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Individuals differ in preferences to use route versus survey strategies or distal versus proximal cues for navigation. The current study aimed to examine the effects of environmental structure experience in environment representations. Two groups of participants from Salt Lake City (Utah, USA) and Padua (Veneto, Italy) completed a series of navigation tasks in familiar and novel virtual environments as well as navigation strategy questionnaires. The results showed that Padua participants – compared to Utah participants - had more accurate survey knowledge of locations in their city and country, were more accurate at using proximal cues to remember target locations, and were more likely to use navigation strategies that involved shortcuts. Utah participants did not use distal cues more accurately or use more survey-based strategies despite their higher reported sense of direction and cardinal knowledge compared to Padua participants. Overall the results support that environmental demands shape environment strategies and performance. • Home environment affects navigation strategy and preference in real and virtual worlds. • Cross-environment study of Padua, Veneto, Italy and Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. • Padua individuals accurate at using proximal cues and pointing to familiar locations. • Salt Lake City individuals less likely to take shortcuts; report more survey strategies. • Effects not due to differences in mental rotation or familiarity with the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]