buses run every 20 minutes from 0630am until 2345. The trip into the centre of the City takes around 15 minutes and costs €1.
You will also be able to find the Valencia Airport Taxis just outside the arrival hall. There are always taxis waiting at the rank and the fare into the city centre should be around €15.

Expansion Plans

Where do you see Valencia airport in 10 years time – what are your long-term expansion plans?

At the moment, we are working on expanding the existing terminal. We are also looking to extend the runway from 2700 m to 3200 m. At the moment, we can offer flights to the USA, but we are very restricted in the types of aircraft we can operate, and in the destinations we can serve. We have secured the land to be able to construct a second parallel runway, although this will not be needed for many years to come.

And when will the metro arrive at Valencia airport?

It is currently under construction, and is expected to open in late 2006, or early 2007. This is an extension of line 5, and should make it possible to reach the city centre in around 25 minutes.

Passenger comments

Valencia Airport by Uwe Bode
9 August 2004
I am travelling to Valencia on a more or less regular basis, and I find this small airport a well organized and friendly one, although it is rather old. It is easily accessible, check-in is quick and efficient, the place is clean and neat, the food in the upstairs restaurant is of good quality, although the place itself has the charms of a bus-station-fast-food-kiosk. Ways are short, security checks and Immigration is also fast. Overall, a rather nice place to touch down at, compared to some other Spanish airports, especially Alicante, Palma & Madrid.

Region: Camp de Turia
Population: 16,000 inhabitants
Altitude: 190 m.
Area: 230 km2


Local Celebrations and Traditions

FALLAS - 14th to 19th March. The Fallas are celebrated in Lliria as in many of the towns and villages surrounding the city of Valencia.
ST. VINCENTE FERRER CELEBRATIONS - Held on the second Monday after Easter. These celebrations are held to commemorate the miracle of the St. Vicente Ferrer fresh water springs. According to popoular folklore, the saint brought water back to the springs in 1410, thereby providing the town and agricultural area with water.
INTERNATIONAL MUSIC BAND FESTIVAL - September.
CELEBRATIONS IN HONOUR OF NUESTRA SEÑORA DEL REMEDIO (OUR LADY OF THE CURE) - September. Held in honour of the Mother of God of the Cure. Different religious acts, music and Moors and Christians parade.
CELEBRATIONS IN HONOUR OF THE PATRON SAINT, SAN MIGUEL - 29th September. A procession to the San Miguel sanctuary in Lliria which was founded in 1326 by King James I. The Fair, established by John II in 1449, is held from the previous week.

The province of Valencia is the largest of the three which go to make up the Valencian community. It is situated in the centre of the Spanish Mediterranean coastline. It overlooks the spacious Gulf of Valencia and is skirted at the back by a group of medium-high mountains and rolling plains leading to the lands of Aragon and Castile-La Mancha. It is opposite the Balearic islands and equidistant from the country's two major decision-taking centres: Madrid and Barcelona. Valencia is identified with the Mediterranean Sea because the culture deriving from the old Mare Nostrum is manifest in its patterns of social behaviour.



It is the administrative capital of the Valencian community and the centre of the region of L'Horta. It is the most densely populated town in the Valencian community as it is encircled by a wide belt of medium-sized municipal districts which form an unbroken built-up area with an average density of 1,600 inhabitants per square kilometre. Sightseeing around the city begins in the old quarter. Until the mid-nineteenth century, it was defended by a wall, the inner route of the number five bus. Still standing as proof are the graceful Torres de Serranos, the spacious Torres de Quart and some remains of the apron wall in the basement of the Valencia institute of Modern Arts. The most outstanding artistic heritage is to be found in the districts of Seu and Xerea, where the marks left by the Romans lie hidden beneath Arab ruins and modern churches and palaces.



The Mercat district took shape around the commercial life of the city's inhabitants. Accordingly, its two most emblematic buildings are used for trading purposes. The Gothic building of La Lonja, declared by UNESCO as a heritage of humanity, features a beautiful columned room where the old tables on which trading transactions were finalised are still in use today. Outside the destroyed wall grew the Valencia of the bourgeoisie, with its wide pavements, broad landscaped thoroughfares and countless instances of modernist architecture. On the other side of the Turia's old riverbed lie the nursery gardens, along with the Fine Arts Museum and the ultramodern part of the city which, on account of its size, serves as a nexus between the coastal townships and the old quarter. The futuristic face of the city is mirrored on the old riverbed through the Gulliver Children's park and the leisure and culture complex., Ciutat de les Arts i de les Ciencies. Life in the city spreads down to the seafront with the harbour and the beaches of Las Arenas and La Malvarrosa.

Valencia will host the America's Cup 2007, organizers said in Geneva, making the Spanish port the first European venue since 1851 for sailing's oldest tournament.

