Vitoria Airport, officially Foronda and serving Vitoria-Gasteiz, sits on a plain south of the Basque Country's green hills, and car rental here is a comfortable, low-stress way to explore a corner of northern Spain that mixes Basque culture with the wine country of Rioja Alavesa just to the south. The airport is modest in size, and pickup is handled through a small set of desks near arrivals, so visitors are typically driving within a short walk of the terminal rather than navigating a sprawling hub.
From the airport, the AP-1 toll motorway runs north toward San Sebastian, a drive of roughly an hour, while the free N-1 and connecting roads head toward Burgos and, eventually, Madrid to the south. Bilbao is reachable in around forty-five minutes to an hour via the A-68 and connecting routes, making Vitoria a workable base for a Basque triangle itinerary alongside San Sebastian and Bilbao. Closer to hand, the vineyards of Rioja Alavesa begin about thirty to forty minutes south, an easy afternoon loop through rolling wine country. Spain drives on the right, and the AP-1 is one of the country's toll autopistas, distinct from the free autovia network that also serves the region, so expect a toll booth if that route is chosen over the untolled alternatives.
EU and EEA licenses are valid as issued, while other visitors should carry a home-country license together with an International Driving Permit, since Spanish authorities and rental desks may ask for one if the license is not immediately recognizable. The mountain passes in the Basque interior, including routes toward the coast and into Alava's hillier districts, can see snow and reduced visibility in winter, so allow extra time and check conditions before any pass crossing between roughly November and March. Outside winter, the driving here is scenic and unhurried, with well-signed roads linking vineyards, coastal towns and Basque villages.