GPS for Italy

We are planning a cruise for next June and plan to spend the week before in Italy. We have an old Tom Tom ( at least 8 years old). I do not want to invest in an expensive Garmin that will either have European maps or allow a sim card at an additional cost since my car has navigation and quite frankly, I can't imagine not having it ever again.

So, my question is this - Can I buy a basic garmin in Italy - or preferably online from the Italian site that I can keep for future trips to Europe. If purchased in Italy, will it have english programmed in it? This seems a more cost effective approach.

Any ideas?

Have you considered downloading Maps.Me to your smartphone and turning off data when travelling?

Not at as good as Google Maps, but it's affordable.

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You can test it out by downloading a map of your local state. Don't forget to download a map from Italy before your trip.

Actually, I used Google Maps on my iPad Mini to navigate when I was in Italy. I buy a SIM card from TIM so I have cell coverage. It worked great when walking around towns and it got me from Rome to Florence, into Orvieto and around the Chianti backroads. The SIM card from TIM is pretty inexpensive for just data.

If you want a standalone GPS, you can just buy it here in the US and buy the appropriate map package for it before you leave.

Thanks for the info. I have a maps app on my Iphone. I was able to bring up St. Mark's Square and it shows all the streets around it. But, how would that help me with driving directions?

I could probably use Google maps, but that would use a lot of data, wouldn't it?

I don't mind spending $120 or so on a new Garmin for Europe - I just don't want to spend $250 ( the higher priced model+ european map purchase).

Trying to gather options.

Thanks again

Thanks for the info. I have a maps app on my Iphone. I was able to bring up St. Mark's Square and it shows all the streets around it. But, how would that help me with driving directions?

 

I could probably use Google maps, but that would use a lot of data, wouldn't it?

 

I don't mind spending $120 or so on a new Garmin for Europe - I just don't want to spend $250 ( the higher priced model+ european map purchase).

 

Trying to gather options.

 

Thanks again

My mistake - I used the "Maps" app that came pre-loaded on my iPad. I use it here at home, too, as my GPS/driving assistant. I use Google Maps at work…

It does use data but, as I said, I buy a SIM with 5G of data for 20EU, good for 30 days. Then, I can use my iPad for everything and I have yet to come close to running out of data… if you have an unlocked phone, it can be an economical way to get about!

My mistake - I used the "Maps" app that came pre-loaded on my iPad. I use it here at home, too, as my GPS/driving assistant. I use Google Maps at work…

 

It does use data but, as I said, I buy a SIM with 5G of data for 20EU, good for 30 days. Then, I can use my iPad for everything and I have yet to come close to running out of data… if you have an unlocked phone, it can be an economical way to get about!

A SIM would do the trick, but I have Verizon wireless for my Iphone and Ipad. How would I know if I have an unlocked phone? (sorry, I am totally phone technology challenged)

 

I have a maps app on my Iphone. I was able to bring up St. Mark's Square and it shows all the streets around it. But, how would that help me with driving directions?

When you're in Europe and want to use your app, take your iPhone out of airplane mode, then quickly go to Settings → Cellular and turn off Cellular Data so you don't incur any cell fees. Airplane mode needs to be turned off in order for GPS to work.

I've used Maps.Me with limited success and have since deleted it from my iPhone. I would recommend the Here Maps app..it's free! Install it on your iPhone, download map data for where you live in order to give it a try. Turn off Cellular Data to see if it works to your liking. If you like it, download the map data you'll need in Europe. If not, delete the app...no harm done.

Lew

Lew - Thank for the information. I will try it!

If you preload the maps, Google maps now work just from GPS without data.

http://features.en.softonic.com/how-to-use-google-maps-offline-on-android

For off line maps look for HERE maps. Its free and application is available for both ios and android but maps are quite large. Of course Google Maps are great also but online version needs data but apparently map subsets can be downloaded to a mobile device for offline use

https://support.google.com/gmm/answer/3273567?hl=en

https://support.google.com/gmm/answer/6291838

A SIM would do the trick, but I have Verizon wireless for my Iphone and Ipad. How would I know if I have an unlocked phone? (sorry, I am totally phone technology challenged)

Verizon phones are unlocked (government forced them), any Iphone greater then 4s. adding a sim is quite easy.

Missed this thread back in November, if you're still undecided perhaps my fourpenn'orth will help.

I'm a technophobic dinosaur, can't help with phone apps etc.

Happier to have a camera that takes photos, a phone that I can talk into, and a sat-nav to tell me which way to go. ;)

A very acceptable Tom-Tom, or other brands, with European maps costs way under £100, an excellent investment especially since you plan to make further trips to Europe.

Adding European maps to your old Tom-Tom will cost mebbe half that, you will still have only the one sat-nav, and you'll miss out on all the other improvements

You can even re-coup mebbe £20 of the price by selling your UK-only sat-nav on E-Bay, though it's useful to keep it as a stand-by.

