kasialouise

Hi,
Has anyone used a gps in Venice? We were thinking of buying a Tom Tom 920 pre loaded with map of Europe.
Thank you.

traveller1959

Better get a map with vaporetto lines. They are free at hotels.

A GPS is not very useful in Venice.

DalaiLlama

I would be really interested in hearing how a GPS device does in Venice. GPS thingies don't usually do well in extreme rabbit warrens...and Venice is the extreme of the extremes.

But if you don't use a GPS device you can experience the fun of getting a little lost, that's a big part of experiencing Venice. You can't get totally lost, you're on an island after all, but having to backtrack and venture into an unknown side canal is not only fun, it takes you to charming places where a guidebook would not have taken you; your memory and your camera will thank you, though.

JoanneH

I have a garmin 370 I didn't like it in Venice. It totally ignored the vaporetto lines and a couple of times would send me way way around the long way to a site I could physically see from where I was standing. That said it was great in Rome and Naples. I know Florence fairly well so I did not use it there. I think as Traveller said get a good map its just as useful in Venice

monicapileggi

Kasialouise,

I would never take a GPS to use in Venice! It would spoil the fun of getting lost and exploring the city. There are plenty of signs to direct you to the main places (Piazza San Marco, the Riato bridge, the train station, etc; sometimes two signs pointing in two different directions for the same destination!). Use it elsewhere and go exploring in Venice! Enjoy.

Monica

annhig

hi kasialouise,

as monicapillegi says, there are indeed plenty of signs indicating the most popular directions in Venice.

they are helpfully painted high on the walls at most street junctions. Even if you are not headed for "rialto" or "Ferrovia" they help you to know which direction to go in.

if your eyesight is good, you might like the insight Venice pocket map -it flips open very quickly, so it's ideal for sticking in your pocket and just whipping out when you need to check where you are going [or indeed where you are].

I wouldn't have thought that a GPS was much use - you can rarely go straight to where you want to go in Venice because of all the canals that mean you often have to go in what seems like the wrong direction.

like the others have said, getting lost of half the fun.

regards, ann

kasialouise

Thanks to all,

Good information. We are all for getting lost. Would only use a gps to find out where we are in "an emergency fix" (exhausted at 2 am)

bdjtbenson

TomTom 920 has a walking mode. It would probably work to get you back to your hotel after a day of getting lost.

Generally, it's hard to get too far lost without taking a boat somewhere.

Aramis

Venice is for getting lost - map in pocket - start walking - turn whenever it looks interesting - get tired eventually - look for nearest street sign - pull out map and plot way back to hotel or marked sight/restaurant.

It don't get much better than that.

knickerbocker

kasialouise,

Given the tight proximity of most streets in Venice, I'd suggest a GPS would be of limited utility. Mrs. K and I were in Paris last year with my Gamin iQueM4 and we got turned around our first night out. This was in the 11th arondisment with a wide boulevard to play with; better to familiarise yourself with the environs of Venice IMHO

Robespierre

There are crappy GPS units, and good ones. The crappy ones are mostly crappy because they use an obsolete technology to figure out where they are. There's also a lot of crappy software out there.

Any GPS of a modern design will acquire a good fix in any city canyon I've ever been in. The key feature to look for is <b>SiRFstarIII&trade;</b>. The Garmin specs don't mention this major selling point, so it's fair to assume the M4 doesn't have it.

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/store/as...quem4_spec.pdf

kasialouise

Merci beaucoup, Robespierre.

Remus

Instead of a GPS, read &quot;No Vulgar Hotel,&quot; by Judith Marin [aka Miss Manners] (2007).
She will bring you to places that no GPS can! {She's a strong advocate of &quot;getting lost in Venice.&quot;]
If your travels will take you outside of Venice to Verona, Padua, and/or Vicenza, view the video tours by noted author Isabella Dusi (&quot;Vanilla Beans and Brodo&quot;] on the Veneto Channel of www.WebVisionItaly.com
For a Book List of books on Venice view www.Venice-Travel.BlogSpot.com -- includes guide books.

Remus

oops--typing mistake: it's &quot;Martin&quot;

Robespierre

<i>Author: Remus ([email protected])
Date: 12/13/2008, 12:00 pm

Instead of a GPS, read &quot;No Vulgar Hotel,&quot; by Judith Marin [aka Miss Manners] (2007).
She will bring you to places that no GPS can! {She's a strong advocate of &quot;getting lost in Venice.&quot;]</i>

So you're saying that it's better to <u>not</u> have a GPS when you <i>need</i> one? I don't think you'll get much agreement on that proposition.

JoanneH

I agree getting lost in Venice is the way to go, there are just so many interesting streets, side streets etc it would be a shame to miss that aspect of this city. I was using my gps because I have been to Venice many times and sorta know the lay of the land and I wanted to be sure I was using it right for hopefully a driving trip through Australia next year.

traveller1959

I can hardly imagine getting lost in Venice. The city is so small and it is well-structured by canals. You never walk more than 10 minutes until you find a vaporetto stop.

The few remaining natives will get very amused if they see tourists navigating Venice with a GPS system in their hands.

Robespierre

Are they amused by people with MAPS? Because that's what a GPS is - a map that tells you where you are.

Robespierre

I might add that in big cities with extensive transport systems (Paris, London, K&ouml;ln...), it's useful to wander around and then use the GPS to find the nearest bus or subway line that will get you to your next destination.

I have NEVER seen anyone walking around with their eyes glued to a GPS screen. That's just ridiculous. You'd no more do that with electronics than you would with paper. I see people using both to decide which turn to take at an intersection, but in this case the GPS is a little easier to use, because it obviates the necessity of tracking your location on the map.

nukesafe

Robes, which GPS units have the technology you mention? My wife just got a Garmin for her car, and it seems to work well enough in the States.

I'm thinking of getting one for my car, and for travel. What would you recommend?