Getting ready for your trip to Italy and want to download some apps? Here is our guide to the best travel apps for Italy. We’ve included apps for navigation, transport, tours, eating and more.
All apps mentioned are free to download unless otherwise mentioned.
If you’re wondering how to use your phone in Italy, check out our guide to the best Italy SIM cards and wifi options.
Want free advice for your trip? Join our Italy Travel Planning community and read our detailed packing guide for tips, information and advice for your trip to Italy.
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Gone are the days of paper maps. Technology now brings us live directions and the best ways to get to our next destination. Download these apps to help you get around in Italy. Although, for the best experiences, be prepared to turn them off and get lost!
NOTE: Google Maps does not work well where there are narrow laneways and covered passageways. Do not rely on it in Venice or small villages.
Citymapper – everything you need to know about using the local transit systems in Rome and Milan. This free app will even tell you the best train carriage to get on for your journey.
READ: Our Guide to driving in Italy – car rental and touring Italy by car made easy.
Transport apps for Italy
No doubt you’ll need some help getting around in Italy. These apps help you with train travel and ground transfers from Sorrento to Rome to Venice and everywhere in between.
Omio – The best app for getting you to your next destination. Search Omio for the quickest and cheapest ways to get from city to city in Italy – by train, bus, air or car share. No need to print your tickets – keep them all on the app.
READ: Our guide to Italy train reservations: How to buy tickets for train travel in Italy.
AppTaxi – book a taxi in
Florence, Venice, Rome, Milan, Naples, Bologna, Modena, Lucca, Padua, Verona, Trieste, Viareggio, Palermo, and Catania and Lecce amongst others. This free app calls city taxis from the many available companies. You can track your ride and pay via the app, just like Uber.
Tours and guides
If you’ve booked tickets and tours with GetYourGuide or Viator prior to your trip, all your vouchers are stored on their handy apps. Also useful if you suddenly find yourself staring at a 2 hour line winding around the Vatican (hello, skip the line tickets!) or a spare afternoon in Florence – just browse and pay via the app for instant access to tours.
GetYourGuide – Browse, book and pay for tours, tickets and activities across Italy with Europe’s biggest range of local experiences. If you have already purchased your tours, your ticket vouchers are available in the app even if it is not connected *Authorized ticket seller for Colosseum, Vatican, Uffizi Gallery, Borghese Gallery, and more.
READ: Our Full review of GetYourGuide.
Viator – owned by TripAdvisor, Viator is a well-established brand in the tours and tickets space. You can search for, book and pay for your tickets online via the app. Your vouchers are also held in the app for your convenience.
READ: Our guide to the Best tours in Rome – Colosseum, Vatican and more.
Rick Steves Audio Europe – download city walks and guides to Italian destinations and attractions by America’s favorite guide to European travel – Rick Steves. There are free guided walks for Rome, Florence, Venice, Siena, Naples and more.
Accommodation
Whether you like to book your accommodation on the go or have it all organized before your trip starts, these apps keep all the important details in your phone for easy access.
Booking.com – download this app if you think you will need to search for last-minute accommodation in Italy or have already booked hotels, apartments or B&Bs for your trip with Booking.com All your reservation details are stored in the app so you can have them close to hand and refer to the booking information as needed. Useful if you forget to write down check in/out times etc.
VRBO – great options for long-stay villas and apartments, particularly on the Amalfi Coast. Use the app to search for properties and using their various filters and to contact your host. You can then easily access your itinerary.
ACCOMMODATION GUIDES: FLORENCE • MILAN • AMALFI COAST • CINQUE TERRE
Airbnb.com – keep all the critical check in information and details about your stays in your phone. Also useful for last minute reservations and finding local experiences.
Communications
Google Translate – a very useful app for deciphering menus, street signs and general communications. Make sure you download Italian for offline translation before you go.
wifi.italia.it – find free wifi hotspots across Italy. With this app you only need to register once to access participating hot spot locations throughout the country.
Food and wine
Eating regional dishes and tasting local wine is a big part of any trip to Italy. These apps will help you find the perfect trattoria and best Barolo wherever you go.
Nasoni d’Italia – helps you locate the free drinking water fountains across Rome and Italy. This fresh water system dates back to Roman times and now with the help of technology you can find the fountains as you walk through Italy’s ancient cities. Don’t forget to take your refillable water bottle!
General travel apps for Italy – best of the rest
Finally, here are some other useful apps for Italy. From medical assistance to the weather and checking currency exchanges, it’s never been easier to access critical information when you travel.
MedinAction – if you fall ill abroad, trying to find an English-speaking doctor can add to the stress. MedinAction is an on-demand, English-speaking medical service that delivers a qualified doctor to your hotel or accommodation 24/7. Book your licensed physician online or through the mobile app.
Wise (formerly TransferWise) – If you are looking for an economical way to access your funds in Italy and across Europe consider opening a Wise Borderless account. Simply load your account with your own currency and transfer funds into Euros, GB pounds and other currencies as and when you need them. You access your money with a Mastercard debit card and track spending, manage your card and make transfers on the handy app.
With super low fees and up-to-the-minute exchange rates it is a much cheaper option than using your bank, traveler’s checks or exchanging money when you arrive.
Hi!Tide Venice – the official app for monitoring the tide in the city of Venice. You can monitor the current tide and get detailed tide forecasts for the next two days. Push notifications can be set for when the flood exceeds a certain threshold and in key spots around the city – Piazzale Roma, Ferrovia, Ca’ d’Oro, Rialto, San Marco etc and at all the ACTV ferry stops.
Ready for Italy?
We hope you now know what apps you need on your phone in Italy. If you are just about to depart, make sure you check out our:
- Italy packing list – guide to packing for Italy with suggested outfits per season, in-flight essentials + more
- Arrivals information for Rome, Venice and Naples
- Guides for train travel and driving in Italy
- Travel insurance information for your Italy trip
- Essential tips for travel to Italy
For things to do, city guides, itinerary ideas and more visit our Italy travel blog.
Planning a trip to Italy? Join our free Italy Travel Planning Facebook group and read our detailed guide for tips, information and advice for planning your travel to Italy.
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The creator, writer and photographer behind Untold Morsels, Katy has been travelling and tasting the world since she was a teenager.
Now the proud mum of twins, she hopes they grow up to share her passions of great food, wine and travel. Favourite destination: Italy