The Best Travel Apps To Download Before Your Next Holiday

Whether you’re going kitesurfing in Brazil or backpacking across Switzerland, you’ve got to download these amazing travel apps before your next holiday.

Find the best holiday

HolidayPirates is great for holiday inspiration and sourcing cheap deals. From flights and hotels through to holiday homes, luxury hotels and weekend breaks, the platform provides deals no matter your budget. Using the ‘Travel Alert’ function, you can even set up alerts to be sent straight to WhatsApp when deals match your criteria. Free to download and use. Available on iOS and Android.

Get the lingo

Language learning app Babbel is perfect if you want to pick up a bit of local lingo before you set off on your travels. Available in 14 languages, from Spanish to Indonesian, the app will get you talking no matter your level – beginner, moderate or advanced. Not only can you practice your language skills and work on your accent from the first lesson, but the content you learn can easily be applied to real life situations, leaving you feeling at home in cities across the world. Free to download and priced from £4.75 per month (based on a 12 month subscription). Available on iOS and Android.

Learn French before your next trip to Paris

Plug into a podcast for on-the-go entertainment

Whether you’re road-tripping, relaxing on a long-haul flight or hiking in the wilderness, you will inevitably need entertainment – which is where podcast and audio platform Acast comes in. With a huge selection of podcasts on every topic from travel to comedy and current affairs, you’re guaranteed to find something that will keep you entertained as you travel from A to B. The app also recommends shows tailored to your taste, lets you download podcasts for offline listening, and shares exciting ‘rich media’ from the hosts, to make your listening more fun and interactive. Free to download and use. Available on iOS and Android.

Remember your trip

LiveTrekker documents your travels in a digital travel diary. The app follows you wherever you go, creating a map of the routes you take and the places you walk by. As you create the map, you can add audio, video and text, bringing your travels to life and allowing you to look back and reminisce on your travels whenever you want. It is also great for active travellers, as it monitors your speed and altitude, as well as the route. Free to download and use. Available on iOS and Android.

Ensure your electronics are protected

Before you jet off on your holiday, it can be a good idea to get your belongings insured. However, in the rush of planning a trip, this is often put to the bottom of the list and easily forgotten. Trov allows you to quickly insure common electronic items such as laptops, mobile phones, and cameras. Users can turn insurance on and off with a simple swipe within the app. Free to download, price dependent on cover. Available on iOS and Android.

Make sure the contents of your backpack are protected

Say hello to your personal organiser

One of the most stressful things about travelling in a large group is keeping track of all the important documents. Tripit is a great app that helps you organise essential information, and keep it all in one place. Tripit collects all the small pieces of information from your confirmation emails – flights, hotels, bookings, rentals, and everything else, and puts it together into your own, bespoke itinerary. All you need to do is forward the emails to the app, making it easy to manage the travel admin. Free to download and use. Available on iOS and Android.

Eat like a local

Foursquare gives travellers tips from locals to make sure you don’t get stuck in the typical tourist traps. The app shows you the best of the local food, drinks and attractions, meaning that you will experience the true spirit of each place you travel to. Free to download and use. Available on iOS and Android.

About the author

Claire Lancaster

Tech & Entrepreneurship Editor

English-American, Claire has lived and worked in the U.S., South America, Europe and the UK. As Culture Trip’s tech and entrepreneurship editor she covers the European startup scene and issues ranging from Internet privacy to the intersection of the web with civil society, journalism, public policy and art. Claire holds a master’s in international journalism from City University, London and has contributed to outlets including Monocle, NPR, Public Radio International and the BBC World Service. When not writing or travelling, she can be found searching for London's best brunch spot or playing with her cat, Diana Ross.