Technology and Getting Around in Italia?

Its a map - it show you where you are -you just walk - using it? I didn't' even know walking directions were a thing - for cars its sensible -but not for walking

...but once in downtown Florence the maps are useless for walking
guidance. Any advice on how to work this?

Um, a thing called a paper map? We still use them. All the time. They never need to be recharged, thieves have no interest in taking them, and if you lose one they're really cheap to replace. :O)

The downloaded maps work as maps. That is, you can look at them and plot a route, zooming in as needed. The “blue dot” of GPS also works so you can check your progress or make sure you are still heading north despite winding alleys. I personally love the blue dot and just broadly wandering in the right direction. Much more fun than actual directions, with more assurance you aren’t totally lost than a paper map.

Download a map of your neighborhood and then turn off data and wifi to test it.

You can download the walking map and take screenshots of it. I have done this.

joeandrose, I'm sorry the others are ridiculing you for wishing to use your phone for walking directions - I find them extremely helpful, more than just a paper map or a map o my phone, and yes, Google Maps "offline" does not support them. I can read a map but still find them frustrating to read sometimes and after years of using them was relieved to be able to use my phone for walking directions! It has saved me an enormous amount of time and frustration.

This is why I always travel with data on my phone - I just get a prepaid SIM card. (I have been using the same Dutch Vodafone SIM since 2017 on various trips.) I know it might sound daunting if you are not tech-savvy, but if your phone is unlocked and relatively new, it should work fine in Italy with an Italian SIM. Just find a TIM store when you get to Italy and tell them you want to buy a prepaid SIM card. They'll replace your US SIM card with the Italian SIM (KEEP your US SIM card handy to put it back before you get home!). You will lose your US phone number for calls/texting until you put the US SIM card back, then you'll get your old phone number back; in the meantime, you'll have an Italian phone number.

It's possible other apps besides Google Maps support offline walking directions. If you find one, let us know!

Also, if you aren't able to find another app or use an Italian SIM, you can still get walking directions while you are online (WiFi) before heading out somewhere - e.g. if you are at the hotel and going to walk somewhere, get directions before you leave the hotel, then you can navigate using those directions once you are no longer on WiFi. The phone itself still has the GPS and should still be able to navigate.

Haven’t checked this out yet or used
It was recently mentioned on another thread
https://www.onetripatatime.com/how-to-use-here-wego-for-easy-navigation-on-your-next-trip/

We find the paper tourist maps given by hotel to be perfectly sufficient and you don’t need to walk around with phone in hand

Maps.me provides walking directions offline. I use it all the time in Europe and LOVE it. Download the maps before you leave. For Europe, Maps.me works better than google maps. I "pin" hotels, restaurants, sites, all in advance. Occasionally Maps.me can't find a place. Then I find it on google maps and see what is close. I do all this before I leave home.

I was first turned onto Maps.me by my daughter-in-law that is quite a techie. She had tried many options for navigation and found she liked Maps.me the best.

Maps.me will provide you step by step driving AND walking instructions.

Maps.me does not, at this time, provide transit instructions.

I never use data in Europe (though I can get it if I need it) I make use of wifi in my hotel and other places.

I agree with Andrew on all points:
-I always have data, usually a local SIM
-Walking directions can be useful for any number of reasons.
-I’m saddened to see the condescending tone of some of the early replies.

Hi. I was able to use walking directions on my iPhone using directions from Apple Maps, but I had data from my T mobile plan. I had walking directions spoken right into my headphones in Florence, several towns in Italy and in Slovenia. I can’t speak to non-iPhone use. You could also choose a SIM card for data. Have a good trip.

Grazie to everyone for taking the time to respond. Didn't expect the strong divide between paper map lovers and technology users! Special thanks to Andrew for "defending my honor" -- so to speak!

I feel like I have a few very good options now. Will look into Maps.me (thanks, Jules) and possibly going the Sim card route -- or maybe just doing the workaround of setting up the walk while in wifi, and then turning off both wifi and data usage.

Hi everyone, just wanted to add this as an interesting addendum regarding Wi-Fi in Florence:

Have you noticed that there’s free WiFi in Florence?
This service is provided by the City of Florence and the most served places are very central:
All main squares of historical centre of Florence such as Piazza Santa Croce, Piazza Santa Maria Novella, Piazza della Signoria, Piazza del Duomo, Piazza S.Lorenzo, Piazza Santissima Annunziata, Piazzale Michelangelo, but there are also hotspots in the Cascine Park (Piazzale delle Cascine), in the central market of San Lorenzo, in the structures of Firenze Parking (garage at Santa Maria Novella train station, Beccaria, Europe etc.) and in all major Florentine libraries (for example: the Oblate Library, the Horticultural Library etc.).

The free wifi connection in Florence is allowed for 2 hours per day and a maximum of 500 megabytes (a good deal for a smartphone) for each device.

The complete list of hotspots in town: http://opendata.comune.fi.it/open_csv.html?graficocsv=http://opendata.comune.fi.it/od/wifi.csv&titolo=Wifi

Rose

I had never heard of maps.me before. Just downloaded it. I'm directionally challenged and need all the apps I can get.

We have used maps.me for walking around and it has always worked great.

Paper map + ask for directions. It still works wonders.

joeandrose, if you don't get a SIM card, you could leave the phone in airplane mode (assuming you might roam internationally without that) and just turn on WiFi and leave the phone set like that for your entire trip. No need to turn off WiFi then at all. Mobile data is off in airplane mode until you try to turn it on (or exit airplane mode).

I don't know about the free WiFi in Florence, but I have used free WiFi in some European cities. But that might help you there.
Sometimes you can find WiFi for free at McDonalds or Starbucks, but I haven't tried to do that in a few years now, and I have no idea how that would work anymore.

joeandrose,, nobody meant to ridicule you or be condescending. Those of us who responded in favor of paper merely provided our own method of "how to work" navigating on foot....which is what was asked, right? Sometimes there's more than one way to skin a cat, and not all of us may choose to go the tech route if what we've been comfortable with still gets us there just fine. It's just an option to consider?

LOL, I'm probably less tech savvy than you are!

@Geoff, what app were you using? Maps.me definitely works offline if you have correctly downloaded the appropriate maps. It provides step by step direction s for both walking and driving. Google maps also works in the same way, offline, though for me, in Europe, not as well as maps.me

One comment about paper maps, I always make sure I have one and I always look at a paper map in the am to get a visual picture of the plan for the day.

Kathy, absolutely no offense taken and sincerely appreciate everyone’s take on how they navigate. I really understand the the value of a paper map. In fact I used to love getting my AAA “Trip-tick” map/booklet back in the day! Loved turning the pages as we made progress in reaching our destination.

Andrew, thanks much for the added instruction on settling my phone to airplane mode!