Regulatory and Capital Requirements - Schedule of Actual Capital Positions and Ratios under Banking Regulations (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Compliance with Regulatory Capital Requirements under Banking Regulations [Line Items]
Risk-based Capital Actual, Amount	$ 1,403,836	$ 1,413,901
Tier 1 Risk-based Capital Actual, Amount	1,141,526	1,241,316
Tier 1 Leverage Capital Actual, Amount	1,141,526	1,241,316
Risk-based Capital Actual, Ratio	11.90%	12.40%
Tier 1 Risk-based Capital Actual, Ratio	9.70%	10.90%
Tier 1 Leverage Capital Actual, Ratio	7.30%	8.10%
Risk-based Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Amount	946,448	913,402
Tier 1 Risk-based Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Amount	473,224	456,701
Tier 1 Leverage Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Amount	628,256	613,471
Risk-based Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Ratio	8.00%	8.00%
Tier 1 Risk-based Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Ratio	4.00%	4.00%
Tier 1 Leverage Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Ratio	4.00%	4.00%
Risk-based capital to be well capitalized under prompt corrective action provision, ratio	10.00%
Tier 1 Risk-based Capital To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provision, Ratio	6.00%
Tier 1 Leverage Capital To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provision, Ratio	5.00%
Valley National Bank [Member]
Compliance with Regulatory Capital Requirements under Banking Regulations [Line Items]
Risk-based Capital Actual, Amount	1,376,695	1,374,059
Tier 1 Risk-based Capital Actual, Amount	1,239,510	1,201,499
Tier 1 Leverage Capital Actual, Amount	1,239,510	1,201,499
Risk-based Capital Actual, Ratio	11.60%	12.10%
Tier 1 Risk-based Capital Actual, Ratio	10.50%	10.50%
Tier 1 Leverage Capital Actual, Ratio	7.90%	7.80%
Risk-based Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Amount	945,854	912,179
Tier 1 Risk-based Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Amount	472,927	456,090
Tier 1 Leverage Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Amount	627,333	612,636
Risk-based Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Ratio	8.00%	8.00%
Tier 1 Risk-based Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Ratio	4.00%	4.00%
Tier 1 Leverage Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Ratio	4.00%	4.00%
Risk-based Capital To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provision, Amount	1,182,317	1,140,224
Tier 1 Risk-based Capital To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provision, Amount	709,390	684,134
Tier 1 Leverage Capital To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provision, Amount	$ 784,167	$ 765,795
Risk-based capital to be well capitalized under prompt corrective action provision, ratio	10.00%	10.00%
Tier 1 Risk-based Capital To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provision, Ratio	6.00%	6.00%
Tier 1 Leverage Capital To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provision, Ratio	5.00%	5.00%