I am a dreamer who travels, having in mind the characters of Jules Verne and Salgari. I especially love the slow pace, the silence, the surprises, the encounters, the musing breaks, and what’s different from me about the solo journey. Still, I’m also a woman of my time, and I have a deep passion for electronic gadgets and technology, and while travelling, these passions mix well.
For many years now, I have abolished the paper from my travels, more precisely from a road trip in Thailand during which I moved around with a backpack filled with books, guides, a folder with printed reservations, and my Moleskine for notes. Once back home, I made myself a promise: “Never again!” and so it was.
From the following trip, I left with only my beloved Kindle, on which I take all my travel notes, and the iPhone, filled with various travel apps, which I have been refining with the experience.
So, here are the best travel apps!
Travel PackList
I’m beginning with this one because it is the one I use longer in advance on my Mac to take notes on what to pack. You can create travel types, item categories, or specific lists to speed up later, just before departures. For instance, I have a list of “sailing”, an “on the road – tropical”, a “western weekend” and “Peru style” that combine hiking, beach, and warm and cold weather… in them, I created the following categories: “underwear”, “shoes”, “accessories”, “clothes”, “handy luggage” and “to do before leaving” … well, I’m the queen of lists, but ticking the boxes as I fill the backpack last minute greatly facilitates the departure and I love the departures!
The app is only in English and costs € 2.99. Downloadable from the Mac App Store
XE Currency
I use one of the apps most frequently, during the daydreaming part of the journey, while I plan it, and then once on-site to ensure what I’m spending. It updates automatically with the latest exchange rates, you can set your favourite currencies and convert them in a split second, and it also works offline. Useful!
The app is free. To download it: XE Currency
Converter
I use it more often than I imagined the day I downloaded it because of converting distances, weights, and other units. At the same time, travelling requires this app, which works offline and is very practical.
The app is free. To download it: Converter
ViaMichelin
I use it even at home… Its maps are always up to date, and the geo-local and costume route calculation work just fine! Depending on the settings, it also lets you calculate fuel consumption, tolls, panoramic routes, etc. Only hic the stressing advertising popups …
The app is multilingual and is free. To download it: ViaMichelin
ForeverMap 2
One of my favourite apps! It works offline, too, and the graphic (customizable) and its interactivity are fantastic. Maps are updated regularly, and even those of town centres are very accurate. The app allows you to calculate routes, search for addresses and local commerce, and can be connected to TripAdvisor and FourSquare.
The app is multilingual and costs € 2.99. To download it: ForeverMap 2
TripAdvisor
I would say that TripAdvisor does not need any introduction. In addition to its features, the famous site allows you to call the chosen hotel/restaurant with a simple click, and the social breakthrough of these weeks has made it a beneficial source of inspiration.
I’m seldom satisfied with the classifications concerning “food & beverage” in Italy, so I stopped relying on the relative reviews. However, it made me discover real gems abroad, and the “nearby” option was still efficient.
To choose where to sleep instead, I rely almost only on this app …
The app is multilingual and is free. To download it: TripAdvisor
GPSmyCity
A year or so ago, I discovered GPSmyCity, a travel app that I have repeatedly tested and I highly recommend.
With their GPS-guided travel articles, all GPS coordinates are already embedded within the itinerary map the blogger/journalist describes. By downloading GPSmyCity, you get thousands of self-guided walking tours, articles, and offline city maps in more than 1.000 tourist destinations worldwide.
Once you have the app on your smartphone, you can select the articles or city guides you need and read them offline for free. If you prefer to take advantage of GPSmyCity fully, you can let the app guide you from one sightseeing spot or restaurant to another for a minimal fee upgrade ($1.99). I told you, so easy.
The app is only in English, and the basic version is free. To download it: GPSmyCity
Docs To Go
This is the most expensive app I’ve ever bought, but it is worth it. It allows you to always have your Office documents and works with Pages, Numbers, and PDFs.
This app contains all my travel documents, including my passport, airline tickets, hotel reservations, travel insurance, and mythical Numbers file.
The app is multilingual and costs € 16.99. To download it: Docs To Go® Premium
WeatherPro
Due to the low value of the weather app preinstalled on the iPhone, I rely on this one, especially while on the road. Forecasts are seven days in advance and divided into three-hour ranges. Even though this is inaccurate, it is undoubtedly much better than the standard one.
If you have a perfect one to suggest, let me know!
The app is multilingual and costs € 2.99. To download it: WeatherPro
These are my “just in case” best travel apps…
QR Reader
What to say? The QR Code has not been as successful as thought a few years ago, but sometimes, you find one on tourist brochures, museums, or display boards of certain monuments, and having the right app at hand avoids frustrations. Scanning is instantaneous, and you can share documents on social networks.
The app is multilingual and is free. To download it: QR Reader
Evernote Scannable
It’s fast, functional, and intuitive. The scans are perfect, and I’ve used them several times for identity documents or tourist information material that I did not want to carry with me. I recommend it.
The app is multilingual and is free. To download it: Evernote Scannable
Tipulator
It’s perfect for splitting the galley accounts on a sailing boat (my friends love it when I start it at the end of our sailing trips!), but it’s also helpful in calculating tips when travelling overseas.
The app is free and only available in English. To download it: Tipulator
Kindle
I do not think I ever used this application. Still, it is free, and following Amazon’s advice, I downloaded both the Mac and iPhone versions to always have a handy copy of my Kindle’s content.
What about you? Is there any other travel app you could suggest to me?
P.S. To tell the truth, the Moleskine and my pen continue to follow me everywhere 😉
