Planning your trip is half the fun, and free apps make planning all more easy: searching for must-sees and hole-in-the-walls; finding hostels, hotels or B&B bookings, restaurants, upcoming events, museums, attractions. In essence, all of your adventures can be easily planned by an app. We have listed a number of apps that will help guide your planning.
VisitEurope
was created in partnership with the European Travel Commission in order to inspire travellers and to aid the planning process. This umbrella app covers the far reaches of Europe, from the hottest cities to the hidden gems. Via inspirational photography and videos, the user can browse VisitEurope, creating a travel plan with the app’s detailed map. Pinning European destinations, the user may even complete bookings via a VisitEurope merchant partner website.
If you choose to allow access to your social graph through a Facebook login, the app extracts images from your profile and merges this inspiration with price, using Amadeus Extreme Search technology to provide a number of possibilities for users to book.
The simple user interface offers a wealth of information in an innovative way and with superior industry knowledge. The app can be downloaded anywhere in the world.
Kayak
Kayak goes mobile, allowing you to search for and compare flights all via the free app. With Kayak, you can book car rentals and hotels, as well as read traveler ratings about everything from area attractions to restaurants to whole cities, via Kayak’s link to TripAdvisor. With this app, you’ll be able to check about last-minute flight changes, keep track of your confirmation numbers, and manage your itinerary while on-the-go. Kayak also allows you to arrange your off-time when you’re not travelling, by providing you tips on what’s going on in your area within your fixed budget.
Compatibility: Universal IOS app (iPhone, iPad, etc.), Windows Phone, Nokia’s Android
Evernote
For those travelling for business, not pleasure, Evernote is a fantastic app to accompany your business travels … as well as to accompany you on any other given day. Allowing you to record, save, and organize your notes, you can copy info from the web, store images, attach excel spreadsheets and word docs, have urgent emails on-hand, and so much more. This free app also allows you to synchronize your plans amongst your phone, your computer, and your websites.
Compatibility: IOS compatible, Android, web browsers, BlackBerry, Windows Phone, and more
Gate Guru
Gate Guru will save you a lot of heartache at the airport, by enabling you to get to your correct gate ASAP with its gate-location technology, also allowing you to check for unexpected delays or crowding via the flight tracking notification. Gate Guru will also guide you to your favourite lounge and to the best airport gifts, with insightful suggestions.
Compatibility: IOS and Android (not yet live for Windows, but expected in May.)
Google Translate
If you’ve ever tried to learn a language, then you already know how versatile Google Translate is. With 57 languages to choose from, including everything from Chinese to Yiddish, Google Translate is super helpful when you’re travelling in a country which speaks a foreign tongue. Whether you’re lost and want to ask a local for directions or you simply would like to learn a few friendly phrases, this helpful on-the-go app has your back. After you type in your word or phrase, the translation will appear visually and audibly, so that you can mimic the speech. Even better, with a Google Translator Toolkit, human translators using Google Translate will tackle whole documents.
Compatibility: iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad