Cover Page - USD ($) $ in Billions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020	Feb. 25, 2021	Jun. 30, 2020
Entity Information [Line Items]
Document Type	10-K
Document Annual Report	true
Document Period End Date	Dec. 31, 2020
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Document Transition Report	false
Entity File Number	1-11277
Entity Registrant Name	VALLEY NATIONAL BANCORP
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	NJ
Entity Tax Identification Number	22-2477875
Entity Address, Address Line One	One Penn Plaza
Entity Address, City or Town	New York,
Entity Address, State or Province	NY
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	10119
City Area Code	973
Local Phone Number	305-8800
Entity Well-known Season Issuer	Yes
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Small Business	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity Public Float			$ 3.1
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		405,611,861
Documents Incorporated by Reference	Certain portions of the registrant’s Definitive Proxy Statement (the “2021 Proxy Statement”) for the 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held April 19, 2021 will be incorporated by reference in Part III. The 2021 Proxy Statement will be filed within 120 days of December 31, 2020.
ICFR Auditor Attestation Flag	true
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2020
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY
Amendment Flag	false
Entity Central Index Key	0000714310
Common Class A
Entity Information [Line Items]
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock, no par value
Trading Symbol	VLY
Security Exchange Name	NASDAQ
Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A
Entity Information [Line Items]
Title of 12(b) Security	Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A, no par value
Trading Symbol	VLYPP
Security Exchange Name	NASDAQ
Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series B
Entity Information [Line Items]
Title of 12(b) Security	Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series B, no par value
Trading Symbol	VLYPO
Security Exchange Name	NASDAQ