best apple travel adapter

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Sweepstakes
• Travel Products
• Tech Essentials

The 6 Best Travel Adapters and Converters of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

Whether you prefer a set of specific adapters or something universal, these are the best options on the market.

In This Article

Jump to a Section

• Our top picks
• Other Options We Liked

Our Testing Process

• Tips for Buying
• Why Trust T+L

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more .

Travel + Leisure / Alexander Huang

Travelers these days have all types of gear and gadgets that require power: cellphones, headphones, cameras, laptops, and even their toothbrushes. And, when venturing abroad, you’ll often find that not every hotel, airport lounge, or even public mode of transportation accommodates the U.S. plug, which means you likely need an adapter and/or converter for international trips. 

Our favorite adapters and converters are compact, work in multiple countries, have several ports including both USB and AC sockets, and, of course, power your essentials without frying them. As avid travelers, we tested an array of products on actual trips across the world and ranked them based on ease of use, effectiveness, and value to bring you the best picks for every scenario. Below, find our favorite easy-to-use adapters and converters for your next international journey.

Best Overall

Epicka universal travel adapter.

• Ease of Use 5 /5
• Effectiveness 4 /5

It’s able to charge six devices at once. 

This is not a converter, so you shouldn’t use it with high-power appliances like curling irons and hair dryers. 

Ready to use in more than 150 countries, this adapter from Epicka can charge six devices at the same time, as it comes with four USB-A ports, 1 USB-C port, and 1 AC socket. It works with all USB-enabled devices including iPhones and Androids, and can charge laptops, cameras, tablets, and power banks, too. It eliminates the need to purchase individual adapters for each trip, which makes it a great money-saving travel product . The adapter also has a built-in, double 8A fuse and safety shutters that keep children from trying to plug other items into the socket. The adapter comes in four different colors, and has a 1-year limited warranty. 

We love that it’s small and easy to pack, plus it’s simple to switch over to different prongs from country to country. The multiple USB ports are great for charging everything at once, and the adapter is super lightweight, so it isn’t adding much weight to your suitcase or carry-on either. We did find that the adapter was hard to fit in tight spots or use with older outlet styles in the UK and Hong Kong, but this didn’t happen often. 

The Details: 2.8 x 1.97 x 2.05 inches | 5.1 ounces | No converter | 6 ports | 1 AC, 4 USB-A, 1 USB-C | 240 volts

Travel + Leisure / Alexander Huang

Best for Apple Users

Apple travel adapter kit.

• Effectiveness 5 /5

It’s exclusively for Apple products so you can trust it with those devices.

It only works with Apple's block-type power adapters.

This kit made by Apple, for Apple products, includes seven AC plugs that work for iPhones, iPods, iPads, and Mac laptops in North America, Japan, China, the UK, Europe, Korea, Australia, Hong Kong, and Brazil. Each one lists the regions the plug is compatible with, making it easy to grab what you need quickly. However, you will need Apple's power adapter brick to serve as a base; these tips work with Apple’s USB-C power adapters, MagSafe and MagSafe 2 power adapters, and 10-watt and 12-watt USB power adapters that come with devices (or can be purchased separately in a range of wattages including 12 watts , 35 watts, and 67 watts ).

We love this set because it’s an Apple-certified product, so we know our devices are safe. The adapters are also built to last, as one of our testers used the adapters for 10 years before having to replace some of them. The only thing we wish they added onto this set is a carrying case to hold all the pieces for traveling. 

The Details: 5.3 x 5.3 x 1.9 inches | 11.2 ounces | No converter | 1 port | 100-240 volts (10W, 12W, 30W, and 35W)

Most Compact

Ceptics travel adapter plug for south africa & botswana.

It comes with USB and AC outlet charging abilities in a compact plug. 

USB ports are on the bottom, instead of the top of the adapter. 

If you’re traveling through South Africa, Botswana, or Namibia, this compact adapter will allow you to charge up to three devices at once. The AC outlet allows you to plug your U.S. device into a Type M socket for South Africa, allowing you to charge up for safari adventures and more.  It works with cell phones, laptops, smart watches, tablets, and more, and we especially like that it has the ability for two- and three-prong AC input, as well as USB ports for added versatility. The style of adapter is a block shape, so you can tuck it into your backpack, purse, or carry-on without compromising on much space, and you can also buy similar adapters for Europe , India, Germany, Hong Kong, Switzerland, Brazil, and more. 

The Details: 1 x 1 x 1 inches | 2.5 ounces | No Converter | 3 ports | 2 USB-A , 1 AC | 250 volts

Best for Families

Bestek travel adapter and voltage converter.

• Value 4.5 /5

You can power seven devices at one time. 

It’s bulkier than a lot of other adapters. 

With three AC outlets and four USB ports, you can charge up to seven devices at once on this charger, making it easy for the whole family to charge their phones, laptops, tables, and camera batteries. Three plug adapters are also included and work in more than 150 countries, meaning you can travel far and wide and, most likely, have the right adapter for what you need. We also love that this one is a converter, too, converting 220 volts to 110 volts for U.S. electronics but it’s still not recommended to use this device to power your hair dryer, curling iron, or straightener.

The adapter comes with overcurrent, overload, overheat, and short-circuit protections. We tested the adapter by charging a phone, battery pack, Apple watch, and Kindle all at once and found that all devices were nicely charged overnight with no issues. 

The Details: 7.4 x 6.8 x 1.8 inches | 1.15 pounds | Converter | 3 AC, 4 USB-A | 110-220 volts

Best Multipack

Ceptics european travel plug adapter.

• Ease of Use 3 /5

It’s easy to use.

You'll need to use a separate plug for each item you're charging.

For a super affordable multipack for one destination, this one from Ceptics is a great choice, as it comes with three identical Type C adapters that will work across Europe, the Middle East, and South America. It accepts North American two- and three-prong plugs, and has a simple straightforward design. It’s worth noting though that this set won’t work in England, Ireland, or Scotland, but there are other three packs available that will work in those countries, plus India, China, Hong Kong, Australia, and more. 

The Details: 3 x 2 x 1 inches | 3.2 ounces | No Converter | 3 AC outlets | 100-240 volts

Best for Europe

Jarvania european travel plug adapter.

It works in both the EU and the UK. 

It’s a bit bulky as the UK adapter is separate. 