Valencia, was chosen for its tourism infrastructure and because steady summer breezes guarantee start times for the 32nd edition of the race, said Marc Pajot, a skipper at four America's Cups.

It is the first time the event has been held off mainland Europe in its 152-year history because none of the European challengers had been successful to win hosting rights until this year's stunning triumph by a Swiss boat.

The 2007 race is expected to broaden the race's appeal yet further after being dominated by American and Australasian vessels.

International yachtsman Jochen Schuemann, a senior member of the Alinghi squad, said Valencia was a good choice because the western Mediterranean could rely on good, steady winds during the summer months.



A brief History

On August 22nd, 1851 Queen Victoria of England found herself surrounded by her entrourage in Cowes, England anxiously awaiting word on the relative positions of the yachts competing in the Hundred Guineas Cup being sailed that very day around the Isle of Wight.

There had been no lack of rumour in the English press earlier in the week as to the reputed speed of the yacht, America, the lone American entry. The Queen dowager, who had been privy to these rumours, had been repeatedly told by those closest to her, that England would most assuredly prevail. After all, hadn't the Royal Navy and England's magnificent fleet of trading vessels dominated the world's oceans for three long centuries. Besides, America was the only foreign entry vying against sixteen of England's finest and swiftest yachts. How could any vessel, and an American one at that, possibly attain victory under such dire circumstance?

History, however, who in the past has held little patience with prevailing wisdom, would prove herself consistent that afternoon. Shortly after four o'clock, Greenwich mean-time, a single sail appeared on the distant horizon. In the afternoon quiet, disturbed only by a soft, dying breeze, the eyes of the royal party strained westward each vying to identify what most assuredly, "the first English yacht". Sails billowing, the yacht under scrutiny and as yet unidentified, carved a graceful arc through the water of the Solent, rounded the last mark and slid silently and triumphantly towards Cowes and her place in history.

At that moment the Queen, with that innate sense of portent fate bequeaths upon its leaders, leaned forward and wispered quietly in the ear of the Marquis of Anglesey who sat at her right, "Who is it in first place, my lord?" In a halting voice the Marquis replied, "I'm sorry to report, Madam, it seems it is the yacht America." "The yacht America" asked the Queen, "Then who is in second?" The Marquis, in a restrained voice filled with that porfound respect an English gentleman reserves for his Queen, answered softly, "Madam, there is no second."

And so, late on that summer afternoon in the year 1851 in Cowes on the Isle of Wight, England, the America's Cup was born.

According to reports in the Las Provinces newspaper, there is to be an increase in the number of beds in the new hospital in Llíria. It will have 120 beds instead of the 30 initially projected. The new local hospital of Llíria will be under public management and construction will begin in 2006 at a cost for construction and equipment of nearly 30 million euros.

It is to be constructed on a plot of land of 40,000m2 located next to the highway between Llíria and Casinos. It will have 3 operating theatres for scheduled surgery, 1 for emergencies, maternity areas, 26 consulting rooms, outpatients area, an area for keyhole surgery, radiology and 6 emergency cubicles. Also, it is believed, the hospital will offer the services of visiting specialists in cardiology, dermatology, endocrinology, digestive medicine, intensive medicine, internal medicine, clinical analyses, neurology, gynaecology, ophthalmology, paediatrics, psychiatry, and orthopaedics.

If you want to play golf, here are the details of the four closest golf courses, with number of holes, prices, discounts, etc. (The prices quoted are correct at the time of publication but are subject to alteration in the future):


Bétera: CLUB DE GOLF ESCORPION Its clubhouse, located on a XVIIth century Valencian farm, is one of the most emblematic elements of the area. It has remained one of the most prestigious courses in Spain, with the possibility of varying your game by teeing off from three different points on the course. Other Services: Turkish bath, day-care centre and swimming pool for partners. Discount for “call & play” 10 % PRICE: 18 holes: 60 € Invited partners from: 30 € Telephone: 961601211 www.clubescorpion.com escorpion@clubescorpion.es


Chiva: CLUB DE GOLF EL BOSQUE The course is located in the heart of the Valencian forests. Designed by Robert Trent Jones Senior, it consists of 18 holes and has been chosen as one of the 5 best courses in Spain. This splendid course, with holes of more than 7,000 yards, has hosted a number of prestigious events including the Mediterranean Open, European Open, and more frequently the Seniors European Open. For the international golfers and businessmen, El Bosque has a privileged location. Only 15 minutes by car from the international airport in Valencia and 20 minutes by car from the centre of the city of Valencia. PRICE: 18 holes: 70 € 18 holes (accompanying partner): 50 € 9 holes: 45 € Telephone: 961808000 www.elbosquegolf.com info@elbosquegolf.com


