• Home
  • About
    • Work with Me
  • Travel Planning & Itineraries
  • Destinations
    • England
    • France
    • Italy
    • Scotland
    • United States
    • Wales
  • Mental Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Bloglovin
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
Life Well Wandered

Life Well Wandered

12 August 2015 · Leave a Comment

Must-Have Travel Apps

Destinations· Travel Tips

Share this post:

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on Pinterest Share on LinkedIn Share on Email

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.

These 9 travel apps are must-haves for when you travel.

While there are some similarities on this list with my travel websites list, this brief list of the best free travel apps will be especially useful while you’re out and about travelling, not just while you’re planning your adventure at home on a laptop.

1) Airbnb

Many of you know my obsession with Airbnb, so I won’t go into details here. I used the app to rate my hosts during long train rides as well as search for dream flats in which to stay. A girl can dream!

2) XE Currency

Using 5 currencies in less than 3 weeks can leave your head spinning with all of the conversion rates. XE Currency is by far the best app to check and verify currency exchange rates. It can be used online to receive the most up-to-date exchange rates, or offline with the last exchange rates checked. You create a personalised list from every possible currency, so the app can be catered to your travels.

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.

See also  Everything You Need To Know About Visiting Scotland

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!

What are your must have travel apps?

You may also like

Share this post:

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on Pinterest Share on LinkedIn Share on Email
Previous Post: « Easter Weekend in Budapest
Next Post: Last Weeks in London »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to Life Well Wandered

alex life well wandered

Welcome to my corner of the internet! Life Well Wandered is a travel blog where you'll find a little bit of everything. I love sharing itineraries from past trips, secret spots I've discovered on my travels, histories of places I find fascinating, and stories about my mental health.

  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
Life Well Wandered

Search

What’s New

  • A Guide to Stow-on-the-Wold in the Cotswolds
  • The Real-Life Inspiration for Moria? Exploring St. Edward’s Church in Stow-on-the-Wold
  • A Lord of the Rings Guide to the Cotswolds: Places That Inspired Tolkien’s World
  • Day Trips from London: Stonehenge & Salisbury
  • Visiting Upper Slaughter in the Cotswolds: A Guide
Follow
college tourist

Note: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Please check our disclosure page for more information.

lifewellwandered

My favorite stop in Bruges was City Hall. Built in My favorite stop in Bruges was City Hall. Built in 1376, it is one of the oldest in the Low Countries and has been used as the seat of the city government for over 600 years. 🤓
Inside City Hall is the beautiful gothic hall. It was remodeled in the 19th century and decorated with beautiful murals and woodwork from floor to ceiling. The ceiling dates from 1385. The murals were painted in the 19th century and depict different people from Belgian history, including Jan Van Eyck, Brueghel, Rubens, and more. 😍 #lifewellwandered
If you fancy climbing up about 400 steps in a spir If you fancy climbing up about 400 steps in a spiral staircase, then consider visiting the Belfry in Bruges. From the top, you'll see just how beautiful Bruges is, with its winding streets and orange rooftops. 😍
Dating back to the 13th century, the Belfry is the most important tower in Bruges. At over 83 meters (272 feet) tall, it was an important status symbol in the Middle Ages. It formerly housed the treasury and city archives, as well as a market for the town. 🏰
At the top of the tower, you'll find a carillon—47 bells playable by hand with a keyboard—with bells ranging in weight from two pounds to 11,000 pounds. Historically, the bells were used not only to mark the passage of time but also to alert residents of fires, work hours, or important events. Today, if you visit at the top of the hour, you'll get to experience the ringing of the bells. 🛎 #lifewellwandered
In March of 2015, I began my biggest trip around E In March of 2015, I began my biggest trip around Europe to date. We had about 5 weeks off (during which we were supposed to be revising for exams) so my friend and I took the opportunity to see as much of Europe as possible while also getting to know each stop as well as possible. A hard balance to strike, but we did the best we could! 🇪🇺
Our first stop was Bruges. We visited on the day of a solar eclipse, but it was already cloudy and foggy so the lack of sunlight wasn’t noticed. We spent our day in Bruges wandering around the streets and eating waffles - not a bad start to a trip around Europe that would be characterized by eating and wandering! 🍽 #lifewellwandered
The last stop on my series of day trips around Eng The last stop on my series of day trips around England was Windsor. I had been close to Windsor once before but had yet to visit Windsor Castle or the town. Windsor Castle was overwhelming. 🏰
It is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world, founded by William the Conqueror and the home of 39 monarchs. We spent hours walking around the various wings and exhibits, trying to absorb everything we could. Have you visited Windsor Castle before? 👑 #lifewellwandered
Bath is most famous for, well, its Roman baths. As Bath is most famous for, well, its Roman baths. As a Roman history nerd, Bath was on my to-visit list for ages and I spent my entire visit to the baths geeking out over all of the artifacts and ruins. 🤓
For thousands of years, 240,000 gallons of 115ºF water has risen into this spring, known as the Sacred Spring, daily. In Roman times, this phenomenon was believed to be the work of the Gods, so Romans built a temple dedicated to the goddess Sulis Minerva, a deity with healing powers, around the spring. Water from it feeds the Roman baths. 🛁 #lifewellwandered
Three churches have occupied the site of Bath Abbe Three churches have occupied the site of Bath Abbey since 757AD. There was first an Anglo-Saxon monastery, then a massive Norman cathedral (the foundations of which can be seen underground in one part of the Abbey) and then the present abbey church from the 1600s. ⛪️
The first King of England, King Edgar, was crowned here in 973 - his coronation set the precedent for the current coronation ceremony of all kings and queens of England. 👑 #lifewellwandered
I visited Winchester on what felt like the first w I visited Winchester on what felt like the first warm, sunny day in months. When you live in a place without regular sun, you always take advantage of beautiful days. Winchester made the perfect destination for a beautiful day spent walking around and exploring. 🤗
Winchester’s High Street is built along the original Roman street that led through the town. Today, it has buildings dating from the 16th century. The clock was presented after a visit from Queen Anne in 1713. 🕑 #lifewellwandered
Chances are, you’ve heard of the Knights of the Chances are, you’ve heard of the Knights of the Round Table. Did you know that the Round Table of King Arthur can be found in the Great Hall in Winchester? ⚔️
While this table was created around 1290, well after the death of King Arthur and his knights, it’s still impressive to visit. Weighing over one ton, it is thought to portray King Arthur on his throne surrounded by 24 places for his knights. King Henry VIII added a Tudor Rose during his reign. Swipe for a closer look at the table! 🤓 #lifewellwandered
In another edition of always visit the cathedral i In another edition of always visit the cathedral in the town you visit, I bring you Winchester Cathedral. One of the reasons why I chose to visit Winchester of all places was its connection to Jane Austen. Jane Austen spent the last weeks of her life in a house in Winchester and was laid to rest in its cathedral in 1817. ⛪️
Have you ever traveled somewhere because of a favorite author? 🤓 #lifewellwandered
Load More... Follow on Instagram
  • Home
  • About
  • Travel Planning & Itineraries
  • Destinations
  • Mental Health
  • Lifestyle

Copyright © 2023 · beloved theme by Restored 316