Charging an iPod Nano - Italy

You don't need a "converter" to charge a Nano, just a plug adapter. You attach this to your US plug, then attach your US plug to the USB cable that you normally use to charge the Nano. Their's no need for a voltage converter in this situation (thank God). For US to European adapters, there's lots of sources. Rick Steves sells them here, cheap (you want the two pronged one on the bottom, not the UK one): http://travelstore.ricksteves.com/catalog/index.cfm?fuseaction=product&theParentId=126&id=24 If you prefer, you can get an adapter plug that goes right from USB to the European plug, skipping the need for the US plug. As you say, this is very expensive from Apple, but there are cheaper alternatives. Here's one: http://www.amazon.com/Adapter-charger-Apple-iPhone-Europe/dp/B0043GELNE/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1342310360&sr=8-4&keywords=usb+europe+charger

Thank you so much! Boy, getting ready to go to Europe is teaching me so much about life! It's an experience in itself!

Well, if Proust found meaning in a madeleine, I guess the modern equivalent is finding meaning in an iPod Nano adapter plug!

Be careful of third party chargers or resellers. While the Apple supplied charge is rated for 240v, a third party charger might not. My son lost his charger for his ipod and ordered a cheap replacement from Amazon. Just before we left he noticed that the input on the charge was only good for 120v. So you if do not have an apple charger, check the input label.

Sarah, As the others have mentioned, you don't need to use someone else's computer, nor do you need a "Converter". All you'll need is the supplied Apple Charger (along with the supplied USB to Apple cable). You will of course need at least one Plug Adaptor. I'd suggest taking at least two, as they're easy to misplace. If you'll be visiting the U.K. at all, you'll need a different type of Plug Adaptor. Buon Viaggio!

Upon reviewing replies, I looked around and I have a Kindle charger plug (probably the wrong term) that may work. It seems compatible with the iPod, and I have time to check it out before I go. I'll just add the few adaptors that I have for Italy, and I'm in business! Success and clarity!!!

Sarah, Was your iPod not supplied with a Charger? Before using the Kindle Charger, it's essential that you determine the Input Voltage specifications. Could you provide any further information on the Kindle device? I'm assuming it has a standard USB Plug on the output side?

Nano iPods come with usb port to charge in the Mac, making my MacBookPro a heavy charger, indeed.
The Kindle plug is 100-240 V.

Ken: iPods come with this cable for charging. It has a USB connection on one end, and the Apple connection on the other: http://store.apple.com/us/product/MA591G/B So, you can plug this cable directly into a computer. If you want to charge without using a computer, you need a USB-to-outlet plug. iPods do NOT come with this plug, but Apple is happy to sell it to you for a fortune - that's what Sarah was referring to in her initial post. Of course, you can get much cheaper plugs from other sources that work fine. Sarah has found a USB-to-outlet plug made for a Kindle. This is the one I actually use with my iPod: http://tinyurl.com/83vab8q So, you plug the cable into this, then put the European adapter onto this plug, and voila! You can also buy stand-alone chargers for iPods, like this:
http://tinyurl.com/cldse27 These are the kind that may not be rated for 240 volts. This particular one is, but not all are. I hope that clarifies things somewhat.

It's becoming clear: Ohm!!!!

@Harold, I have several iPods and an iPhone so was aware of the cables and chargers they're supplied with. However, Sarah's reference to using a Kindle charger was a bit confusing. I wondered if she had purchased the iPod off E-Bay or whatever, and it was sent without a Charger? I wasn't sure why it would be necessary to use a Kindle Charger? The easiest solution is to simply use the small Apple Charger and USB-to-Apple Cable, along with an appropriate Plug Adaptor. However, any Charger which outputs USB voltages (~5VDC) with the required current capacity will also work. iPods don't draw much current so that's not a concern, but the situation would be different if using an iPad. @Sarah, Interesting "pun"! In a discussion about electrical matters, using the word "Ohm" is a clever use of words! Cheers!

Ha! No, I will share that I queued up at the bonafide Apple store and bought out of the box products like every self-deprecating middle aged woman should!
This was my first venture into off-brand electronics. Thanks for all your help, everyone. It seems like I'm on to the next self-invented planning catastrophe!

Sarah, this is all you need. (Plus the $2 plug adaptor, of course - bring 2 or more adaptors; they fall into cracks, get left behind accidentally, etc) We've been using Apple chargers for years with all of our products, including Nanos, all over the world; I used one last night...;-) And the good news is, since they're universal voltage, if yours 'walks away' in Europe, you can get another one there. But, you'd then need an adaptor for North American plugs to use it at home! Ixnay on using the Kindle charger...didn't work at my house...

As others have said, take your standard Apple charger and an adapter (not a converter) and you are good to go. All you need is a way to make it fit in the wall and the international kits sold by Apple have no magic in them: They just let you physically plug the charger into the wall. You can also buy (or borrow) a "C7" cable, which looks like this. This is the connection that is actually built into the charger, if you pull the plug off and look under it.