American travelers to Europe will most likely need an adapter that can handle numerous countries, and this one from Jarvania is great because it can be used with EU and UK outlets. It’s compatible with Type C (which also fits into Type E, F, H, J, K, L, and N outlets) to work in Italy, Denmark, Switzerland, Spain, and France and more. It also comes with a separate Type G plug adapter that will also work in the UK, so you’re getting an extra adapter, too. The main adapter has three ports (one AC, two USB), so you can charge up to three devices at once — a perk for the modern traveler carrying a phone, laptop, camera, and more. 

The Details: 2.7 x 2.1 x 2.2 inches | 3.8 ounces | No Converter | 3 ports | 1 AC, 2 USB-A | 110-250 volts

Other Travel Adapters We Liked

Two adapters we tested couldn’t quite earn a spot on our list but had standout features that may meet the needs of some travelers. 

Tessan Type G Adapter : This adapter with two AC outlets plus two USB ports works in countries such as Scotland, Ireland, the UK, Hong Kong, UAE, Singapore, and various African countries. However, we found the AC outlets are too close together on the adapter to always be useful. 

Tessan Type E F Adapter : With five total ports (USB and AC) that work in numerous countries, this is a great adapter, but we think the two pack is a bit much, as one adapter already has five ports, meaning lots of travelers wouldn’t need a second adapter. This adapter is also wider than other adapters so it can take up more unnecessary space. 

The T+L team tested 12 different adapters and converters in various countries across the world. We noted what countries we were in while using the adapters or converters, and how easy it was to use each one. We also ranked them based on effectiveness, meaning how well they charged our devices, and value in terms of price versus performance. 

Tips for Buying Adapters and Converters

Research your destination.

Before leaving on your trip, be sure to check out what types of outlets are used in the countries you’re visiting, and buy adapters and converters accordingly. The last thing you’ll want is to accidentally fry your device while abroad. Some hotels provide USB ports inside hotel rooms, but it’s best to make sure they’re available before arriving empty-handed.

Consider a kit

If you’re visiting numerous countries and are in a rush, it’s sometimes easier to simply buy a kit with several adapters for multiple different destinations, which can save you money instead of buying numerous adapters. Lots of kits are small enough to tuck away in your bag or carry-on, so just be sure that you take along the ones you need.

Read the fine print

Always be sure to read the instructions that come with your adapter or converter, and be sure to pay attention to the power details. You may think a converter is safe for your styling tools or appliances when it's actually not, and you could fry your device, or blow a fuse, if the adapter doesn’t convert voltage.

An adapter is used when you need to plug a specific type of prong into a different socket. It allows you to plug your U.S.-style prong into an outlet in another country that uses a different type of plug. A converter is different in that it changes the voltage of an outlet to match the voltage of the item being plugged in. Some countries use 110/120 volts, while others use 220/240 volts. If you don’t use a converter, you could ruin your device, or even risk a fire.

If your destination has a different prong type than your outlets at home, then you’ll need an adapter. But if the voltage is different in the place you’re traveling than it is at home, you’ll need a converter to convert that voltage. Some products have dual voltage, which means the device can handle voltages from all over the world.

Most of Europe uses Type C plugs, which also fit into Type E, F, H, J, K, L, and N sockets that may replace Type C in places such as Denmark, Switzerland, and Italy. (England and the rest of the U.K. uses Type G.) Always double check exactly which one you’ll need before your departure.

Why Trust Travel + Leisure

For this article, the T+L team tested and reviewed numerous adapters and converters to find the best of the best for countries across the world. Freelance writer and world traveler Amanda Ogle further researched travel adapters to add additional insights to this list. 

Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and we'll send you our favorite travel products each week.

Advertisement

The Best Travel Plug Adapter

By Geoffrey Morrison

If you want to use electronic devices in a different country, you’ll probably need a travel plug adapter. After spending more than 30 hours researching and testing 14 options, we found the Epicka Universal Travel Adapter to be the best one. It fits four types of outlets, and it has more USB ports than any of its competitors, so it can can charge more devices at higher speeds.

Everything we recommend

Epicka Universal Travel Adapter

Best universal travel adapter.

With four plugs that will work in most countries, plus faster-charging USB ports (and more of them) than its competitors, this adapter is the best all-around choice.

Buying Options

You save $4 (17%)

Ceptics International Worldwide Travel Plug Adapter 5 Piece Set

The best plug adapter.

Individually, these tiny plug adapters are smaller, lighter, and cheaper than any universal travel adapter. To juice up multiple devices, though, you’d need a separate multiport charger too.

Ceptics Plug Adapter Set

Heavier, but sturdier.

The plugs in this set of five are bigger and heavier than our top pick for plug adapters, but more solidly built.

In a sea of almost-identical travel adapters, the Epicka Universal Travel Adapter stands out, combining the best of the features we were looking for. It contains the three most common international plugs and a US-style plug, which should cover you in the majority of countries around the world. It has the most USB ports—four of the standard USB-A and one USB-C—of any universal adapter we tested, and it could charge more of our devices faster. A replaceable fuse and an included spare should take the brunt of any accidental, unfortunate, or shockingly bad connections. The Epicka is fairly compact and well built, and it even comes with a nylon case.

However, no universal travel adapter is truly universal, and they’re all a lot bulkier and more expensive than simple plug adapters. If you want the smallest adapter possible, or if you’re going someplace where a universal adapter won’t work (more on that in a minute), then a plug adapter could be what you need.

The Ceptics tiny plug adapters are barely larger than the prongs they convert. Small, simple, and cheap, they’re perfect for someone who wants to carry only the adapter they’ll need and who already has a multiport USB wall charger they like. Like our universal adapter picks, this set contains the three most common international plugs and the US plug. However, it also includes a somewhat rarer plug used in some European countries that has two thick, cylindrical prongs. This means that the Ceptics will likely cover you in even more places—as long as you pack the appropriate plug adapter.

These plug adapters are bigger than our top pick for plug adapters, but this means they offer a larger surface for chargers to brace against, which makes them more stable and less likely to fall off the wall. (We’ll call these “ Ceptics White ” to minimize confusion and set them apart from our “Ceptics Black” top pick.) While you can purchase these as a five-pack, which contains basically the same assortment of plugs as the Ceptics Black set, the company also sells, in this same model line, three-packs for nearly a dozen specific regions. So if you’re headed to a country not covered by the so-called universal travel adapters (for example, Brazil , India , Israel , or South Africa ), or if you want to purchase multiple adapters for your gear, there’s probably an option available here.

A note up here, which we’ll discuss in detail below: All of these are adapters only . They do not convert voltage. The majority of your electronic devices only need adapters—the voltage converter is built into the charger itself. (If the device charges via USB, just about any USB port will suffice, though different ports may provide different charging speeds.) Check out Do you need a voltage converter? if you’re curious about these aspects.

