10 Apps to Download Before Your Christmas Markets Trip
You’ve got your packing list ready, but are you prepared to hit the ground running in Europe with the proper apps and technology? Make your trip as seamless as possible with these apps to download before your Christmas market trip. From currency helpers to communication tools, each of these apps will help make your trip smoother from touchdown to the markets to the time you return home.
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Currency Converter
That Danish souvenir might seem like a good deal in Krone, but it could cost more than you expect in USD or AUD! We’ve used My Currency Converter app worldwide; it works flawlessly every time and doesn’t require data! It especially came in handy at the Christmas markets in Budapest, where the Hungarian Forint was very different from the Euro or USD!
While Americans don't use it much, people worldwide do. As a messaging and phone app, WhatsApp lets you communicate with Airbnb or tour hosts, call restaurants to make reservations, meet up with friends, or stay in touch even after your trip. When we say everyone else uses it, we mean EVERYONE else uses it, so download it soon and start getting used to it!
Ridesharing Apps
If you’re not renting a car in Europe, it’s easy to get around with rideshare in the most famous Christmas market destinations! There are many ridesharing apps across the continent, but Lyft, Uber, and Bolt are what we’ve found that work in most European countries.
Trainline
While we love a road trip or a Christmas market cruise, the easiest way to travel through Europe is by train. You can purchase train tickets quickly and easily through the Trainline app. In the app, you can track train times, buy tickets, and select seats. As a bonus, you never have to worry about validating paper tickets in countries like Italy, as the ticket and QR code are right on your phone.
Your Airline’s App
We’ve found that we often get app updates about flights or gate changes before we get text, email, or airport announcements. You can also find extra in-flight entertainment in your airline’s app to help pass the time on long overseas flights. Want to know our in-flight go-to items to help the flight go smoothly? Check out our long-flight life savers here!
Surfshark VPN
Protect your personal data online while you travel and use foreign wifi connections. Public Wi-Fi is always risky and could let hackers steal your private information. Often, international phone plans or SIM cards come with less data than you’re used to, so you’ll likely find yourself connecting to public Wi-Fi more. Don’t let your guard down just because you’re on vacation! Surfshark is super affordable and worth every penny, thanks to its identity theft protection.
In addition to protecting yourself online, you can also use it to still watch all of your favorite shows on your streaming platform of choice. It’s always nice to warm up and wind down with your favorite cozy show after a long, cold day of market hopping!
Toilet Finder App
You’re going to be spending a lot of time out and about, hopping from Market to market, and after all that mulled wine and cider, you’re surely going to need a toilet- and fast! Like most places in the world, toilets inside of shops and restaurants are for paying customers only. However, European shops and restaurants are not required to have toilets accessible to customers.
So what do you do when you’re wandering the streets and ya gotta go? Check the Flush Toilet Finder & Map: It’s free and has over 200,000 public toilets in its database. What’s not free? Unfortunately, many of the toilets on the app aren’t. Make sure to keep some change on you, as public toilets can cost anywhere from approximately 50 cents to 2 dollars.
Google Maps
Google Maps is the perfect app for planning and taking trips to Europe. Save places such as restaurant recommendations or must-visit attractions to your list in advance. Use the map for directions and to scout locations while you’re on vacation. We’ve found that Google Maps typically works better than Apple Maps in Europe, but we use both frequently.
Google Translate
Need to convey a message to someone at a booth who doesn’t speak your language? Download the Google Translate app, type your message, and the app will read the translation aloud in the selected language. Our favorite hack is using the Google Translate app to translate menus we can’t read. All you have to do is take a photo through the app, which will translate the text on the screen into your language! It’s nearly flawless and so helpful. It can also give you pronunciations if you’re unsure how to say common Christmas market words like “gluhwein!”
Google (for Google Lens) or ChatGPT
If you’re not a fan of a guided tour yet are curious about the monuments, icons, or foods around you, use the camera within your Google app to visually search your surroundings. You can quickly find out “Who’s this statue of?” or “What is this food called?” with a Google Lens search.
Want a more robust answer? Use the photo or video function in a new ChatGPT chat to ask what you’re looking at or to translate the text or menus for you.