Useful Smartphone Apps for Travelers in Athens
You don’t often see groups of tourists on the street peering at fold-out maps anymore, now that smartphones and tablets have become de rigueur. Travelers now turn to apps that help them find their way around new places and allow them to live their adventure even more fully!
Although you may swear by your tried-and-true favorite apps, there are a number of travel-specific or Athens-specific ones out there that can make a huge difference to how you experience your time in the city.
Here are a few of our favorites:
Weather
Good weather can make or break any vacation. Even if the weather takes a turn for the worse, being prepared by having an umbrella or an extra sweater along on your day’s activities can make all the difference. We suggest Weather XL or WeatherPro.
The Ultimate Travel Organizer
For every traveler that wants to schedule and plan out his days to the fullest, TripIt does just that. Once you forward all your confirmation emails (or connecting it to gmail to work automatically), it will provide you with a detailed daily program for your trip. Even better, the app works offline, which will save you those pesky roaming fees.
WiFi?
Everyone is concerned about exorbitant roaming fees while on vacation. One of the most important things to think about while in a foreign country is where to find WiFi to help keep you connected to your life back home. WiFi Finder for Android and for Apple is a must for every tourist that can’t be without internet on the road.
Don’t Get Lost!
Speaking of roaming costs and WiFi, the last thing that a traveler needs is to get lost, need to use GPS, and then (adding insult to injury) return to a huge roaming bill on his return. A map that can be used offline needs to be high on any traveler’s list. Besides, who wouldn’t want to fit the whole world in their pocket?!
We have found Maps.Me to be the best choice for its offline capabilities for Android. Owners of Apple devices can choose between Pocket Earth or OffMaps which work for iPhone, iPod, or iPad.
The App that finds ATMs
One emotion that we most certainly don’t want to experience while on vacation is the panic of finding yourself without cash and not having any idea of where to find a compatible-with-your-bank-card ATM. Athens Book is an awesome app that will find you all the ATMs in Athens! Other than that you can find Pharmacies, Gas stores and more!
Out-and-About
Walking around, map-in-hand, is one thing, but when you are tired or hungry or just want to get back to your lodgings ASAP, you might need a more immediate means of transport. For door-to-door transport in Athens, try Taxibeat for a taxi any time of day. You’ll even be able to choose an English speaking driver if there is one available or a taxi with a WI-fi in place!.
Currency Exchange
No one likes to feel as if they’ve allowed someone to take advantage of them, especially when you’re in a foreign country, dealing with a foreign currency. Exchange rates change constantly, but it helps to have a good way to figure out amounts for yourself. XE Currency will take the guesswork away, whether it be your restaurant bill, shopping, or even standing in line at a bank to change cash!
Tips and Advice
Instead of reading generic tips and advice from antiquated tip lists, you can now connect with a local who will do his best to provide the best and most personalized tips possible. Download our very own Welcome app and along with your Welcome Pickup you will be getting instant and personalized tips before or during your trip! Safe Travels!