The research

Why you should trust us, who should get this, how we picked, how we tested, our pick: epicka universal travel adapter, flaws but not dealbreakers, our pick: ceptics international worldwide travel plug adapter 5 piece set, runner-up: ceptics adapter plug set for worldwide international travel use, do you need a voltage converter, the competition.

In addition to my work here at Wirecutter, I also write about tech and travel for CNET, Forbes, and Wirecutter’s parent company, The New York Times . Perhaps more relevant to this guide, I usually spend a good chunk of each year (global pandemics aside) as a digital nomad, living months at a time in different countries all over the world. My current country count is 50, spread across six continents, and since I travel with a lot of electronics gear for work, being able to plug in is obviously crucial.

I’ve owned and used many different types of universal-style travel adapters, and several different companies’ worth of plug adapters, plus I’ve talked with countless travelers about what they like … or, more important, what they hate. We also got some advice from Wirecutter's Mark Smirniotis, who used to oversee our power devices section.

Do you travel? Are you going to travel sometime in the (near or far) future? Do you want to be able to charge or use electronic devices in a different country? If so, you’re probably going to need a travel plug adapter. There’s a variety of different outlet types around the world, not to mention different voltages and frequencies, so you can’t expect your phone charger to just plug in and work wherever you’re headed. Sure, Canada, Mexico, Japan, and many other countries use the same small pair of prongs as the US, but places like continental Europe, the UK, Australia, India, Russia, and pretty much everywhere else do not.

You have two main choices when it comes to travel plug adapters: the universal-style travel adapters (that’s one device with multiple sets of prongs that you extend and retract) and smaller, individual plug adapters that usually come in sets. Both have pros and cons.

Should you get a universal travel adapter or a simple plug adapter?

Universal travel adapters are for the person who wants one handy adapter that will work in just about every country. You can keep it next to your passport and toss it in your luggage when you’re packing. The ones we considered have USB ports, so you don’t need to worry about bringing a separate charger for anything that charges via USB (think  phones  and noise-cancelling headphones ). However, these are bulky, they have parts that can break, and even the best will take longer to charge your phone or tablet than will a good USB wall charger .

The alternative is small and simple plug adapters. These attach to the prongs of your current USB charger (whether it’s a multiport one or the charger that came with your device) to allow them to fit into a foreign outlet. These can work because nearly every modern charger can adjust to the available voltage in pretty much every country, as long as you can adapt the prongs to fit in the outlet. (More on this in Do you need a voltage converter? ) These are great for people who already have a multiport USB charger they like and don’t want to deal with the additional bulk of a universal travel adapter. Also, these are necessary if you’re traveling to a country that has outlets incompatible with any of the four types included in a universal adapter (which, as that sentence reveals, aren’t actually universal).

The choice between universal travel adapters and individual plug adapters ultimately comes down to personal preference. Both types work, and different people will like or dislike each. If you’re not sure which will be best for you, read each section here closely.

Here’s the big caveat: If you’re planning on bringing something with you that has a motor, a heating element, or a single power cord that leads directly from the plug to the device (i.e. there’s no power brick or wall wart ), it almost certainly won’t work with a travel plug adapter. Most people will only need one of the adapter choices we recommend, but very occasionally there’s a piece of gear that needs a voltage converter. For more on that topic, also check out the voltage converters section below.

Where in the world will your travel plug adapter work?

All universal travel adapters have four different sets of prongs, which cover most countries most Americans tend to travel to. First is the big, wide-blade UK-style plug (often designated "Type G”) . This will work in places like the UK, obviously, and also Ireland, Hong Kong, and some other parts of Asia and the Middle East.

Next is the round Europe-style plug, aka the Europlug (Type C) . However, this is where we run into complications. This plug should work in most of Europe—it was designed, in fact, to fit into a wide range of European outlet types. For instance, parts of Italy, Switzerland, and Denmark each use different plugs from one another. Should this double-round one work in those locations? Yes. Will it? Hard to say. I’ve stayed in places where my Europlug didn’t work, yet it did in the hostel before and the hotel after—all within the same small region of a country. With any luck, if this happens to you, the place you’re staying will have a power strip that will let you plug in, though there’s no guarantee of that.

Third is the angled small-blade style (Type I) found in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and other parts of Oceania, and a few other areas. Some universal adapters have one set of blades for this and the US style—you just manually rotate the blades into the correct position depending on where you are. In our testing, we had no trouble getting them to work.

The last, the small US-style blades (Type A or B) , mean you could use our picks to visit the US and other countries that have the same plugs—if, that is, you’re reading this from outside the US.

What are the places not covered by these four styles? Some parts of Brazil, South Africa, India, and more. I’ve stayed in parts of Italy, for example, that should have Europlugs but only had something called Type L . I’ve stayed in houses in Brazil that had Type N , but the Europlug fit enough to work. In others, it wouldn’t.

To find out which plugs you might need while traveling, refer to the excellent Wikipedia article called Mains electricity by country that shows pictures of (almost) all the possible plugs and outlets, along with a list of the world’s countries and (almost all of) the style or styles they use. This is invaluable information to check before you leave. If multiple plug types are listed for a specific country and you’re staying in an older building, you should probably assume its outlets will require whatever plug isn’t on a universal travel adapter, since these only have the most common, newer varieties of plugs.

Which brings us to perhaps the most important fact: Getting your gear to work in different countries isn’t quite as simple as it should be, and there’s no single solution that’s guaranteed to work for everyone. Our picks should work for you, but you may have some random piece of equipment, or be traveling to some country, for which our “good for most” picks just won’t work. (Case in point: One Wirecutter editor visited Iceland recently. The house she stayed in had outlets unlike anything on Wikipedia’s chart, and the plug adapters she’d used elsewhere in Reykjavik didn’t fit at all. It turns out the mystery sockets belonged to an obscure Italian system from the 1960s that was popular in Iceland for a time. Luckily, the hosts had power strips in the house that her adapters fit into.) We’ll try to mention such potential caveats when we can, but the world is a big place, and when it comes to electricity and wall outlets, there’s a lot of variation. That’s important to keep in mind.

There are approximately 70 billion universal travel plug adapters on the Web. However, after spending 20 hours staring at them, I found there’s only about a dozen basic designs—and countless “companies” selling them. Among those dozen or so actually different products, I saw a few distinctions that helped narrow the field. Since most options had four USB ports, that seemed like a reasonable minimum to require. Their maximum power output, rated in amps, became a determining factor in our rankings. The higher the maximum output, the faster the port will charge your gear.

