The latest developments in technology offer you not only surfing the Internet if you have access to WiFi or mobile Internet, playing games, checking your social media accounts, and using various apps, but also help in planning your travels. Who needs a travel agent when you have a smartphone? For all of you digital-savvy travelers, we have made a list of the six most useful travel apps, any of which might be a real help when you find yourself in a foreign country or a place you have had no chance to visit before and want to ensure a worry-free trip.
Hopper
Hooper is free both on iOS and Android. If you want to book a flight, it can be useful to know when fares drop and use the extra money to treat yourself. This app offers you exactly that with crazy accuracy, so you won’t regret missing out on that awesome deal that was offered just a couple of days ago. How does Hopper work? First, you pick your destination. Second, a color-coded calendar of a six months period pops up showing you the best days for airfares from the cheapest to the most expensive. Based on algorithms and historical data, the app predicts when and by how much fares will fall or increase. When the app offers you a well-informed ‘Buy now!’ command, we advise you to listen to it. Best of all, Hopper can keep track of specific flights for you and notify you when it’s the best time to book.
Sidekix
Sidekix is a city guide to spots and sites worth visiting and things to do in your surrounding area, based on maps. This free app, available both on iOS and Android, is a hybrid of Yelp and Google maps, which offers you an urban exploration planner with which you can download city guides full of spots to see and places to eat and drink, and it also provides you instructions about how to get there. Thanks to Sidekix, you won’t have any trouble getting to know even the world’s biggest cities, as many of them are already on the lock and many more are about to be. This is a great app for those who like to explore places on foot as it maps out the best directions based on what you are looking to do or see, and possible points of interest pop up on the map, such as museums, bars, stores, shopping malls, theaters, and coffee shops. If something tickles your curiosity, just tap click on it and learn more about other people’s experiences.
GeoSure
GeoSure offers you necessary information about your destination and tips for staying safe. It is a free app, available both on iOS and Android. It’s more important than ever to keep yourself informed about circumstances and events that might put your safety abroad in a questionable position. GeoSure won’t let that happen. How is that? GeoSure first collects data from sources like the United Nations, the World Health Organization, the CDC, local police and authorities, and more, and then provides a safety score for your destination reflecting potential health risks, political unrest, political and social uprisings, potential for violence, threats to women and minority groups, and environmental hazards. It even shows information given by the citizens themselves about incidents of theft and street crime that have occurred in your area of interest, and sends you notification when it would be safer if you took a taxi instead walking.
Citymapper
If you have difficulties finding and using public transportation when abroad, Citymapper will become your helping hand in these situations, as it connects with ride-sharing services, offers the fastest way to reach your destination, and best of all, for a number of cities you can check out subway and train times offline. You can subscribe to specific train or bus lines, and (very handy when it’s your first ride in a foreign country) the app can alert you when you need to get off. Available on iOS and Android.
XE Currency
Though not a really pretty app, XE Currency is one of the more powerful currency converter apps available on iOS and Android. Constantly updated, it provides you with live exchange rates for “all world currencies and precious metals”. The best thing of all is that it stores the latest updated rates, which you can access even when you have no access to the Internet. The app is available for both Android and iOS and it can be used on the Apple Watch device and Android Wear.
Packpoint
Is there anything more annoying and more satisfying at the same time than that moment when you start packing for your trip? Do you get anxious about forgetting some of the essentials, like your car and house keys, your underwear, or your beauty products?
Here’s an app (iOS, Android) that will help you to enjoy every second of your trip, starting even before you leave your own house. PackPoint checks the weather forecast for the date and location of your trip. It also asks you to select activities you may participate in while you’re gone, like a business meeting, a fancy dinner, a swim at a pool, or any other activity. Then it will offer up a list of items you should pack based on these activities, along with general things you would need on any trip. Needless to say, you can remove items you find unnecessary. Handy, isn’t it?
Title photo: Shutterstock / Collage: Martina Advaney
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