Summer is here, and as such, it seems likely to us that you’ve already booked your plane tickets and have started planning your Israel adventure. Whether you’re a meticulous planner or a more spontaneous traveler, whether you’ve come to scratch your history itch or simply want a night out in Israel's metropolitan center Tel Aviv. Whether it’s business, pleasure or a mixture of the two, we have an app for you.
Israel, by footMost Israel vacations will take you to at least one of haaretz’s three major cities:
Jerusalem,
Tel Aviv and
Haifa. You will likely want to leave the tour bus (and maybe even the tour guide) and spend time acquainting yourself with the sites. How better than by foot? The sky will be above you and the dirt below. City Maps and Walks, an app series by
www.gpsmycity.com, offers maps and tours of almost 500 cities, including the three major aforementioned attractions.
Cost: 4.99Supported formats: iPhone, iPod touch, iPadBusiness classIt may not be all pleasure, but a business trip to Israel still constitutes something of a vacation. You are, after all, in Israel.
Israel Culture Guide© will help prep you for your upcoming trip to the Holy Land. This app will acquaint you with the ins and outs of Israeli culture—including tips on pushing back on public transportation, how to react to Israeli informality, and what to expect from an Orthodox dinner invitation.So brush up ahead of time to avoid spending your after-hours unwinding and decoding confusing social mishaps and guffaws and instead, enjoy Israel's rich nightlife and attractions.
Cost: 9.99Supported formats: iPhone, iPod touch, iPadCall it educationFor some of you, the idea of arriving to a country, with no real sense of where you're going and what you're getting yourself into, won't jive. Others might want a more interactive way to acquaint your kids with what exactly Israel is all about. A trivia app that will acquaint you with the ins and outs of Israel's nature and wildlife, her demographics, history and politics,
Israel Country Facts will prepare you for your upcoming trip. Great for both adults and children, this colorful app uses photos and short bits of text to acquaint you with the diverse fabric of people, places and things that make up modern-day Israel.
Cost: 0.99Supported formats: iPhone, iPod touch, iPadSpare no detailAre you a thorough do-it-yourselfer? Don't want to hire a tour guide, but still want a comprehensive, well-planned vacation? Guidebooks are now—as Leonard Cohen put it—"shining artifacts of the past." Get access to all the tips, tools and itineraries you might need directly on your iPhone.
Tel Aviv and
Jerusalem, two apps designed by
eTips LTD, will help you build more personalized itineraries based on the length of your stay in these two cities. Replete with photos and information about local attractions and sites, this app will also offer you information on public transportation, nightlife and shopping.
Cost: 4.99Supported formats: iPhone, iPod touch, iPadHisto-romancePerhaps this app should come with a warning: for serious travelers only, because
Israel Sites is a powerhouse of an app. Functioning as something of a portable encyclopedia and your person tour guide, this app will help the history buff, archeology enthusiast and informed traveler plan an ultimate walk through time. This app offers you a catalogue of "Israel sites," complete with a detailed chronology of history, photos and information on the attraction. Download this app and get ready to learn history as you walk through it. Don't do too much reading, though. Get your head out of your iPhone and have an actual look at the sites!
Cost: 5.99Supported formats: iPhone, iPod touch, iPadAppaholic is a bi-weekly column which thematically reviews mobile apps with a Jewish or Israeli twist. If you have an app to suggest, send details to
appaholic.jpost@gmail.com