Some plugs came with a replaceable fuse, which seemed like a good idea, and a few included a replacement for said fuse, which seemed even better. This way, if either you plug the adapter into a sketchy outlet or a roommate at the hostel uses your adapter to plug in their completely necessary portable arc welder, the fuse will go, not your adapter. Then it’s just a matter of swapping in the included spare fuse and you’re good to go.

These fuses have a maximum power rating, and therefore the adapters have a maximum wattage rating. However, you shouldn’t be connecting anything with a high enough power draw to trip these fuses. Check out Do you need a voltage converter? for more information. The short version is that recharging portable electronic devices is fine, but powering anything that has a motor or heats up is not. Nearly every appliance or device has its power draw written on it somewhere , so worst case, you can compare that to what’s listed on the adapter. And so you don’t have to look it up, volts × amps = watts.

The other option we considered and tested is individual plug adapters. These small adapters attach to the prongs of your current charger so they’ll plug into a foreign outlet. In deciding which of these to test, we judged by size and available plug-type options. As you’ll see with our two picks, one is exceptionally small, and the other offers sturdier plugs that are available in a range of plug types that’s wide enough to cover you no matter where in the world you’re headed.

The universal travel adapters are far more similar to one another than they are different. However, getting in a dozen and playing with them for a while revealed that some felt better put together than others. After spending several minutes with each one, forcefully extending the various plugs, slamming them back in, and just being fairly rough with them, I found it easy to tell which felt like they’d last a few trips, and which wouldn’t. None felt like you’d own them for a lifetime. Since none are expensive, though, this didn’t seem like a major issue.

All had a US-style plug, so I tested each one in several outlets around my house—some new, some old. I didn’t find much difference in how they fit and worked. I connected several chargers and plugs to the output side of each adapter as well. Again, not much difference. Last, I checked how bright the LED on each was, since a too-bright LED keeping me awake has been a pet peeve of mine for years. Many USB chargers have LEDs bright enough to practically read from; I eliminated any universal adapter that had this problem.

For the plug adapters, I tried plugging in several devices, as well as inserting them into outlets around my house. I checked how tight the connections were and how they felt overall. Would they fall apart with simple use or perhaps hold up to being tossed around in bags for a few weeks or months?

In reality, the testing for all the adapter types didn’t reveal much variation in terms of performance. These are all remarkably similar products. How they felt to use and their different features played a far bigger role in establishing our final picks.

While all the universal travel adapters we tested included the same three types of plugs (plus the familiar US-style one), they differed in how many USB ports each had and how quickly they could charge—and that’s where the Epicka Universal Travel Adapter excelled. It has five USB ports: four of the standard USB-A size and one of the newer USB-C. (You may not have a USB-C device at the moment, but you likely will in the future.) These will let you charge, say, three phones, two tablets, and—via the adapter’s main plug—a camera battery that has its own wall charger, all at once.

In addition, and just as important, is the maximum power output: 5.6 amps. This was the highest of all the adapters we considered, which means you can charge more of your devices at higher speeds before hitting the max output.

Keep in mind that the maximum output per USB-A port is 2.4 amps, the max on the USB-C port is 3 amps, and if you’re using all five ports you won’t be able to charge every connected device at full speed—it’ll only give you that 5.6 amp output in total . The output is still far lower than what you can get from a decent USB charger combined with our pick for a simple plug adapter (more on that in the plug adapter section , below), but it’s significantly better than most universal travel adapters, which often max out under 3 amps total.

The Epicka has three sliders on one side, with a button on the other to lock/unlock your chosen plug in place. This arrangement feels more secure than the semi-locking or slide-locking system that some other universals use. However, this is plastic-on-plastic, so don’t expect a tank. As these things go, the Epicka feels sturdy. The US and Australia share a pair of prongs—you twist the prongs manually to set them up for an angled Australia-style outlet.

The four regular USB plugs are all on one side, which is tidier than the “flailing gibbon” look of some other universal adapters.

The above details were what put the Epicka at the top of our list, but the adapter has a few other features that are the cherry on top, so to speak. For instance, it comes with a small nylon case and a USB cable with a split end, so it works with either Micro-USB or Lightning devices. While the adapter has an LED to show you it’s working, the glow isn’t so bright as to be a distraction at night.

One last note. There are multiple Epicka universal adapters, and even Epicka can’t keep the names straight. We’ve seen this one called, variously, Universal Travel Adapter, International Travel Adapter, Travel Adapter-2, Universal USB Travel Power Adapter (2018), and even Universal Travel Adapter One Worldwide International Wall Charger AC Plug Adaptor with 5.6A Smart Power 3.0A USB Type-C for USA EU UK AUS Cell Phone Tablet Laptop (Grey). Best to follow the link above. Also, you may find another company selling a twin of this. The Epicka has the most reviews and offers free shipping with Prime. The other options we saw have few or no reviews, or charge outrageous shipping costs.

As with all of these adapters, I wouldn’t expect the Epicka to last forever. Given its locking design and case, it’s probably going to last longer than many others, but all of these are almost entirely inexpensive plastic devices. Just something to keep in mind.

While the prongs themselves felt secure, and being able to lock them into place was nice, it’s entirely possible that the size and weight of the adapter, plus whatever you’ve plugged into it, could pull it out of an outlet. That is, unfortunately, a risk with every universal adapter.

Another risk with any universal adapter—as we mentioned above—is that it’s not going to work where you’re headed. Epicka claims it will work in 150 countries, but there are more than 200 countries (the exact number is harder to pin down than you might realize) . And even in each of those 150 countries, there’s no guarantee that the adapter will work in every outlet in every building. Plug adapters are a somewhat safer bet to work specifically where you’re going, but they have their own downsides, which we’ll discuss below.

Also, while the Epicka is a little smaller than some of the others we tested, all universal adapters are much bulkier than plug adapters. As someone who has spent most of the past several years traveling, I feel plug adapters are far easier and less annoying to deal with. This is largely why we have two recommendations for that category.

The Ceptics Plug Adapter set combines everything we were looking for in plug adapters: small size, solid build quality, and—well, small size is really the thing here. Each adapter is no larger than it needs to be to fit over the American-style prongs of your charger. The plastic feels solid and not flimsy. Each adapter has the region or countries it should be used in written on the side. The five plugs in the set are the same four as you’ll find on the universal adapters recommended above, plus the thicker, round European-style prongs used in parts of France, parts of Asia, and elsewhere.

Though the set comes with a small case, you probably wouldn’t be traveling with the entire set very often. Instead, you’d pack just the specific adapter or adapters you’d be using on each trip. These are for the person who wants to travel as light and as simply as possible. I myself, and my friends who travel frequently, swear by these small, inexpensive adapters. Also, if you have a USB multiport charger you like or a charger that’s especially fast, you can use that charger with just a tiny, almost weightless plug at the end.

However, plug adapters aren’t for everyone, and that’s why they’re not our main pick. For one thing, if you don’t already own a multiport USB wall charger, you’ll still have to get one if you don’t want to carry a charger for each device. Also, depending on what you’re connecting with these plug adapters, your charger or device could wobble and maybe fall out. The connections inside are solid enough that this shouldn’t happen, but it’s possible. Our universal-adapter picks, as well as the other Ceptics set we discuss below, have a larger “face” for your charger to brace against—more like that of a traditional outlet—so there’s less chance of gravity having its way with your gear.

Being small and inexpensive, plug adapters are not built for high-power, high-wattage items, though hopefully we’ve persuaded you to leave those at home . If you’re charging a battery, you should be fine. If you’re running a motor, probably not. Laptops, yes; mini-fridges, no.

Last, these things being so small, you could easily lose them in your bag or leave them behind in an outlet somewhere, if you’re the type of person who loses things. (That’s why I usually keep mine connected to my charger.)

For a hardcore traveler like me, these are my pick. They’re cheap, light, and small, and they work.

Though made by the same company as the Ceptics International Worldwide Travel Plug Adapter 5 Piece Set—and bearing a confusingly similar name—the plug adapters in the Ceptics Adapter Plug Set for Worldwide International Travel Use are, as you can see, a completely different design. They’re much larger than the other Ceptics (let’s call the previous set Ceptics Black and this one Ceptics White for simplicity). Nonetheless, they’re each smaller than a universal adapter, and they have one key benefit over our top plug-adapter pick: You can purchase them in multipacks for individual regions, including regions beyond those covered by the Ceptics Black set.

The Ceptics White are small, but not as small as the Ceptics Black. That extra size does offer one benefit, however: These adapters have more of a face on the output side, so there’s more surface for your charger to lean against. This means your charger is less likely to fall out. Again, neither set of plugs we tested had loose connections, but this is always a risk, as chargers vary. One other difference: In place of the two-pronged US plug we saw (type A) in our other picks, this set includes the three-pronged grounded version .

The real benefit to the Ceptics Whites, however, is not their physical characteristics. This range is one of your only options if you want to buy a plug adapter for a specific region or country. Headed to India or South Africa ? A universal adapter probably won’t work, but you can get a three-pack of Ceptics that will. You can also buy the offset three-prong and in-line three-prong for Switzerland and Italy, respectively, as well as plugs for Israel and Brazil , both the thin and the thick European plugs, and of course, Australia and UK versions too. They cost less than $10 per set. Any of those links will bring you to a page that lets you choose among plugs for different regions—definitely verify at checkout that you’ve picked the correct ones!

These adapters are ideal for someone headed to a country not covered by a universal adapter, or who has multiple chargers they want to plug in while traveling. They’re not quite as compact as the Ceptics Black adapters, but for most people, this difference in size won’t be an issue. I’ve traveled with these Ceptics plugs for many years, and they show no signs of wear.

Every adapter you see in this guide merely sends the current from the wall directly to whatever you plug into it. These are not voltage converters. Which is to say, if you’re in the UK, whatever you plug into the front of the adapter is going to get the UK’s 220 volts/50 hertz electricity, not the 120 volt/60 hertz that you’d get in the US. Travel plug adapters don’t convert the voltage; they only convert the plug . (Our universal picks do convert the local current to USB voltage, but only for the USB ports.)

However, for the vast majority of people, this is all you need. It’s exceptionally rare that anyone would need a voltage converter anymore. This is because most so-called wall warts, like on your phone charger or your camera’s battery charger, will convert the wall voltage into what it needs automatically.

Take a look at your charger. Somewhere, it should say “100–220V 50/60Hz.” This means it can accept anything between 100 V and 220 V, which covers domestic electricity pretty much everywhere, and either 50 Hz or 60 Hz, which again covers everything. If your charger doesn’t say this, it might not work with a travel adapter. If it only says "120V–60Hz," it will almost certainly not work—or not work correctly—with a travel adapter.

But here’s the other reason we don’t recommend buying a voltage converter: Your device might not work even with one. Anything with a motor (like hair dryers), anything with a heating element (like a clothing iron or a curling iron), or anything with a plug that goes directly to the device (as in no wall wart), probably won’t work in another country regardless of what kind of converter or adapter you bring . The good news is, pretty much every hotel, hostel, and Airbnb will have a hair dryer you can borrow. This is one of those times where we can’t cover everything you might want to bring, but for the vast majority of you, you don’t need a voltage converter. Either it’s not necessary, or the device that needs one won’t work anyway. Worst case, if it’s something cheap and you really need it—a hot pot or an electric kettle, say—consider buying one at your destination.

One occasional exception is electric razors. These often fall into the “single cable, no wall wart, has a motor” category. Which is to say, they probably won’t work without a voltage converter. (Again, check the fine print near the plug or on the device itself.) Many hotels have a shaver plug in the bathroom , with a US-style outlet and US-style 110 volt-or-so voltage. However, not every hotel will have these, and they’re very rare in hostels and Airbnbs. If you need one, best to call ahead and see if your hotel has them. Or use disposables on your trip.

It’s worth noting again for clarity, USB is USB, so if you’re just plugging in a USB cable , unless something is horribly wrong, one USB port’s voltage is the same as any other USB port’s voltage. How fast that port will charge your gear will vary (that’s related to amperage), but unless the charger is faulty, a USB port shouldn’t damage your gear.

We considered many more adapters than those listed here. However, the majority of travel adapters available boil down to just a dozen or so designs sold by myriad companies. We’ve listed two representatives of each of the most common designs, but in most cases, many more exist. Chances are, if it looks similar and has similar specs, it’s probably the same inside.

Universal travel adapters

Askali, Unidapt , others: Only 3.4 amps maximum output, which means it’ll take longer to charge all of your devices.

Bluegogo  (currently unavailable): Only two USB and slower-charging than our picks.

Bonaker: Formerly our runner-up pick, this travel adapter had the usual mix of four plug types to cover you in most countries, but its four USB-A ports were slower than our top pick’s, and it had no USB-C port at all. It’s also since disappeared from Amazon.

