Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
line so you don't have to worry about needing a data plan. Each city guide app costs $3.99
(included free updates for life) and each PDF guide costs €2.99 (updated monthly).
InYourPocket.com
.
Do yourself a favor and download the free In Your Pocket city guides.
These PDF guides cover more than one hundred cities throughout mainly Eastern/Central
Europe and are written by locals that know all the best spots. You can sometimes find printed
In Your Pocket guides in hostels through Europe, but they are all available for free on their
website.
I like In Your Pocket guides because they provide a lot of practical information about the
city (public transportation tips/maps, city maps, money-saving tips, helpful words/phrases,
upcoming events, etc.). The guides are updated every few months so the information is cur-
rent. They're also starting to offer iPhone apps.
Unlike.Net
.
If you want to know where the hip people hang out, head over to
Unlike.Net
.
These guides are written by culture-savvy journalists, fashion professionals, artists, musicians,
and other people way cooler than we'll ever be. You'll find trendy bars, restaurants, shops,
concerts and other interesting events. Right now they have about eleven European cities. Un-
fortunately, most trendy things are expensive, so a lot of things on this site skews toward the
pricier side—although there are still some budget friendly suggestions. The city guides can be
accessed from the website or via their free smartphone app.
Timeout.com
.
Want to know what the cool kids are doing? This is the place to go for the
inside scoop on hot restaurants, art, entertainment, and shopping.
CROWD-SOURCED TRAVEL GUIDES
TripAdvisor.com
.
The mecca of user-generated travel reviews for restaurants, tours, and oth-
er tourist activities. The reviews can determine the success or failure of a business. It's scary
how much power this site has. There has been a bit of controversy over fake reviews, but over-
all, TripAdvisor is one of my favorite resources when I'm researching a new city.
WikiVoyage.org
.
This crowd-sourced travel website is the Wikipedia of travel and I use it
for every trip. It is the place to check before you visit a location because it provides a wealth of
practical information—like the destination's history, transportation system, weather, customs,
markets, safety, neighborhoods, festivals, and popular sights. Some articles also recommend
restaurants, bars, and hotels/hostels. In true Wikipedia fashion, only expect utilitarian facts
and not many opinions (head to
TripAdvisor.com
for that).
Since it is a wiki-style site, WikiVoyage is edited entirely by volunteers so you don't have
the same “quality control” of a professional editor and certain sections might be skimpy, but
overall this is an excellent resource—especially for major destinations.
TRADITIONAL GUIDE BOOKS
