Tech

Touring Europe with iPhone Audio Guide Apps

We test the latest iOS apps offering commentary on self-paced tours around European cities.

The venerable audio guide, for many years a favorite way of exploring museums and attractions, is gradually being replaced by smartphone apps. Many major museums, such as MoMA in New York City, now offer their own apps that let visitors listen to the same commentary but without the hassle of picking up, configuring, and carrying around a separate device. 

At the same time, smartphones are enabling a new kind of audio tour. Powered by features such as geolocation, this new crop of apps lets you explore a neighborhood or even an entire city at your own pace, listening to insights about particular places as you pass them. On a recent trip to Europe, we put these apps to the test. 

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