Bonazza , Urbo , others: Feels flimsy, even compared with others here. Two-piece design is more cumbersome than helpful. Only 3.4 amps maximum output.

Ceptics Travel Power Strip : The Travel Power Strip combines the interchangeable-plug aspect of the Ceptics Plug Adapter Set with a two-outlet power strip and short extension cord. It also has USB-A and USB-C outputs. If you have multiple non-USB items you want to charge at once—a laptop and a camera charger, for instance—this is a good option. But we think most travelers will prefer the more portable brick design of our picks over this power strip.

Conair Travel Smart : It has only one USB port, with a maximum of 1 amp, but with three outlets, it’s one of the few travel adapters that lets you plug in multiple non-USB devices.

Monoprice Compact Cube Universal Travel Adapter : I own one of these, and it’s fine, but if you’re going the universal route, our picks have USB charging for just a few dollars more. If you don’t need USB charging, our plug-adapter picks are probably better choices. Insten is a similar product but with, apparently, surge suppression built in. But as there’s no way to change the fuse, this is likely one-and-done if you plug in something too powerful.

Mu One (currently unavailable): The Mu offered a much higher power output than other travel adapters: 45 watts, enough to quickly charge even a big-battery device such as a MacBook Air. However, after trying and failing to launch a Mu Two in 2020, the company went out of business. The name and remaining assets were bought by a company called Discovery Club, which seems to be selling off the inventory.

Ougrand (green) : Same shape as the Unidapt, but with a USB-C in place of one of the regular USB connections; 3.4 amp max total.

Huanuo  (currently unavailable): A bit bulky, with three regular USB ports and one USB-C; 3.4 amps maximum.

WGGE , Jollyfit : Only 2.4 amps max, less than either of our picks.

Plug adapters

Bestek Grounded Universal Worldwide Plug : Likely made in the same factory as the Ceptics White plugs, the Bestek set looks the same and is roughly the same price. It offers a wide variety of plug types, but lacks the Type C Europlug that’s common in most adapter sets and usable across most of Europe. (The Europlug was invented to fit into a wide range of European outlet types.) If our Ceptics White pick is sold out, these will also work.

Lewis N. Clark Adapter Plug Kit  (currently unavailable): This kit looks fine, but it is more expensive and has one less plug compared with our Ceptics pick.

Insignia Global Travel Adapter Kit  (currently unavailable): The Insignia has a clever interlocking and compact design, akin to that of the old Flight 001 universal adapter (Flight 001, the specialty travel-gear retailer, is now no longer operating in the US), and the individual plugs feel solid. However, it is expensive compared with our picks, and it doesn’t offer anything that you couldn’t do with our picks just by connecting them end to end (if you wanted to).

This article was edited by Ria Misra and Christine Ryan.

Meet your guide

Geoffrey Morrison

Geoffrey Morrison is Wirecutter’s former AV editor, current editor-at-large, and a travel writer and photographer. He covers action cameras, gimbals, travel backpacks, and other gear. He has been to all 50 states and 60 countries, and he is the author of Budget Travel for Dummies and the sci-fi novel Undersea .

Further reading

The Best Travel Power Strips and Surge Protectors With USB Charging

by Sarah Witman

The best power strip for travel in North America is the easily packable Tripp Lite Protect It 3-Outlet Surge Protector —our top pick for eight years running.

The Best Gear for Travel

by Wirecutter Staff

We put in another year and tens of thousands more miles of travel to test the best travel gear—and we stand by last year’s choices alongside a few new picks.

The Gadgets We Bring on Every Trip

by Haley Perry

You don't have to be a digital nomad to travel like one. Here are a few gadgets and accessories to make travel as painless as possible.

The Best USB-C Cables and Adapters

While Cable Matters’s USB-C to USB-C Charging Cable is our favorite USB-C option, we also have recommendations for almost every need you could imagine.

About the Apple World Travel Adapter Kit

You can use the Apple World Travel Adapter Kit to charge your Apple products when you travel to different countries or regions.

Use the Apple World Travel Adapter Kit

To charge your device, attach the correct AC plug adapter to your device's power supply. The Apple World Travel Adapter Kit works with any Apple USB, USB-C, or MagSafe power adapter that has a removable AC wall adapter (also known as a duckhead).

Just slide the duckhead off, then attach the adapter for your country or region.

Learn where you can use each adapter

The kit includes seven adapters. Most adapters also have a label with a three-character code that shows countries and regions where you can use it. You might be able to use some adapters in more countries and regions than what's listed. *

Here's how to identify your adapter:

Australia and New Zealand (AUS)

Description: Flat, angled blades

China mainland (CHN)

Description: Flat, parallel blades without holes

Japan and North America (USA)

Description: Flat, parallel blades with holes

Korea (KOR)

Description: Round, thick pins

Brazil (BRA)

Description: Round, thin pins

Continental Europe (EUR)


Description: Slightly angled, round, thin pins

Hong Kong, Qatar, Republic of Ireland,

Singapore, and the United Kingdom (GBR)

Description: Three-prong blades

The country or region that you're visiting might state that its electrical power is within the supported range for the device you're using, but make sure that the quality of the electrical power is up to specifications. Electrical spikes and brown-outs can damage electrical equipment.

To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then   View saved stories .

• Backchannel
• Newsletters
• WIRED Insider
• WIRED Consulting

Matt Jancer

The Best Travel Accessories to Make Your Trip Easier

If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more . Please also consider subscribing to WIRED

Charge Ahead Nimble Champ (Series 2) Read more

Charge Everything at Once Mophie 3-in-1 Travel Charger With MagSafe Read more

Learn to Adapt Ceptics World International Travel Plug Adapter Read more

Tag, You’re It Artovida Neoprene Luggage Tag Read more

Travel isn’t always as luxurious as the brochures make it seem. Sure, the destination may be intoxicatingly gorgeous, but the journey to get there is often one of cramped seats and uninterrupted noise. Traveling can be a gauntlet to be endured or, if you equip yourself properly beforehand, a mere speed bump to glide over. From travel pillows and noise-canceling headphones to luggage trackers, it turns out you actually can purchase peace of mind. These are the best travel accessories after years of traveling and testing.

Don't forget to check out our Best Travel Bags and Best Travel Adapters guides for more recommendations.

Special offer for Gear readers: Get WIRED for just $5 ($25 off) . This includes unlimited access to WIRED. com , full Gear coverage, and subscriber-only newsletters. Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.

