10 Must-Have Apps for Living in Rome

Rome may be an enthralling city full of artistic and historical riches but anyone who has visited the Italian capital knows its public transportation leaves much to be desired. Rome’s ever dwindling fleet of buses are woefully unreliable and bus stops rarely have digital displays so the Roma Bus app is essential to track buses. The app only begins to track buses once they have left their capolinea, or end-of-the-line, so the bus may appear sooner than expected, even if it hasn’t shown up on your screen yet. Apart from some kinks, however, the app is the best way to track buses and trams in the city for a smoother journey through Rome.

Download: Roma Bus

A far quicker and more enjoyable way to get around Rome is by vespa, the locals’ preferred method of transportation. Thanks to ingenious scooter-sharing app Scooterino, passengers can hitch a ride with a savvy scooterista and live out their dolce vita fantasies – all while arriving to their destination in the most timely manner. With Scooterino you can request a ride on demand or request a ride in advance, increasing your chances that someone will accept your request. Scooterino functions similarly to BlaBlaCar, meaning it is not a taxi service but rather a way to share rides and split the cost of a journey between drivers and passengers. Prices are contained and payment is processed through the app. Driver’s are carefully vetted and users can leave reviews, helping to build trust in the Scooterino community.

Download: Scooterino

Spotted By Locals is a wonderful resource that consolidates the advice of hundreds of hand-picked locals, active across 65+ global cities, into one place. With constantly updated information covering a slew of cities, Spotted by Locals is a must-have for intrepid travellers who are looking to experience off-the-beaten-path attractions and local favourites during their trip. The Rome app features over 100 entries by seven ‘Spotters’ covering a range of restaurants, bars, shops, hangouts and more: each entry includes a personal write-up and practical information so it feels like you’re getting recommendations from a friend. And with each spot pinned onto an offline map, using the app on the ground is extremely easy.

Download: Spotted By Locals

Popular Rome blogger Natalie Aldern, who writes about food and travel over at An American In Rome, has recently unveiled the Discover Rome app to help travellers navigate the Eternal City. Discover Rome provides recommendations for the best shops, restaurants, bars, museums and parks along with practical information on transportation, neighbourhoods and more. Suited for first-time travellers to Rome, as well as repeat visitors, it features 200 tried and tested suggestions on what to see, do and eat alongside great photography and easy-to-use offline maps. This stylish app that will ensure you get the most out of your time in the capital.

Download: Discover Rome

If you’re planning on travelling in Italy by train, Locomotimes is an essential app to help you track your journey in realtime. The app draws information from Trenitalia and Italo for surprisingly accurate tracking, letting you know when a train has passed a stop and whether it is running behind schedule. By inserting your departure and arrival destinations, you’ll see available train options and by clicking into each option, a subsequent breakdown of each stop along the journey – constantly updated down to the minute once the train has started moving. Although you can’t purchase tickets in the app, it provides a useful overview of the different train options available to you so you don’t have to consult numerous websites to plan your journey.

Download: Locomotimes

With powerful taxi unions that protect Italy’s taxi drivers against the competition of chauffeur services like Uber, taxis remain a major presence in Rome’s urban landscape. The taxi services have, however, modernised their services by rolling out mobile applications, making taxi bookings easier than ever. You no longer have to look for a taxi stand or make a call to reserve a ride: with the FREE NOW app, you can request a ride through your phone, receive a fare estimate, and manage your booking through the interface. You can pay the taxi through the app or in person at the conclusion of your trip.

Download: FREE NOW

MedinAction is quickly revolutionising health care in Rome: the app allows you to access on-demand, English-speaking medical services 24/7 from the comfort of your phone, ensuring that you receive medical attention when you need it. Through the app you can book a visit from a licensed physician or chat for free with a doctor about your symptoms – and if you need more specialised attention, MedinAction has a reliable network of trusted clinics and hospitals that will provide further assistance in a timely manner. From house calls, health consultations and lab work to prescription refills, qualified physicians are available around the clock to assist you with all your medical needs. MedinAction works with numerous insurance companies so in many cases, it can bill your insurance directly.

Download: MedinAction

Situated near the sea, surrounded by ancient aqueducts and famed for its numerous fountains, the Eternal City is well-known for enjoying copious amounts running water for much of its history. Its famous nasoni, or ‘big noses’ fountains, provide fresh drinking water for the pubic 24/7 and are a favourite way to hydrate during the hot summer months. The cheeky I Nasoni di Roma app has plotted hundreds of the fountains onto a handy map of Rome so you always locate the closest fountain to you as you make your way around the city.

Download: I Nasoni di Roma

Find out the latest events in Rome with Whazzo, an Italian-language app that covers film, sport, concerts, culture and more. Combing the functionality of Timeout, Ticketmaster and Facebook into one, users will be able to stay abreast on the latest happenings in the city, from current art exhibitions and festivals to upcoming clubbing nights and theatre performances. Many events in Rome stay under the radar due to limited marketing and outreach but thanks to Whazzo, you’ll be able to keep track of what’s going on in the Eternal City with just a few clicks.

Download: Whazzo

With over thousands of local tips covered 300+ locations, Culture Trip always helps you stay inspired and informed with cultural stories and recommendations from around the world. Get insider recommendations about the best restaurants, attractions, bars and more while staying up to date with the latest news through the Culture Trip app. The app provides recommendations based on your interests and is tailored to your current location so you’ll always stay in-the-know, no matter where you are in the world.

Download: Culture Trip