The best apps for Italy travel that will actually make your trip easier

A handpicked selection of the best apps for Italy travel that will actually be of use and help you on your Italian vacation.

Apps have become an invaluable tool for travelers and one of the most common questions I receive for visitors planning a first trip here is: what apps do I need in Italy?

I use apps regularly and I am always happy to answer this question, but I always feel like adding a caveat: use apps, but also always use your eyes and have alternatives!

I explain.

While apps are great for many things, in Italy we will vastly rely on more traditional methods of communications.

So for instance if you want to book a restaurant, we have apps for it: but they are never as reliable as personal communications with the restaurants itself (see below)

Also, apps should never ever have priority over what you see around you.

For instance at the station, do not rely on an app to know what platform your train goes from: always look at the actual, real life departure panel in the stations, which is always updates first

Or when driving, apps may get things wrong! Always use your judgement before getting into a road that looks unsafe or closed or you are simply not sure about as things in real life can change faster than the app gets updated.

Use the tools but always as an addition to what you see, never as a full replacement.

That said, there are indeed some apps that make life easier here and that it can be worth your time downloading.

Some of these apps are useful all around Italy, some in specific locations only, some may be only relevant to one attractions: all of them are free, but some connect you to paid services, for instance train tickets of luggage storage places.

I find all of them useful to help you navigate my beautiful country. I hope this this is helpful!

Please note: this post contains affiliate links. Should you make a purchase though them, we might make a small commission.

Wifi In Italy – good to know: In Italy, free wi-fi coverage is hit and miss. While many hotels and restaurants offer it, many public places do not, so I recommend you speak with your provider to get a good roaming plan or you get hold of an e-sim like Airalo to have data on the go.

Best apps for Italy – phone calls and messages

WhatsApp – click here for info

• Why it’s useful: Italy relies heavily on WhatsApp for communication. Many hotels, tour operators, and even restaurants use it to confirm bookings or answer questions.
• Tip: Use it for easy communication with locals and businesses, especially when your Italian is limited.

Maps and driving

Google Maps / Apple Maps

• Why they are useful: For walking, driving, or public transportation directions. It works well in almost all places although due to the tricky geography of the places, sometimes it cannot handle the more maze-like parts of Venice. Also, occasionally it gets confused on country roads: always use your judgement and look at the actual road ahead of you before committing, especially if driving. DO NOT USE for walking trails.
• Tip: Download offline maps for areas you’ll be visiting.
• Tip: you can select different modes of transport to also see what public transport options exist for your journey

Waze – find info here

• Why it’s useful: If you’re driving in Italy, Waze offers more accurate real-time traffic updates than Google Maps, especially in cities with ZTL (Limited Traffic Zones).
• Tip: Check ZTL boundaries before entering city centers to avoid fines.

Train travel

The apps of the two main train providers are excellent to book tickets, and have them on you for checks from the staff:

Trenitalia – trenitalia.com

• Why it’s useful: Official app of Italy’s national train operator. Use it to book high-speed and regional train tickets, view schedules, receive timely updates.
• Tip: Register in advance and save your payment method for faster booking.

Good to know: this app may not be available to you at home. You can however do all your bookings from the website and then import them on the app once you are in Italy and can download it (may need to change your location settings, see phone instructions for troubleshooting)

Italo Treno – italotreno.it

• Why it’s useful: Book tickets for high-speed Italo trains, an alternative to Trenitalia for routes like Rome-Florence-Venice.

Taxi and local transport

FreeNow, itTaxi, weTaxi Taxi apps

• Why they’re useful: For calling taxis in major cities like Rome and Milan. Uber has limited coverage in Italy and calls an official taxi or an Uber Black, meaning it is more costly than the other options.
• Tip: Taxis are as widely used as in other countries but tourists make large use of them which means in high footfall places such as Rome and Florence, you may need to wait a long time for one to be available

• CheBateo (Venice) useful app to navigate the public water transport system in Venice, find the ferry line you need and the nearest stop

• ProBus (Rome) – useful app to find bus stops, lines and a reasonably accurate estimate of how long you need to wait for the next bus. Rome does not have a proper bus schedule you can count on, so the app is useful!

• TicketAppy (Rome) – useful app to buy bus tickets and bus passes in Rome

• AtBus (Florence) – useful app to plan and get tickets for bus transport in Florence

• Lake Garda by iTown – useful for quick access to local businesses, events and transport in the Lake Garda area

• SeiserAlm app – for access to info and trails on Alpe di Siusi / SeiserAlm

Best apps for Italy for Language help

Google Translate

• Why it’s useful: Translate signs, menus, and conversations. Use the camera function to translate printed text instantly.
• Tip: Download Italian offline for use without Wi-Fi or data.

In addition to it, you can use my list of useful Italian expressions for travelers here

Best food and wine apps for Italy

Michelin Guide, no need for presentation for this one! Not Italy specific but full of great addresses

TripAdvisor – useful for restaurant reviews. Always read several specific reviews rather than just trusting the overall score. I find it more reliable than others in Italy

Vivino – to help you order the best wine even if you are not an expert and / or keep track of what you like so you can order it again. Use the app to scan the bottle or type in the name of the wine to see characteristics, users/ rating and even create your own taste profile to order what is most likely agreeable to your palate

OpenTable or The Fork

• Why: Book tables at restaurants across Italy
• Tip: Only a small selection of restaurants uses the app so do not thing your choice is limited to what you see on it. Need to know: best used for advance bookings, not last minute. If a restaurant is busy, they may not have the staff to check last minute bookings that come online and it can happen that your table has been given to a walk in. Always book well ahead via the app to minimize the chance of this happening

Gluten free restaurants

• AIC Mobile gluten-free app, the only app with gluten free places in Italy that are monitored by Italy’s National Celiac organization.

• Mangiare Senza Glutine (android) Mangiare Senza Glutine (apple) (Mangiare = to eat; Senza Glutine = Gluten Free

Luggage Storage

Radical Storage

• Why it’s useful: Find and book secure luggage storage in major cities. Ideal for layovers or last-day sightseeing without bags.
• Tip: Locations are often near train stations and tourist hubs.

Websites to Save to Your Homescreen

As helpful as any of the apps for Italy! Because the best apps for Italy sometimes are not apps at all 🙂

MamaLovesItaly.com This one you are on now! My website!

• Why: A local-author travel blog with detailed, family-friendly guides, city itineraries, and cultural tips across all of Italy.
• Tip: Save it to your phone’s home screen like an app for offline access.

MamaLovesRome.com Mine too! All about my home city of Rome

• Why: In-depth and local advice focused on Rome—perfect for first-time and returning visitors.
• Tip: Offers restaurant tips, family advice, and Rome highlights from a local mom’s perspective.

Google Photos or Dropbox

• Why: As easy way to backup your travel photos on the go

Other potentially useful apps for Italy

• Playground buddy, to find kid play areas locally
• Glovo for local food delivery
• Currency Converter if you have a tricky conversion rate with your currrency
• Meteo for local weather forecast (only really reliable from about 3 days before in Italy, regardless of app used)
• Parco Colosseo for visiting the Colosseum and Roman Forum
• Your airline app for storing tickets and online check in (when applicable)

I hope you found this list useful and makes you feel more equipped when deciding the best apps for Italy to get for your trip. Safe travels!