Charge Ahead

Don't count on always finding an outlet. You never know when the café or airport you’re in will be outlet-deficient, and it's almost a running joke at this point at how often the airliners' onboard outlets are broken. The Nimble Champ Series 2 is our top recommendation in our Best Portable Chargers guide because of the company's environmentally friendly efforts in its manufacturing and packaging . Its light at 6.2 ounces, and we recommend the medium-size 10,000-mAh option, which can recharge a smartphone several times. There's a smaller version and a larger one too.

Charge Everything at Once

For the Apple devotee who travels complete with an iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods, consider picking up this 3-in-1 charger that can top off the juice in all three of your devices at the same time. No more prioritizing which one of your devices gets the precious outlet. No wonder WIRED senior reviews editor Julian Chokkattu raved about it in our Best Apple 3-in-1 Chargers guide . It comes with a felt pouch, plus a charging adapter and cable. There are three pads, one with a grooved spot for holding AirPods, one magnetic pad for MagSafe iPhones, and another for the Apple Watch.

Learn to Adapt

When I'm traveling, there are never enough power outlets. WIRED reviewer Simon Hill gave this model top marks in his Best Travel Adapters guide because of how securely plugs stick into this outlet. It has enough built-in outlet styles to charge devices in 200 countries. It also offers three USB-A ports, which deliver a maximum charging rate of 15.5 watts, and two USB-C ports, which deliver up to 18 watts through one PD and one QC 3.0 port. That's enough to juice up iPads and smartphones, but stick to the outlet for your laptop.

Tag, You’re It

Any little thing that makes a bag stand out from the acres of look-alikes on the baggage carousel, the better. These come in a snazzy rotating collection of designs by select artists, and they attach surprisingly securely by slipping the larger end through the hole after looping it around a baggage handle. Even after tens of thousands of airline miles, mine have held up without wear or tear. Call me paranoid, but you should have two luggage tags, in case one gets torn off. Good thing these come in a two-pack.

David Nield

Adrienne So

Reece Rogers

Keeping Track

We have mixed thoughts on AirTags, but if you have an iPhone, they are among the best ways to keep a digital eye on your bags. These trackers utilize the sheer number of iPhones and Apple devices out there to regularly report their location back to your device. Even if you don't plan on checking your bag, you might end up having to gate-check it on crowded flights. Drop an AirTag into an interior pocket to make sure you and your luggage are reunited at your destination.

AirTags don't work with Android devices, so if you use an Android phone , our recommendation is the Chipolo One ($25) . We have more details about it in our Best Trackers guide , but the setup is simple, and you can even get alerts if you leave the house without it.

Catch Some Z’s

I've never been one to fall asleep on a plane. It's not that the audience bothers me—I'll never see these people again—but rather that it’s impossible to fall asleep in a near-vertical seat. The Travelrest ( 9/10, WIRED Recommends ) is the ultimate neck pillow because it remedied this problem. Thanks to its high, contoured sides and a flat back that keeps it square against the seat, I can reliably nod off on any flight. The Travelrest easily beats those rounded, doughnut-shaped neck pillows for comfort and support.

To Safeguard Your Electronics

Some countries have less reliable electrical infrastructure, and you never know how well-wired that discount hotel's outlets are. Protect your device from getting fried with this compact, one-outlet surge protector. It has a lifetime warranty and $5,000 of coverage if your device is damaged from a power surge while using it. I haven't had to test that aspect of it, but the two USB-A ports are convenient when I've had to charge earbuds, battery banks, and other accessories.

A Better Pillow

Hotel pillows tend to have all the firmness and support of a wet roll of toilet paper that's been stomped on for 30 minutes. That tends to mean that vacation memories are accompanied by a stiff neck. Side sleepers like me need a firm yet poofy pillow. I've caught more good nights of sleep on this Therm-a-Rest than I can count. It rolls up into an integrated pouch, and a cinch compresses it into the size of a large water bottle for storage.

Tip the Scales

A scale is handy to have when you're packing a heavy bag for an upcoming trip. Avoid those enormous surcharges and make sure your bag is under the airlines’ weight limits before you arrive at the check-in counter. International airlines are sticklers for carry-on weight, and even US airlines will be unforgiving about the weight of checked bags. I've used this scale for years, and I prefer the simplicity of not needing any batteries. It's accurate, easy to read the gauge, and the strap is strong enough in the long term to handle some seriously heavy luggage without fraying or breaking.

To Protect Your Laptop

Travel through enough airports without a case and it’s only a matter of time before a bare laptop or tablet picks up nasty scratches and dents. Protect your devices from banging around in the security bins against keys, phones, and belts with this slim laptop sleeve, available for laptops of several common sizes. The water-resistant zippers are smooth and slide easily, and the padded, non-scratch material protected our MacBooks from a few bouts of rough handling by over-eager TSA agents without any exterior damage. Even if you don't normally use one, consider picking one up just for travel. For tablets, check out the Zugu iPad Case for $50 . We have guides for choosing the best laptop backpacks and laptop totes , too.

Mosquito Guard

In much of the world, mosquitoes aren't just pests. They carry life-threatening diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, and Japanese encephalitis. Even in hotel rooms in certain places, you're not safe from them. When I traveled through Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos last year, I brought this mosquito bed net with me. It's large enough for most two-person mattresses, and an elastic rim tucks underneath the mattress so that there are no gaps for critters to sneak through. The World Health Organization says a minimum of 156 holes per square inch are needed to keep mosquitoes out. This model has 500 tiny holes per square inch, making it that much more secure.

A Good Book, or 20

There's nothing like tackling a long ride on a train or plane with a good old book. But if you're a voracious reader or traveling on a long trip, a few books can take up a lot of room in your luggage. The Kindle Paperwhite's glare-resistant E Ink display is less harsh on your eyes than a typical tablet screen, so you can read for a long while before fatigue sets in ( 8/10, WIRED Recommends ). With 8 GB of storage, there's room for thousands of books. You can find more recommendations in our Best Kindles and Best Ebook Readers guides.

Top Up Your Devices

Not all USB cables are made equal. This Cable Matters cord came out on top in our testing (read more in our Best USB Cables guide ), thanks to its ability to handle 100 watts—enough to charge a power-hungry laptop. It also can transfer data at an impressive 40 Gbps. The 6.6-foot cable is an active cable too, which means it has a chip inside to push data further without degradation. It supports DisplayPort Alt Mode (DP Alt Mode), meaning you can use it to connect your laptop to a portable monitor, along with USB Power Delivery (USB-PD) and Programmable Power Supply (PPS), so that certain devices will fast charge through the cable. Seriously, it's the one USB-C cable to rule them all.

