Travel to Italy

I would invest in a compass, it is invaluable when in an unknown area. I have used a gps in several Eurpean cities without problems... But if you don't know which way is N you may start walking in the wrong direction...

it has full coverage of Italy and there are a lot of reviews.

In my experience in European cities, the streets are narrow so there is limited view of the sky, so satellite acquisition takes longer than on a big open highway. So you often have little guidance in starting off. The compass idea is great (I just got one for my next trip). Also, I fear it helps to have some idea where you are going! But it is great to know that if you are totally lost you can probably figure out how to get to where you want. Also, on my 255W, the battery life sucks. So be careful not not to need the nuvi when it is dead. But enjoy! (And, of course, getting lost in Italy is much of the fun.)

neal

I Made that mistake in Paris, once.
Now carry a small compass everywhere.

I just got a nuvi, after years using a Vista.
I am new to the site as well.
I too will be going to Italy.
I want to download POI for Rome and other locations as well.
Could not find any in the Library.

Question:
If I get the europe maps on SD do I have to download them to my Nuvi?
I do not want to load up the memery on the GPS.
If I can use it from the SD card do I add My POI to that card? or do I have to keep switching cards?

I bought the SD card with the Italy maps. I used it in Rome and in Florence. It was great. I could go anywhere and I never worried about getting lost. I found restaurants that were in the Fodor guide. I highly recommend it.

It's not everything but some popular ones!

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/12993

What model are you using that does not display NORTH?

I have traveled to Spain and used my GPS without any problems. I had downloaded all kinds of POIs and there is a section for Italy on that website. Unfortunately, it is in Italian but you can copy any part of the text in a translator and you should be able to get the POIs you need. I see that they have POIs for the metro stations in Rome, the radars in Italy, etc... Give it a try, you will see if it's useful for you.
The website is: http://www.todo-poi.es/italia.htm

Good luck and have a good trip.

Thanks for the help.
Another question:
I do not want to clutter my NUVI,
With maps and POIs I will only use every couple of years.
So I would not want to download it but rather run them off a SD card.
So I want to know if anyone as tried coping both to one card?
Or is it easy enough to remove the map from the NUVI
and still have it for a re-install later?

Wow I just went to that site, Thanks.
Then went to Yahoo Babel Fish to translate.
Get this:
You can add a button to a yahoo toolbar.
While you have the page open, click on the button and it translates the entire page.

http://babelfish.yahoo.com/

It displays it, but it isn't a compass. You can turn around in circles and it won't tell you what direction you are facing until you start to move. As long as you remain in a fairly small area, your Nuvi really doesn't know or care where it's pointed. It's been my experience that it can take a half block or more before it starts to register direction. That can lead to a lot of false starts.

Personally, if I was headed back to Italy, I probably invest in a handheld mapping GPS with electronic compass. Much better when you are doing a lot of walking... much better battery life too.

Thanks Paul ATL.
That was what i was looking for.

Also thanks Clem for the other site.
I will work on that one.

I found the same problems Sometimes, we would be going in circles. So the GPS did take us a little longer to go in the right direction but it did get us to the right place eventually. I never had to worry about getting losts.

I am glad to see it can be useful to you.
Have a wonderful trip.

Beats me! I can't figure out how you load to to your Garmin. I went to the website..translated it..but when I "unload" it, all it does is open a page with the tube stations listed but I can't figure out how you get it loaded to your gpx or Garmin files. My 680 is connected to my computer via the usb, but it doesn't show how to load the file from the page to your computer.

gerrydrake, here's how to obtain the Rome Metro files from the Spanish website:

For example, Rome Metro Line "A" Stations (ESTACIONES DE METRO DE ROMA LINEA A)

Under Garmin download (GARMIN DESCARGA) there are two icons ("compass" and "Ic") for downloading the .GPX file and the .BMP icon

Click on the icons and these links will open in your browser:
http://www.todo-poi.es/descargas/poiedit/italia/GARMIN/Metro...
http://www.todo-poi.es/descargas/poiedit/italia/GARMIN/Metro...

Save the files using File, Save Page As (Firefox) or File,Save As (Internet Explorer) to where you keep your POI Loader input files.

Run POI Loader to add the POIs to your Garmin.

Thank you for your help. The problem was that when I clicked on the files you mentioned, it opened up another window with just a list of the stops..not a file link like you showed. I'll try it agian and see if I get better results.

You need to do the File,Save Page As from the window that opens with just a list of the stops.

Thanks. I figured it out. I was translating the second page, before I saved it. I didn't need to do that. Works fine now, thanks again.

I set my NUVI 350 navigation mode (vehicle = Pedestrian) and as you say as long as I turned around in circles all I got was dizzy, But when I took less than five steps in any direction, the North indator pointed North and stayed pointing north no matter which direction I moved....

Seems the question was answered

When I save the Italy and Venice icons they are only flags and not the photo shown. Is this what they are suppose to be?