The differences between buying in the UK compared to Italy:

- Italy's VAT is 22% compared to our 20%, so I doubt there's any significant price difference.

- if you buy in Italy the default language will probably be Italian, but wherever you buy it's easy to switch your "preferences" to English. Or Urdu or Mandarin if that's your preference ;)

- when you buy, your contract is with the shop, not the manufacturer. If it's defective it's a whole lot easier to get it fixed or replaced or refunded in Halfords than some place near Leonardo da Vinci airport.

- buying before you travel allows you to get the hang of it before you need to use it. And to make sure its in perfect working order.

- buying before you travel allows you to enter your routes, destinations, figure journey times etc and plan everything in advance.

- we were unable to find an Aussie sat-nav in the UK before we travelled, so sussed out the Targett store nearest the airport. It was quite fraught getting from airport to store without a sat-nav. Will you be in a similar situation?

We've used Tom-Tom world-wide & been very happy with it.

We've used it in conjunction with googlemaps where we have internet connection (eg overnite hotel) and with downloaded Mapsme for on-the-road.

Not impressed with Mapsme (too much info changes depending on resolution) and not impressed with new googlemaps (every reason under the sun :().

Judging from other responses on this thread it's time I woke up to the alternatives.

But I see buying a new Tom-Tom in the UK as a no-brainer. :)

JB :)

We would suggest calling Autoeurope and/or Kemwel (sister companies located in the USA) and asking them about a rental car with GPS. They often have some kind of promotion that can get you a GPS for very little (or no) extra cost. And since these companies are rental car "consolidators" or discounters you can often get a car from one of the major companies (i.e. Hertz, Europcar, etc) at a decent discount. We often use these companies for our longer term rental cars (over 3 days).

Hank

At this day and age standalone GPS is an obsolete device but rental companies still manage to charge for it. Most cell phones and tablets (even cheap ones) have GPS built in. The best solution remains using live Google Maps (but that implies buying local SIM which is still way cheaper than paying for GPS to rental provider). Next best solution is to use offline maps. I use IGO for offline but live Google Maps is better because its aware of most sights, hotels & services so one doesn't even need to know addresses.

Assuming you have a smartphone, there are numerous gps apps that allow you to download maps to your phone and then provide turn by turn directions like Google maps. Some use osm (open street maps -free) and others allow you to buy maps. I was worried about osm quality, so I spent about $15 for TomTom maps. (Well, it was a 14 day free trial, so I downloaded them in the airport on the way there and deleted them when I landed on the way home!) I think the app I used was mapfactor, but that was 3 years ago now, so I'm sure the options are all different now.

I was worried that it would not work as well as Google maps, so the first trip I had both running, and they gave identical directions.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Verizon phones are unlocked (government forced them), any Iphone greater then 4s. adding a sim is quite easy.

At this day and age standalone GPS is an obsolete device but rental companies still manage to charge for it. Most cell phones and tablets (even cheap ones) have GPS built in. The best solution remains using live Google Maps (but that implies buying local SIM which is still way cheaper than paying for GPS to rental provider). Next best solution is to use offline maps. I use IGO for offline but live Google Maps is better because its aware of most sights, hotels & services so one doesn't even need to know addresses.

If I'm visiting the US, will it be easy for me to buy a US SIM? And if so, is there a recommended one? I pay a lot for data roaming outside of Europe, so a US SIM would be a good alternative.

I spent $40 for an Italy GPS SD card on Amazon for my garmin. Don't think they sell for tom tom. Need a new one as it was stolen out of my luggage either by a cruise ship or airport worker after my cruise.....

If I'm visiting the US, will it be easy for me to buy a US SIM? And if so, is there a recommended one? I pay a lot for data roaming outside of Europe, so a US SIM would be a good alternative.

You have quite a few options. If you simply go to a store like Walmart of Target (these stores are located all over our country) you can purchase a SIM from some companies like Straight Talk or Virgin. They sell SIMS which include prepaid minutes and data...that will work on unlocked phones. ATT also sells SIMS on a prepaid plan called "GoPhone" which should also work on unlocked phones and they have sales places all over the place (including just about every shopping mall). One nice thing about the USA cell phone deals is that data is relatively cheap when compared to what we find in Europe.

Hank

You have quite a few options. If you simply go to a store like Walmart of Target (these stores are located all over our country) you can purchase a SIM from some companies like Straight Talk or Virgin. They sell SIMS which include prepaid minutes and data...that will work on unlocked phones. ATT also sells SIMS on a prepaid plan called "GoPhone" which should also work on unlocked phones and they have sales places all over the place (including just about every shopping mall). One nice thing about the USA cell phone deals is that data is relatively cheap when compared to what we find in Europe.

 

Hank

Thank you Hank, that's just what I needed to know. The last time I looked into it (which was ages ago - pre-smartphone) the best option was a tracfone, which turned out to be more hassle than help.