kristyambrose
Last updated:
The Best Travel Apps for Italy: Language, Food and Flights
A few days into my trip to Italy, I ordered Italian pizza for the first time and started cutting the pizza into slices to share with my family.
Confused, my cousin explained to me that he was waiting for his own pizza.
Traveling abroad is always full of surprises—some silly, some frustrating.
Downloading the best travel apps for Italy onto your phone is a quick way to make your trip to Italy easier.
Contents
- Travel Apps to Prepare for Italy
- Travel Apps for Italian Vacations
- Travel Apps for Italian Food
- Travel Apps for Italian Culture
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
Travel Apps to Prepare for Italy
The logistics of a trip to Italy start well before your trip begins and don’t stop when you leave the airport.
The following are a few practical Italy travel apps that can help you no matter why or how long you’ll be on la Penisola (the Peninsula). Non ti preoccupare (don’t worry) if the trains aren’t exactly running on time. There’s an app for that.
Skyscanner
An all-in-one travel app that you can use anywhere, Skyscanner is one of the more versatile travel apps out there.
This handy tool is useful from the very beginning of your planning process. It can help you book flights, find hotels and navigate your way to and from the airport. Yes, it even provides information for airport transfers and public transit options on both sides of the airline gate.
Aside form practical planning tools, Skyscanner also gives you fun facts about your destination. The app is actually designed to keep you busy while you’re in transit. Take a few moments to read up on the distinctive quirks of your Italian destination before you arrive.
Trenitalia
Ready to explore Italy? This Italian app provides information and tickets for Italian train routes and schedules.
Trenitalia is useful for getting around the city and sightseeing in the countryside. The extensive public transportation system in Italy is great for seeing as much of the country as possible! But the system can feel disorganized at times, especially in bigger urban centers or small communities with limited service.
But Trenitalia makes navigating Italian public transportation much easier!
Plot your route, buy tickets using Paypal or Apple Wallet and view departure times using TrenItalia. You also have access to the VIP lounge in the station, if there is one.
There are similar apps that are city-specific that wouldn’t fit on this list. For example, take a look at Gira Napoli. But if you’re traveling around multiple cities or regions, it’s best to go with this broader app.
Google Maps
An app that’s just as popular at home as it is on the road, Google Maps is a route and transportation app.
Simply type in your current destination and your desired location. Then Google Maps will plot several possible routes and transportation options.
Depending on your preferences, the app can guide you to accommodation, restaurants and local points of interest. It’s also useful for more practical needs, like finding transit stops and amenities like grocery stores.
Travel Apps for Italian Vacations
Despite all the news about trendy language learning trips and gap year travel, there are still plenty of people who visit Italy just for fun and relaxation. Other than a few museums and famous sights, your itinerary is open, with plenty of time for sipping wine by the orange grove.
A relaxed, non-committal schedule fits in perfectly with the relaxed pace of life in Italy. The following apps will help you enjoy the most of la dolce vita (the sweet life) during your Roman holiday.
ZonzoFox
Essentially, this app is the Italian version of the Italy Travel Guide. It was developed on the Peninsula and is used by Italians and tourists alike.
The main difference? ZonzoFox is entirely in Italian! That makes it perfect for people who are working on their language skills. You can use the app to practice your Italian restaurant and food vocabulary.
ZonzoFox has a handy city menu that can pinpoint what you need nearby. Its purpose is to guide you with sightseeing tips all around Italy.
The “local ambassadors” system prioritizes advice and information gathered and shared by locals, so the information is always current.
Travel Apps for Italian Food
What we call food tourism is just a way of life in Italy. Even if you’re not here for the food culture, the elite gastronomy of every meal will swallow you up.
Each region in Italy has its own unique dishes and signature wines. These apps are here for aspiring sommeliers, those studying the culinary arts and folks who just like to eat great food.
Zomato
Plenty of people already use this handy app at home. It’s mainly designed for finding restaurants, and it can be used anywhere. Even in Italy!
There’s an overwhelming number of food options around the country. You can use Zomato to find take-out services, street vendors and mobile food trucks.
The app also provides pictures and explanations of more exotic dishes and ingredients for those unfamiliar with Italian language and food. You might think you know what Italian food is like, but there are a few exotic dishes that you might want to try after the spaghetti and meatballs get boring. Zomato can help you navigate those surprises with more success.
Travel Apps for Italian Culture
Scholars, artists, historians, archaeologists and ambitious entrepreneurs have always been drawn to Italy.
In the modern age, party people, backpackers and filmmakers have joined the horde of visitors that come to Italy every year. They bring their art or come simply to enjoy the creative process.
Whichever aspect of Italian culture interests you, here are some apps that will lead you to things you’ll tell your grandchildren about.
Radio Italia
This is a great Italian app for language students, music lovers or those keen on current news and local culture.
Language learners can practice by listening to Radio Italia. Tourists can use it to find festivals or street parties, which are prevalent in Italy.
Of course, you can just use it to indulge in one of Italy’s most treasured pastimes, which is listening to music.
Radio Italia works all over the world, so you can use tune in to catch up on current and local events before you arrive in Italy. When you return home, you can keep listening if Italy is still on your mind! And it likely will be, like a beautiful melody that you can’t get out of your head.
TripScout
If you’re looking for off-the-beaten-path venues that only locals and long-term expats would know about, TripScout can help you.
Its content is user-generated with firsthand reviews and detailed directions of places you won’t find in mainstream tour guides.
What makes TripScout different from other guide apps? Many of the recommendations are made by professionals who actually work in the bars, shops or other venues on the list.
The visual aspect is also an advantage, as the app integrates maps and route suggestions with photographs and star ratings. You can see most of the details at once without a lot of swiping or searching.
STREETART ROME
Students or aficionados in Rome for the art scene should start with STREETART ROME. You can use this Italian app to tour the various murals that decorate the Eternal City.
The app is entirely bilingual, presenting information in both Italian and English.
There are similar apps for other Italian cities. Italy has several guides, maps and planners designed for niche interests in specific places. STREETART ROME is just one example. If you’re checking out the art scene in other cities, there are apps for you, such as Ecco Venezia.
In Italy, you can have your pizza and eat it, too.
These are the best travel apps for Italy when it comes to organizing your big trip to the Boot. Choose the ones that best suit your tastes, whether they’re for language, music, love, food or great scenery.
Viva l’Italia! (Long live Italy!)
Kristy Ambrose has been writing professionally since 2010. She dabbles in various genres, including everything from short blog posts to serialized novels. Her inspiration comes from gamers, beachcombers, foodies and of course her fellow travelers. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English literature from the University of Victoria.
