iphone apps to travel with

Google Translate, download Italian language on it before you go. It can translate most languages if it’s online but to work offline you have to have the language you want already downloaded.
Nifty fact: use the camera and it can translate written language. Open app, select camera icon, point camera at a sign and the translation will appear.

CityMaps2Go or another map app where you can use it offline AND mark places you want to remember. Mine is full of pins (one color for restaurants, one for sights like museums, etc) of places I’m interested in. So I can open the map at lunchtime and see the restaurants I marked and the notes I wrote about it.

I learned about TripIt last year at a Rick Steves Class, and I love this app. I use the free version. You email it your reservations, and it auto-loads addresses, etc. I add activity ideas into it while I’m in the planning stages so I have one main place where my ideas are stored & then solidified.

I answered above but have a few more ideas (I just looked at my phone)

-weather channel. Obvious reason
-yelp - finding restaurant/other business reviews. Tripadvisor is good too.
-your phone comes with a compass - it's useful!
-kindle app and download guidebooks AND you can email yourself files-the app gives you a personalized email address to send documents to and they show up in your kindle app. So I will email my reservation confirmations, PDF pages of maps, anything I might want and they are right there in the app and can be re-downloaded if there's a problem. This one is great - I bring almost no paper and can consult guidebooks or blogs or museum tour PDFs whereever I am.
-a converter for weight/temperature/other units of measure that may differ. Many converter apps will do a wide variety of measurements.
-booking.com or airbnb or other hotel app - I book ahead but just in case there's a problem I can find a new hotel easily.

The apps for your financial institutions

GoodReader for offline storage of e-documents

I also have Trenit! and Trenitalia. Trenit! is built on top of Trenitalia but provides better search, it will direct to Trenitalia once you decided to purchase tickes. I used them to buy Regionale train tickets the day before my travel and on some occasions, an hour before, therefore they are pretty handy.

If you were traveling in Venice, download "CheBateo?" for vaporettos time tables.

I have pages of apps downloaded since I'm a novice traveller and will be going to Italy for the first time in May:

*maps.me AND google maps: download offline maps, bookmark all your hotels, restaurants, train stations, tourist spots, anything of interest and ATMs. Some people have recommended Waze and ViaMichelin. I downloaded the apps but have not used them (yet).
*google earth and GSVExplorer: similar street views.
*Rome2rio: travel route info
*Trenitalia: train schedules and tickets
*Delta Airlines or whatever airline(s) you're using
*Google Translate and Microsoft Translator
*Rick Steves Audio Europe: download all info relative for where you're traveling
*Units Plus: currency rates, measurement and weight conversion
*Booking.com if you have hotel reservation through them and for restaurant reviews
*Trip Advisor for restaurant/hotel reviews
*Thanks to Andrew, I finally got Google Hangouts to work for WIFI calling
*Make web folders by town/activity/transportation for all your bookmarked websites to make them easier to find
*Make email folder(s) for the trip to find emailed confirmations/communication
*Don't forget to download your financial sites so you can check your accounts and balances if you're not used to banking online.

I'm sure my list is a little overkill but I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it. I also have paper backup for the hotels, rental car, train ticket, tour info. And Rick's guidebooks.
Have a great trip!

I use TripIt (Pro) and love it.

I also love Google Translate. It was very useful in Italy.

CityMaps2Go and Google Maps are also useful.

Always look at any app and see what can be downloaded ahead of time for offline use.

And if you're home airport is back in the US, consider downloading Mobile Pass from CBP to expedite your return (unless you have Global Entry or are flying somewhere not in the US after Europe.)

TripItPro, Google Maps, Google Translate, What’sApp.
Food apps for Italy, EatRome.. all of Elizabeth Minichellis apps. KatieParla Rome.

Use Siri.

She will translate, convert, tell you the weather and read you the news in your own language. You don't even need to touch the phone - just call her. That's how I start a day without leaving the bed.

Whatsapp - its more widely used in Europe than in the US and even some businesses use it - our hotel uses it, although I am not sure how much I will be communicating with them when we are there next month.

You can make calls and texts free of charge over wifi. Keep in mind that both parties have to have the app and you can't contact landlines.

Booking.com
Agriturismo.it
Bed-and-breakfast.it
Evernote- great place to store reservations, things to do, bus schedules, etc and and other Linus you find helpful. Small monthly if annual fee. I like it because I can create tags by city, trip, hotel, trains, etc.

Love trip it, especially if you have more than 1 trip planned at once.

"Keep in mind that both parties have to have the app and you can't contact landlines."

A tip I learned from Andrew H: Google Hangouts will call any US number, including landlines and 800 numbers, for free while you are on Wi-Fi. The other party does not need Whatsapp (or any app at all). Note that sometimes to get it to work, you have to dial it as an international call (+1-area code-number). If, like me, you haven't set it up with a phone number, the call will come in as "private" (so, I've warned family members to accept private calls when I'm traveling).

To get it to work on Android phones, you need both the Google Hangouts app and the Google Hangouts Dialer app.

I haven't tried to set it up to receive calls; Andrew H has posted details of this. But to make calls, all you need to do is get the apps; you can try it from home and make sure it works before you go. As Andrew says, even if you don't think you need it, it's great if you have to call your bank or airline; since it's free, you can spend 30 minutes on hold and it don't cost you anything.

WhatsApp
TripIt
CityMapper
Elk Currency Converter
Google Translate

I also like Dark Sky. It’s surprisingly accurate, giving an hour by hour forecast. Also, it will ping you when it is going to start raining (or snowing) in 5 minutes - enough time to head to a museum or find a restaurant.

My favorite travel conversion app is UNITS PLUS. it works for currency, temperature, time, volume, weight, speed, length, etc. It was really helpful on a trip to St. Petersburg in gift shops taking rubles, euros, and dollars. I wanted to make sure the conversion rates posted were fair when using currency other than rubles. I was relieved that using dollars or euros did not result in a poor exchange rate. The converter is also handy for other conversions that we need for temp and distance, etc.

I use Google Translate. Download the English to Italian ,Italian to English and you can use it offline.Excellent.
I always use Google Maps everywhere.
For Currency, I use XE.com, worldwide currencies are listed. Easy to use.
I use the above Apps all over the world.
For dining in Italy, EAT ROME,and EAT ITALY by Elizabeth Minichelli. Also KatieParla’sRome. These dining apps are not free but are very helpful and highly credible with good recommendations.
What’sApp is used extensively in Italy. We had to download it to communicate with the rental company we used for an apartment in Italy. It is good to have.
You can download free walking tours from RickSteves.com. Many choices in Italy and other informative audios and videos as well.

A tip I learned from Andrew H: Google Hangouts will call any US number, including landlines and 800 numbers, for free while you are on Wi-Fi. The other party does not need Whatsapp (or any app at all). Note that sometimes to get it to work, you have to dial it as an international call (+1-area code-number). If, like me, you haven't set it up with a phone number, the call will come in as "private" (so, I've warned family members to accept private calls when I'm traveling).

True - but I mentioned whatsapp appears to be more widely used, especially by businesses in Europe. If you need to call someone at home, it can also be used as long as the other party has the app. I mean, who has landlines these days, lol!

CityMapper for ease of getting around Rome

I love SpeakEasy. It’s basically a phrase book style app. It’s terrific for getting comfortable with basic phrases/exchanges, or getting your head around tough words (“bouteille” anyone?) Asking “What do you recommend?” in Italy has paid great dividends. The full app version is cheap too, like 5 bucks.