Manises: CLUB DE GOLF MANISES Here you can find all the services needed by beginner or expert: Trollies for rent, practice bunker, swimming pool, chipping area, golf lessons, putting green, children´s activities, courses and workshops, etc. PRICE: Ticket for 5 rounds: 155 € 18 Holes: 37 € 9 Holes: 21 € Telephone: 961 534 069 golfmanises@factoryw.com


Valencia: CLUB DE GOLF EL SALER More than 30 years of history makes this the second best course in Europe and one of the 50 most prestigious in the world of the PGA. Flanked by the Mediterranean Sea and the Lagoon, this course is known as one of the most demanding on the international circuit. Hours: from 7 at night. Open all the year. How to get there: From the south and the A-7 motorway, take the turnoff to Cullera and then take the Nazaret-Oliva road in the direction of El Perelló to avoid the tollbooth, or take the Favareta exit and the N-340, Cullera direction. From the north, take the V-30, take the exit to El Saler on the V-15 and take the motorway from El Saler, towards El Perelló. PRICE: If you take accommodation in the hotel: 44 € other players: 88 € members of the Federated Valencian Community: 70.40 € Telephone: 961 610 384 www.parador.es saler.golf@parador.es

New golf courses are planned for Lliria, La Pobla de Vallbona and Villamarchante in the next few years.

Around 2,100 new houses are to be built in L’Eliana in the next few years which will leave this town in the Camp de Turia almost at 100% of its capacity. At the moment only five sectors are available for development – four residential and one industrial, plus about 350,000m2 in individual plots on which no decision about building permission has yet been made, although some applications have been received.

It is calculated that L’Eliana will reach it limits around the year 2011 when, after the building of the 2,100 new houses, there will be a maximum of 22,000 inhabitants. In spite of this growth of more than 7,000 new inhabitants (in 2004 there were 15,026 people living in 4,264 properties), in comparison with other towns in the Camp de Turia (such as Lliria, Riba-roja, La Pobla de Vallbona and Villamarxant), where growth of between 15,000 and 20,000 inhabitants is expected, growth will be moderate.

“When we considered our position four years ago we considered that our area is smaller than most in the Camp de Turia and that most of it has been urbanized for a long time”, explained the Head of Urbanism, Mercedes Berenguer. “We are conscious that adding to our limits, controlling the growth of the population and the infrastructures go hand in hand” she said.

Since then seven sectors, five of them residential and another industrial have been authorised. The last one, of 32,885m2, was at first designated for public services use although later re-designated by the municipal government for subsidised or rent-free housing. Four of the residential sectors have been urbanized and the industrial sector awarded to developers, having been reduced in size to allow for more residential development in the area.

Now, after the awarding two weeks ago of further land for urbanization, only four residential sectors remain for development. For three of them, the owners have presented plans which would fulfil all the requirements of the council.

The awarding of all these sectors will not only bring new houses and new residents for L’Eliana. The city council has reserved part of these urban lands for the construction of a new secondary school, a fifth primary school, a new covered swimming pool, a new sports centre, and protected housing.

*From Levante newspaper, edition nº 3001, Monday 12th December 2005.

Choosing a pension is a complicated business. But from 6th April 2006 - so-called 'A-day'- there will be a new set of simplified rules. Read our essential guide.

Pensions are among the most tax-efficient and effective ways to save for retirement, but working out how much to save and deciding which type of pension is best often feels like a complicated business.
The good news is from 6th April 2006, so-called “A-Day”, life gets easier for retirement savers as the Government brings in a new simplified set of rules, effectively shelving the eight previous tax frameworks for pensions.

The changeover means it ought to be easier than ever before to begin calculating how much you ought to be saving for your future.

The new rules will also give savers far greater freedom in how and when pension benefits are taken.

Pensions have long offered attractive tax breaks. This means for higher-rate taxpayers a contribution of £100 only costs £60, for basic-rate taxpayers the same contribution costs £78, as the Government provides the £40 and £22 respectively in tax relief.

Savers will be able to hold buy-to-let properties, holiday homes, fine art, classic cars and gold within a pension.
This change potentially opens the door for individuals to hold residential properties, such as holiday homes, buy-to-let properties, and even in some limited circumstances private homes within their pension.
Pension savers will also have the flexibility to invest in more unusual investments through their pensions, including fine art, classic cars and gold.

The relaxation of pension investment rules offers some exciting opportunities, but these will only be appropriate for a relatively small proportion of investors and will demand specialist tax, pension and legal advice, all of which come at a price.

One of the most initially appealing parts of pension simplification is the potential to buy bricks and mortar with your pension while attracting significant income-tax relief.

This change means higher-rate taxpayers, for example, have the chance of buying a £100,000 buy-to-let property at a net cost of just £60,000 after tax relief if the property is held within their pension fund.

In addition, if you don’t have enough money to buy a property, your pension can take out a mortgage up to a maximum of up to 50% of the pension scheme assets.