We use an old Garmin GPS and we have a Europe map mini SD card to put in it. . But we also take a paper Michelin or in Italy, Italian Touring Club map along too. We look at the map before driving somewhere. And around the ancient walled cities the GPS signal is often blocked or, some places, the area hasn’t been GPS mapped. Paper maps to the rescue. In the US, we use our iphones for GPS directions. So we use both!

@ scrb11: Thanks!

Thank you MyriamC, I missed that earlier.

I do think this thread has been very helpful. I had to call AutoEurope yesterday to make a small change in our rental, and they said they will mail me a GPS for $40.00. I can then worry a lot less about using data on the road, and a plan from Verizon looks much more attractive now. So we'll have the GPS, and a map or two, and wifi in our accommodations. I feel covered now. Thanks everyone.

Glad it worked out but for future reference, you can get a local SIM for less than $40 for that Verizon iPhone.

Though you'd need some way to mount it near the top of the dash as well as a power charger.

scrb11: can I get a SIM if the phone is locked? I didn't think so but will be happy to learn otherwise. We'll also have an iPhone 7 with us, but since it belongs to my husband's work, I wasn't going to add the international plan (work pays the bill, not us). But if either of these can actually take a local SIM, I will buy one.

Again, any recent iPhone on Verizon is unlocked for GSM networks. You can verify with Verizon but I'm pretty sure this is the case. Even if it isn't unlocked, your iPhone 6 should be fully paid off by now? So in that case, they should unlock it for you. You may want to double-check that it's not the iPhone 6S, which came out a year later. Depending on the installment plan with Verizon, even that should be paid off unless you got it less than 2 years ago.

So you'd just pop in a SIM. You can also ask the clerk at a mobile store in Italy, if they can test it before you buy, because you're not sure your iPhone is unlocked.

The only downside to this is that you wouldn't be able to receive calls on your normal Verizon number while you have this foreign SIM. But if you were to take calls on your Verizon number while overseas, you'd be paying international roaming rates anyways so you probably don't want to. That probably includes checking voice mails too.

I'm glad you found a workable solution!

A SIM-card always comes with a phone number. Just give the number to anyone who needs to know it.
With WhatsApp on your phone you can easily call for free, both with WiFi and with your dataplan.