.Garmins

I used a Garmin for years during driving trips in Europe. I never tried one for walking. I quickly gave it up once I started using Google Maps, which I found (at that time, way back when) to have better detail in Europe. I'm sure that's improved. Plus, I quickly got tired of carrying the extra device.

The difference in price could be due, in part, to technology. You might also check whether there is a difference in the maps themselves. Some may come with "lifetime updates" while others require you to purchase updates.

It's been a long while since I've used my Garmin, so my knowledge may be laughably out of date.

I just checked the Garmin website, looking at this driving model:
https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/721063/pn/010-02470-00

There are significant price differences ($149 - $419) depending on whether you choose options for live traffic (US only) and a built-in dash cam, as well as screen sizes ranging from 5" - 8".

I would rather have an electronic map than a cell phone

In the past, the Garmin device was bulkier than a cellphone. Perhaps you just don't want to have your "good phone" out for walking? An option, if you still have one of your prior cellphones, might be to bring it and buy a local SIM with a hefty data plan to use as your walking map device.

But it is still a cellphone, so that may be the very thing you're hoping to avoid.

I've enjoyed Garmins in the past, but it's hard to predict the durability and lifetime of the device. I don't mean that they're poorly made, that's not true. But my models had a lot of problems with their internal antenna connections-a recognized problem. More importantly, many of my (now obsolete) Garmins did not have big enough memory for the map updates needed six years after purchase. Sometimes a memory card can relieve this, but it's a Kludge.

The map-data plan that comes (or doesn't) with your Garmin is important. Normally I won't pay for something "for life", ever since I bought a lifetime VHS Video Store Membership! But maps are so expensive that you have to buy this with a Garmin. But once it's out of warranty, it's a declining value investment. Note that dashboard mounting is a factor, and breaking a vent on a rental with an aftermarket Vent Mount is a nightmare.

OTOH, the navigation experience is quite good. Remember, however, that the Icelandic police have an internal term, "Death by GPS". (Citation: The New Yorker magazine.) Even if you don't go to Iceland, you might end up in an odd place if you rely 100% on GPS, without occasional "reasonablness" tests.

I had a Magellan GPS, similar to a Garmin, bought a Europe map and took it to France some years back with its dashboard mount. It worked great for driving but the mount was heavy. I set it for kilometers so the directions would match the signage. The best part was hearing it mispronounce a lot of place names, a source of endless entertainment as we rolled down the highways.

I have a Garmin now and like it a lot for US driving, but I'll use my cell phone in France later this year. Google Maps lets me download what I need so I'm not using data, though I don't think that will provide spoken directions. Maybe your phone will let you use wifi to download maps that you can then refer to on the road.

We. Have a Garmin InReach that we take to Iceland for hiking. It also goes to the Sladja bush with us. They are very reliable. I don’t see a need for these in a regular town/city but if you are off exploring they have their place.

I use the maps.me app. You can download the maps when you have wifi and then use it just like a Garmin with step by step instructions offline. The app is free. You can also use maps. me for walking. I still occasionally use my Garmin in the U.S. and I find maps.me and Garmin instructions very similar.

Highly advise using either Maps.me or the garmin you purchase to familiarize yourself to the process and instructions prior to the start of the trip.

Download your areas first on your phone using Google maps. I use a Garmin Edge 830 for bike tours but they are often plainly wrong and I would never use it for just walking. You won't need data to use the Google maps, it uses your phone's GPS. Normally it is good to get a paper map (eg. London A to Z) for the first time, but keep in mind there is a lot packed into a small area in Europe so you might need a few!

I also use the Map.me and love it.

I have a TOMTOM and you can download the country in the US before you leave. https://www.tomtom.com/