iPhone walking directions in Venice

I was there in August. I found the map/directions/times to be very accurate.

Thank you! I was hoping that’s the case. I don’t especially like getting lost!

Too bad about not wishing to get lost in Venice.

Found a quiet, non touristy cafe and devoured the best meal I had while staying in Venice by getting lost.

Same thing in Istanbul and Havana.

Part of the fun and magic of Venice IS getting lost
It’s an island so eventually you’ll find your way home
We get lost deliberately-the back alleys and canals are way more intriguing and picturesque than the crowded tourist stops

I wouldn’t bother with iPhone directions
Just follow the crowds and follow the signs on corners of bldgs and be sure to have a paper map as well

I was really looking for recent experiences of whether iPhone maps and time work correctly not advice on the benefits of getting lost.

I used CityMapper app on my iPhone in Venice last October with good effect. The only issue is that my phone then was older and the battery pooped out a bit quicker than I thought it should. I quick did a screen shot of the map in case I lost it altogether and didn't have a problem. I was able to follow the route with no issues and it took me about the estimated times.

Since that time I've gotten a new phone and also now have a power bank so no issues with batteries.

PS - I hate getting lost too. I know many enjoy this aspect of Venice but it drives me nuts and makes me feel uncomfortable.

When you say iPhone, are you talking about maps.me, Google maps or another app? I don’t find them equal, but I am not an expert…

I think you are smart to figure this out before you go. When you need to get somewhere you need to know how to get there. Wandering or following the crowd is not a system. LOL I can not help you with Venice…

I used the maps app on my iphone this past March and was impressed with how well it worked in Venice.

Sure, it’s great to wander in Venice. But, if you’re trying to catch a train or make a timed entry, some prefer not to wander for 3 hours. 😊

Paper maps are better. Walking around, nose buried in phone is a bit, well, meh.

I have used Google maps on my iPhone for walking directions in Venice. Normally, I pull up the Google walking directions while I am in my hotel with wifi. I don't close the app and leave it open. When I am outside, the little blue dot moves with me and I know whether I am walking in the right direction (along the route plotted by Google). I tend to get "distracted" by things I see on my walks in Venice and sometimes go off on tangents, so I don't always get to my destination in the time specified by Google maps. But when I absolutely have to be somewhere in Venice and can't afford to be "lost," I rely on Google maps.

Thanks so much everyone! I get it. The iPhone map should work fine but I should allow for my own digressions as there are wonderful unexpected things to be appreciated!!!

Wonder how thousands of visitors to Venice navigated without iPhones?

We, old timers, just did.

We enjoyed the meandering and if feeling truly helpless asked locals. Sometimes the language barrier made it more difficult but as Scarlet O’Hara stated….” I’ve always depended on the kindness of strangers.”

As Claudia says, just asked locals. That’s easy if you have a paper map to point to, an iPhone, not so much.