The modern traveller doesn't go anywhere without his or her phone anymore because it makes travelling so much easier. Whether you're a person who likes to lounge around in a luxury hotel or a backpacker who saves every penny, there are a few apps you should install before you travel to a foreign country to make life easier. All the apps mentioned will be free.

1. Translator from Google or Microsoft - both have their minor advantages and disadvantages. Google has more language support; Microsoft has real-time translation. I can also recommend - it doesn't support so many languages, but its text translation quality is better than the competitors mentioned above thanks to the early adoption of AI learning (this article was translated by DeepL). Pro tip: Don’t forget to instal the languages also to your keyboard.

2. Map. A map is essential for every traveler, every map has its pros and cons. I prefer to use mapy.cz which use the open street map base and add additional features on top of it, plus they work off-line, for me they are best for hiking in the mountains as these paths are often missing in other ones. However, in some countries these maps are not fully accurate. Another option is maps.me which also works off-line. Usually what you get used to, is the most ideal map for you. However, sometimes you can't avoid Google maps as their knowledge of roads in certain areas is the best. I don't like to use them as they are more like atlas of ads, but the quality of mapping certain areas cannot be denied.

3. A guidebook, which aims to inform and educate you as much as possible about the place. For me, the most proven guide is an app wiki voyage. It's downloadable in its entirety off-line, and pretty much all the major cities are described there, including tips on restaurants, accommodation, and how best get in and out of the chosen destination. Another interesting platform that is useful for planning is atlas obscura - an atlas of obscure places around the world.

4. Transport - Not every country or route has everything in the app. Some of the best known for public or long-distance transport include rome2rio, moovit, wikivoyage and google maps. However, you can't forget to consult with locals.

5. Luggage storage. There are several apps that aggregate places that will store your luggage for a fee. If you are walking with a heavy backpack, then this is an ideal solution to avoid having to run around city all day with your backpack. However, they often only work in bigger cities, so sometimes it's best to ask at more-star hotels which usually offer this service as standard. Some of the best-known apps include radical storage or luggage hero.

6. Accommodation. In some cases, it's better to ask locals again. From app point of view there is not one app which is best - it often depends on the country you're in as some countries block certain apps like Turkey blocking a booking.com (nothing a free VPN in your browser won't solve).

Some of the best known apps for accommodation are booking, hostelworld, airbnb or agoda. However, it's always best to look at price comparison sites - good ones include Skyscanner or google hotels.

Another option is to use an app to connect with someone who can host you for free - the most mentioned one is couchsurfing, which in some countries need to be unlocked with a yearly subscription. There are also some free alternatives such as couchers.org, trustroot or bewelcome. Sadly, they have less users. Free accommodation at a person’s home doesn’t mean it is always completly free, often you are expected to entertain the host, help in the garden or write an article (that's why this one was created, haha :) )

7. Flights, flights are a category in itself, you can use a variety of apps to find the cheapest flights, some of the best include kiwi.com -> can search for the cheapest flights if your dates and departure/arrival locations are flexible, also skyscanner, kayak or google flights are great when you know the dates you need to go.

8. Banking applications. If you are travelling to countries further away from your home, it is a good idea to get a travel card - that is a card that ATMs in other countries will be able to recognise. You have two options, set up an account with a bank that has a large number of partnerships abroad, but these banks have usually bad exchange rates, or set up a fintech bank that is focused on travel. Some of the best-known free travel fintech products are wise, revolut or curve (usually there is a fee for sending a physical card to your address).

9. Car/motorcycle travel apps. These are apps for parking and navigation. For navigation without internet, I can again recommend mapy.cz or if you have enough data waze tend to be the best offering alternative routes according to the traffic, for parking apps like parkopedia (day parking in the city centre) or park4night (overnight stays more focused to motorhomes)

If you have any of your favourite apps that I forgot to mention, feel free to message me on
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