Tuscany has a talent for making you forget the modern world: cypress trees, vineyards, a medieval tower on every other hill. Unfortunately, your phone signal sometimes forgets the modern world too. Drive into a valley between two hill towns and the little bars on your screen can vanish, usually right before the junction you weren’t sure about.

The fix takes five minutes, costs nothing, and should be on every traveler’s to-do list: download offline maps in Google Maps before you leave home. Once a map is saved on your phone, you can search for places and get turn-by-turn driving directions with no internet connection at all. Your phone’s GPS works without mobile data, so the little blue dot keeps following you even when the signal gives up.

Why bother, if I have a data plan?

Dead zones are real. Even with a good international plan or a local SIM, coverage in the countryside can be patchy, and it tends to disappear exactly when you need it.
Not every rental car has built-in navigation, and some companies charge extra for a GPS unit.
It saves data and battery, because your phone isn’t constantly downloading map tiles.
It’s ready the moment you land. No need to find airport Wi-Fi before driving off.

How to download an offline map (iPhone and Android)

The good news: Google Maps works almost exactly the same way on iPhone and Android. Do this at home, on Wi-Fi, a few days before your trip.

Option 1: choose your own area (our favorite)

This lets you draw a box around exactly the region you need.

Make sure the Google Maps app is up to date, you’re connected to the internet, and you’re signed in to your Google account (on iPhone, make sure you’re not in Incognito mode).
Tap your profile picture or initial in the top right corner.
Tap Offline maps.
Tap Select your own map.
Move and zoom the map so the blue frame covers the area you’ll be driving in. For a week with us, make sure it includes Florence, Siena, San Gimignano and the countryside in between, plus the airport you’re flying into.
Tap Download. The app shows how much storage the map needs before you confirm.

Option 2: start from a place

Search for a place, for example “Tuscany” or “Siena”.
Open the place’s details (on iPhone, tap its name at the bottom of the screen; on Android, open the place card and scroll along the row of buttons).
Tap More (the three dots), then Download offline map, then Download.

Traveling further? If you’re also visiting Rome, Venice or the Amalfi Coast, download a separate map for each area rather than one giant map of Italy. They’re quicker to download and easier to manage. Google Maps may even suggest maps for you under Recommended maps if your flight or hotel bookings are in your Gmail.

A few settings worth checking

Turn on automatic updates. Offline maps don’t last forever: each one has an expiry date, which you can see in the Offline maps list. Go to Offline maps, tap the Settings gear in the top right, and turn on Auto-update offline maps. When a map is close to expiring and you’re on Wi-Fi, Google Maps will refresh it for you.
Android only: save to an SD card. Short on space? In the same Settings screen, under Storage preferences, you can choose to store maps on an SD card. (If you change the location, you’ll need to download the maps again.)
Rename your maps (“Tuscany”, “Rome”) so you can tell them apart. Open the map in the Offline maps list, tap the edit icon, and type a new name.

Using your offline maps

Just use Google Maps as usual. When there’s no connection, the app switches to your offline maps automatically. Offline, you can:

see the map and your position;
search for towns, addresses, restaurants and gas stations inside the downloaded area;
get turn-by-turn driving directions, as long as the whole route is inside the downloaded area.

A few things only work online:

Walking, cycling and public transit directions are not available offline. Driving is the only offline mode.
Live traffic and alternative routes need a connection, so offline you get one route, without traffic updates.
Opening hours and reviews may be out of date.

Tips for driving with your phone in Italy

Bring a phone mount. Since December 2024, holding your phone while driving in Italy can cost €250 to €1,000. A simple vent or dashboard mount solves the problem, and you can tuck it in your suitcase.
Bring a charging cable. Navigation with GPS uses a lot of battery. Most newer rental cars have a USB port, and many support Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, which puts Google Maps on the car’s own screen. That’s not guaranteed, though, so pack a cable, and perhaps a car charger for the 12-volt socket (the same kind as at home).
Watch out for ZTL zones. Google Maps knows the roads, but it doesn’t always warn you about restricted traffic zones in historic town centers. When you see the ZTL sign, park outside and walk in. Our guide to driving in Italy explains how they work.
Beware the creative shortcut. In the Tuscan countryside, the “fastest route” is occasionally a gravel farm track (strada bianca). If the road ahead looks more suited to a tractor than a rental car, trust the road signs over the app.
Save your key places before you go: your hotel, the rental car office, and the villa (we’ll send you the details after you book). A star in Google Maps makes them easy to find, online or off.

Using Apple Maps instead?

Apple Maps on iPhone also supports offline maps (with iOS 17 or later). Tap your profile picture, then Offline Maps, then Download New Map, and adjust the area. Use whichever app you’re most comfortable with. The important thing is to download before you fly.

Your 5-minute pre-trip checklist

Google Maps updated and signed in
Offline map of Tuscany downloaded (plus any other regions you’ll visit)
Auto-update turned on
Hotel, villa and rental car office saved as favorites
Phone mount and charging cable packed

Then put the phone in its mount, set the destination, and enjoy the view. If you take a wrong turn anyway, consider it part of the adventure: some of the best trattorias in Tuscany were discovered exactly that way. For more practical advice, see our FAQ.

Featured photo: Ed Wingate / Unsplash

Traveling to Italy with Google Offline Maps