Pamplona Airport (PNA) serves the Navarra region of northern Spain, best known internationally for Pamplona's July running of the bulls, and a rental car here is the easiest way to explore the varied landscape of this compact but geographically diverse province. The airport sits a short drive south of Pamplona's old town, with international and local rental desks handling a modest but steady flow of travelers, and pickup is generally quick given the airport's manageable size compared with Spain's larger regional hubs.
From PNA, the AP-15 autopista runs south as a tolled route connecting Pamplona toward Zaragoza and, farther on, Madrid, with toll booths collecting fees by cash or card at regular intervals along the way. Heading north instead takes you into the greener, hillier Navarra Pyrenees foothills toward Roncesvalles, a historic pass on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route, roughly an hour's drive through increasingly forested terrain. West of the city, the vineyards and wine towns of the Navarra and Rioja regions lie within roughly thirty minutes to an hour, depending on how far into wine country you go.
Driving is on the right throughout Spain, and roads around Pamplona range from the fast, well-maintained AP-15 toll corridor to narrower, winding mountain routes as you climb into the Pyrenees foothills to the north. Snow and ice are realistic factors on these northern routes between roughly November and April, particularly around Roncesvalles and higher passes, so winter tires or at least cautious, well-prepared driving are worth planning for outside the summer months. Fuel stations are frequent near Pamplona and along the main toll corridor but thin out in the rural Pyrenees foothills, so it's sensible to top up before heading north out of PNA toward the mountains or the pilgrimage route beyond. Many visitors use Pamplona as a comfortable base for exploring both the Pyrenees foothills and Navarra's vineyard country without needing to relocate mid-trip.