bholloway546

I headed off to Northern Italy in about two weeks and I'm going to be doing a lot of driving from place to place. I'm looking into getting a European GPS unit, but I'm have a tough time figuring out which one will best suit my needs. Does anyone have any experience with using GPS units in Italy, and if so what brand GPS did you buy/use? Thanks.

travelgourmet

I've used a TomTom in much of Europe, including Switzerland, but not Italy. Works pretty well. I have one of the models with both US and European maps and would recommend going that route, rather than buying a strictly European model. The cost isn't that much more, and the added flexibility is a real plus.

J62

For me the most important thing is that the GPS can figure out where I am, and any GPS can do that - they all use the same satellites. I don't rely on GPS for plotting long distance routes or finding points of interest. For those functions I use www.maps.google.com online and a paper map to give me the broader perspective. That combination (GPS, online maps, and paper maps) gives me the best results.

I just use my US GPS. I bought Europe maps to install before my trip. The benefit is I am already familiar with how the unit works and I can pre-load many destinations into the memory.

If you can't install Europe maps on your home GPS then I recommend you just buy a basic Europe version of the same brand. It'll operate basically the same as the one you already know how to operate.

You say you are having a tough time figuring out which best suits your needs. Maybe you can describe your needs better and others can chime in.

jgg

We have used the Tom Tom as well for two trips in Italy as well as Germany, Czech Republic and Austria. We have found it excellent for those trips.

giannetta

I, too, use my TomTom that came programed with Europe maps so I did not have to add any maps - I've had my TomTom for about 4 years and it's still great -however, I'm sure there is an updated version. We use it all over Italy and it's GREAT..except for finding the train station in La Spezia!
Giannetta

Suspaul

We have a Garmin Nüvi with European and US maps, also have a subscription with unlimited updates for all. Have used it on several European trips and not had a problem.....it was a lifesaver. If you do bring your own GPS just remember to take it with you when you return your rental car! We left one when we returned the rental in Frankfurt and didn't realize for an hour or so, by then it was gone, never to be seen by us again. I now have a bright, day-glo orange small case that I keep everything needed in and it's not easy to overlook. Like they say, live and learn.
Susan

MyDreamTrip

We used the Garmin for driving around Tuscany for a week. It was a lifesaver! Highly recommended.