Fair Value Measurements (Changes in the Fair Value of Real Estate Fund Investments and Deferred Compensation Plan Assets) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Real estate fund investments
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 222,649	$ 318,758
Purchases/additional fundings	6,000	4,000
Net unrealized (loss) gain on held investments	(183,520)	100
Ending balance	45,129	322,858
Deferred Compensation Plan Assets
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	32,435	37,808
Sales	(2,475)	(2,114)
Purchases/additional fundings	1,293	908
Realized and unrealized (losses) gains	(1,229)	523
Other, net	544	437
Ending balance	$ 30,568	$ 37,562

Amount of purchases of financial instrument classified as an asset measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117815213&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetPurchases
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of sale of financial instrument classified as an asset measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetSales
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value of financial instrument classified as an asset measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117815213&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueNetDerivativeAssetLiabilityMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputReconciliationRollForward
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair Value, Measurement with Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Recurring Basis, Asset, Gain (Loss) Realized And Unrealized

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vno_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetGainLossRealizedAndUnrealized
Namespace Prefix:	vno_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair Value Measurement With Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation Recurring Basis Asset Other Gain Loss Net

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vno_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetOtherNet
Namespace Prefix:	vno_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair Value, Measurement with Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Recurring Basis, Asset, Realized Gain (Loss) On Held Investments

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vno_FairValueMeasurementwithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetRealizedGainLossOnHeldInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	vno_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_RealEstateFundsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=vno_DeferredCompensationPlanAssetsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: