Thanks to the ubiquity of smartphones and even Wifi, travel apps are a fantastic way to stay informed and prepared while travelling. I used these free travel apps while living in and travelling around Europe and they have made my everyday life and trips easier and even more enjoyable.
1) Airbnb
2) XE Currency
3) Accuweather
Living in London means living in very unpredictable weather. While I always carried an umbrella with me for those unpredictable showers, I made sure to check Accuweather for a closer prediction of what to expect during my daily wanderings. It provides an hour-by-hour forecast of expected temperatures, ‘feels like’ temperatures, and precipitation, as well as weather alerts. I tend to combine Accuweather with Weatherbug’s radar to attempt an accurate weather picture for a day!
4) Citymapper
Citymapper is a total lifesaver. Used with Wifi or on a network, this app will tell you how to get from point A to point B using public transport (including multiple routes with prices, transport time, and costs, as well as closures and delays), biking, or walking. I used it just about every day and you will too!
5) Google Maps
Even if you’re in Airplane Mode, Google Maps can still discern your location, as long as you have the Wifi activated (but you don’t have to be connected). The day before I would set off to a new destination, I would star some attractions on my Google Maps app so I knew where to go. When walking around, I kept track of my location and used my previously starred destinations to keep track of where I wanted to go.
6) Uber
I’m an Uber neophyte, but I’m a big fan! I haven’t used it in Europe yet, but it’s become extremely useful during my travels in America when public transport wasn’t convenient or cost-effective.
7) Yelp
There are some Yelp haters out there, but I like the user interface for finding well-rated restaurants close to me. Often maintained by locals, I used Yelp to discover some of my favourite European restaurants that were solely frequented by locals.
8) Translate
You can only use this app while on Wifi, but it’s great for translating menus that aren’t offered in a language you know. Just type in a word, sentence, or paragraph and translate it into your chosen language. It’s not 100% accurate all the time, but I like typing the words because it helps me learn them.
9) Trip Advisor
I’m a huge researcher, so I would use Trip Advisor to cross reference restaurant and hotel finds with over reviews. It was also a lifesaver when I was trying to figure out how to get to Chateau d’If and Auschwitz when other websites weren’t helpful. There’s nothing like reading about the correct way to do things from people who have already made the mistakes that you could make as well!
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