I’ve come across some great travel apps in the last year, so this is a roundup of the ones I use the most and can recommend.
Let me know what you have used and liked and I will add them to the list!
**Disclosure: Opinions are based on my own use. I’ve not received compensation from any of the app companies. Please do your own due diligence in downloading and using apps.**
Citymapper-The Best App for Getting from Point A to Point B in a City
My friend M.J. told me about this app in no uncertain terms: “You must download this app to your phone before you leave home.” I highly recommend this app. It’s great because it has so much information in a compact interface. Just set your city and fill in the “Get Me Somewhere” box. You can see all the options for transport, choose the one you want, then follow the directions to find your desired routing and go!
I’ve used it in Paris, London, Milan, and Sydney. I love the Live Update feature, which follows your progress on the bus or underground and tells you to prepare to get off at the correct stop. Whatever the transport options are in a city, such as ferries in Sydney, trams in Milan, buses in London, Velib bikes in Paris, it has the information you need to get from place to place. There’s also usually a link to a car service, and, not least, walking maps. After the journey is completed it will tell you how you’ve helped the environment and also the number of calories burned. And once in a while there is a funny joke-get there by jetpack? Sure! There are about 40 cities on this app.
Rick Steves Audio Europe- For his walking tours and podcasts.
This, too, has a simple interface. First, “Find Tours and Interviews.” Click through to the places you are going. Click on the tour you want and a “Download” button appears. Once downloaded, they live in “My Playlist.” Download the pertinent walking tours before you leave home and you can access them offline.
Using the app allows you to follow the walking tours without a guidebook in hand. What I’ve found helpful is to use the written version instead of the audio tour. I can read about the sight instead of having to walk with headphones. I can also play tour guide and read the info to my group!
RS has added a lot of podcasts that have good background information about the different countries. These are good to listen to while in transit.
Italian Dictionary and Translator + (by Vida Lingua)
These app developers also have other languages. Search the app store for the language you want. This app is free, but has limited content without buying the monthly subscription.
It’s pretty good for just the basics, but I think the “Translate” section is the best feature of this app. It lets you type in an English phrase, get the translation in Italian, and save that for future use. It will say the words and phrases over the speaker. After typing in a phrase, press the star to save it. It gets saved in “Phrases” under “My Phrases.” My most-used phrase was, “May I have a decaf coffee, please?” “Posso avere un caffe decaffeinato?”
Google Maps- Good for Walking and Driving Directions
Of course this is the big dog in map apps. When traveling abroad, I like it for walking and driving directions more than for public transport information. I used it in Venice when I really wanted to find a certain restaurant and it was pretty easy to follow, although it’s easy to get turned around there. It does suck the life out of my iPhone quickly, so I always try and plan my route while I am on WiFi and then put my phone in airplane mode. It will still follow the route and will use less battery.
New Zealand Roadside Stories- For Self-Driving Trips in New Zealand
When we went to New Zealand last year, we rented a car and drove most of the North Island, from Auckland to Wellington. This app was great at telling the history and stories along the way. The tracks are clearly labeled for different stretches of highway and we made a few stops based on the stories in the app. We stopped in the town of Bulls
to get a snack and look for the funny signs after hearing the history of the town on the app. This app really made the driving more interesting for us.
