GPS helpful in Italy for walking directions?

I just got a Garmin 275T for an upcoming driving trip to Italy, and it does have a pedestrian mode. however, I don't think it's necessary to have just for pedestrian use and not driving as well. My first trip to italy, I went to Venice, Florence, and Rome, and also several day trips from each. For the main cities, I bought compact maps here in the US and brought them with me - for smaller cities, I stopped at the TI and picked up handy maps. I rarely got lost (except when I wanted to of course!) and the maps were more than adequate. I'd definitely personally recommend getting compact/pocket style maps and not big fold-out ones, they're less cumbersome. If you already have the GPS, I suppose you could bring it along, but I can't imagine it'd be worth buying a unit with European maps just for pedestrian use. Also why deal with the extra electronic equipment to take care of and look out for if you don't need it?

Plus part of the fun in Italy (Venice especially) is looking at what's all around you and, well, getting lost a little bit!

For our recent trip to Italy I bought a GPS since we'd be spending 2 of our weeks there with a car. Before we left, I programmed in destinations around Rome like Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Campo de Fiori, etc. so we could find them more directly while walking.

I quickly found that a GPS in pedestrian mode is just not much good inside a city. It works fine out in the open, but within a town even 3-story buildings were enough to keep me from getting a satellite lock. As we walked all over Rome, the GPS only got a lock and pinpointed my position when we were at Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona. Everywhere else, the thing didn't work.

It was the same when we walked in the narrow canyon streets of old Siena.

It NEVER lost its satellite connection when we were DRIVING in old Siena, or anywhere else (except in one really long tunnel).

I think the difference has to do with speed. It doesn't have to get a continuous satellite signal, but it has to get one every so often. At walking speed it just goes too long blocked behind the buildings. At driving speed it seems to get a glimpse of the satellites often enough, perhaps at every intersection, so it never loses its location.

Thanks for your help. One less electronic device to recharge!

Luann,

My TomTom 920 has a dead reckoning system that allows it to continue navigating when it loses a signal. I don't know how they get that feature into such a small package.

If you use it for walking directions, it's important to remember to switch in and out of walking mode - lest you later find yourself driving the wrong way down a one-way street.

My concern for walking directions is the battery life. It isn't that long when it's not plugged in. Mine optimistically is good for four hours (conservatively maybe only two hours). If you use it for walking, keep it turned off when you don't need it. When you turn it back on, do so in an open area so it can start with a new position (or else it will think it's where you were when it was turned off).

Luann,

I often use my Garmin Nuvi 370 (discontinued, replaced by the 275T I believe) in "pedestrian mode" when walking around cities. So far it's worked quite well and is especially good for finding my way back to the Hotel if I get lost.

A previous post mentioned difficulties getting a satellite lock when walking between tall buildings. Than can be a minor problem, but it's easily rectified. I either restart the unit and ask to "View Map" before keying in my destination, or just walk into a clear area and wait until the unit has a "lock" before continuing. Once the unit has established it's location, I've found that it remains operational even when I'm between buildings.

Battery problem is a bit of an issue, but I tend to use the GPS only when I need it and leave it turned off for the most part. I also make sure it's fully charged before I venture out for the day. It seems to be good for about 2-3 hours.

Most of the time I just use the local Maps provided by Hotels, Hostels or B&B's. They usually have a "pad" of these at the Front Desk and provide each guest with a copy. The Maps are usually configured for tourists and show all the local attractions.

Even if I'm not driving, I'll continue travelling with a GPS unit!

Happy travels!

What we found really helpful was to carry a simple compass. It's easy to get disoriented. But it's also fun to ask for directions and get to interact with the locals that way (as long as you're polite).

We used a Garmin this spring and were glad we did, especially for driving or locating sites. On small narrow streets it did lose reception which when walking was fine but when confronted at a T in the road during a little hicup it got a little heated in the car:). We also didn't use it enough at home to learn all it could do. I'd also look at the maps and not totally rely on the GPS. You also need to preplan where you are going or have addresses available for programing them in. We'd take it along again but use it smarter.

We used a Garmin this spring and it was fabulous. It saved us hours and probably a divorce. Just be warned unless you have a pedestrian mode it won't let you walk down one way streets. I learned the hard way! lol

"Just be warned unless you have a pedestrian mode it won't let you walk down one way streets."

Along the same line, I forgot and left mine in pedestrian mode when we got in the car, and it took me a while to realize why it was avoiding the expressways and taking us down the secondary roads. It thought we were still walking!

I am in Rome now. My Garmin will not pick up a satellite here. We are on the top floor of a 6 story hotel, and it still won't work. It still thinks I'm in Dallas. We're going to the Cinque Terre next. Maybe they have satellites there. We didn't need it anyway.

Thomas...it won't work because the satellite signals are being blocked by the hotel. The 24 satellites used for GPS orbit the earth constantly, so there are always two or three within your range....once you get out of the hotel.

Thomas,

As Norm mentioned, there are always two or three Satellites in view at any time.

I've found with the Garmin units that it's important to establish a "home" location before using it in a new city. If it thinks you're still in the previous location, it will sit there searching for a lock for a LONG time. What I normally do is take the unit into an open area and click the "View Map" button. It will take several minutes to establish a "lock" and display the Map, but once that's done it should operate normally in that location.

Incidentally, although you're on the top floor of a Hotel, were you using it inside the room or close to a window?

Cheers!