Maintain Your Sanity

Anyone who's spent time on public transportation knows that the cacophony of shouting, crying, and other people's loud devices can be maddening when you're stuck in your seat for the next few hours. The Sennheiser Adapt 660 ( 8/10, WIRED Recommends ) are our favorite value noise-canceling headphones . WIRED associate reviews editor Parker Hall says they are comfortable and one of the lightest headphones he's tested. You can count on excellent sound quality for up to 30 hours of usage.

For Compact Peace and Quiet

WIRED reviewer Simon Lucas praised these Bose earbuds as having hands-down the best noise-cancellation. It's the top pick in our Best Wireless Earbuds guide, though they are expensive. He says their “naturalistic, vivid sound” is untouched by any counter-signal or audio evidence that the noise cancellation is working to muffle unwanted background sounds. That means you can enjoy that movie or album without jet engines and passenger chatter disturbing your peace.

Whether you'd like to plug directly into the seatback entertainment system or just don't feel like juggling one more device that needs frequent charging, wired headphones are by no means obsolete. These nabbed the top spot in our Best Wired Headphones guide , thanks to the excellent sound quality of the two 7-mm, full-range dynamic drivers that deliver punchy, finely detailed audio at a reasonable price. WIRED associate reviews editor Parker Hall reports that they're comfortable and secure in his ears, and the detachable cable is braided for durability.

A Nice Travel Sling

You don't want to tote around a heavy bag when you're seeing the sights at your destination. Pack the small version of the Wandrd Roam ( 3 liters ) and you'll have plenty of space for a compact camera, a spare lens, cables, a phone, a wallet, and more. The YKK weather-resistant zippers ensure things will stay dry in the rain. Available in 3, 6, and 9 liters , you can size up if you feel like you want to carry a little bit more on your journey. Read more about it in our Best Camera Bags guide .

An All-Day Stash

Think past the journey to the destination and consider how you'll keep your devices, maps, snacks, and charging accessories handy when you're at your destination. The Tour is our best all-day waist pack and another great mini bag to consider aside from the Wandrd Roam. Thanks to pockets galore, WIRED editor Michael Calore says he can fit a change of clothes and a couple of ready-to-eat meals in there, with room to spare. Two water bottle pockets and a zippered phone pouch maintain the essentials, and when the pack gets too heavy, an included shoulder strap turns it into a sling.

Entertainment is awfully limited if you rely on the seatback video system of an airplane, and its absent on trains, most buses, and some low-cost carriers. If you're feeling particularly active and want something other than a book or movie, delve into any fantasy world of your choosing with the Nintendo Switch OLED ( 8/10, WIRED Recommends ). WIRED reviews editor Julian Chokkattu found the 7-inch OLED screen fantastic and the kickstand much-improved over the old model. It’s stable, secure, easy to pull out, and adjustable to a wide range of angles, and you can get that long gaming session in by propping it on your meal tray, no matter how far back the guy in front of you reclines his seat.

Bring Your Best Friend

More of us are taking our four-legged pals with us on our journeys these days, but the trials of travel are no easier on them than they are on us. WIRED senior reviews editor Julian Chokkattu loves this pet carrier for how stable and soft its base is. He says the straps are thicker than most competing bags, and they stayed on his shoulder securely. You can clip a leash to the built-in carabiner, and there's a small stash pocket for poo bags. The best part is how well-ventilated it is, and there are multiple ways to open the bag and check on your pet. It's compliant with most major airlines’ policies.

Make Yourself Understood

It's tough to learn a new language, especially if it's just for a vacation booked a few months in advance. But you really should know the basics of conversation to be a good guest. WIRED contributor Christopher Null reviewed the Pocketalk Plus Voice Translator ( 7/10, WIRED Review ), which translates conversations between different languages in real time. He praised how reasonably quickly it provided translations, its intuitive interface, and the number of supported languages. This kind of device makes sense only if you're traveling to multiple destinations in a year. Otherwise, you can probably get by with Google Translate.

If you want to work toward learning a new language yourself, check out our Best Language Learning Apps guide .

Connect the Unconnected

Love your wireless earbuds but hate that you can't connect them to the screen embedded in the airplane seat in front of you? The AirFly is a Bluetooth adapter that plugs into a standard headphone jack and connects to your wireless buds. I used the AirFly SE model, and I found no noticeable change in audio quality, at least from a few feet away when I took it on a flight. You get volume control buttons so you don't have to tap on the screen, and a double-tap mutes the audio too. Twelve South claims 20 hours of battery life, and although battery life can differ based on usage, it felt like a pretty accurate estimate in my experience watching movies and listening to music on the plane.

For Chilly Flights and Nights

You can't count on your hotel being as warm as you might like, and don't get me started on how cold they keep airplane cabins. Forget the scratchy blankets they sell on board and bring this lightweight, packable travel blanket if you're prone to the chills. I like how my feet fit in the “leg pockets,” my hands in the hand warmers, and how securely it stays around my neck with the button snap. The zippered pocket was perfectly sized for my AirPod case and for at least a few of those free snacks I felt like saving for later. It's also a great blanket to bring for road trips, in case you plan on sleeping in the car.

Don't Forget the Toothpaste

Consider this alternative to conventional toothpaste, especially if you find yourself butting up against the TSA's 3-1-1 rule . WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano enjoyed these toothpaste tablets while she was running tests for her Best Electric Toothbrushes guide. You just bite down on them and start brushing. You also get bonus points for reducing the amount of plastic waste you'd otherwise generate via toothpaste tubes—the packaging here is all glass bottles and compostable pouches.

Stay Hydrated

Travel, especially air travel, puts you in a bit of a bind when it comes to cutting down on your usage of single-use plastics. While you can't show up at the airport with your own drinks, you can do your part after you've passed through security. In my search for the best travel mugs , this Hydro Flask Coffee Mug came out on top. It's insulated, so it'll keep your coffee warm for longer than any flight. It's narrow enough to fit any cupholder, and no matter how much I banged it around, the tough powder-coated metal showed neither a scratch nor a dent. Unlike many water bottle manufacturers who use lead in their bottle construction , Hydro Flask has been lead-free since 2013.

Get Steamed

Hotels often have an iron and ironing board available, but I find it quicker and easier to steam my clothes. WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano and I both have been using Urpowers for years. For a tiny thing, it's powerful and effective at steaming practically anything in a minute or two. You just need to refill it often; one reservior is enough for one or two garments, at most. If you're going to another state or country for an important event, like a wedding, this is a must-have.

Christopher Null

Julian Chokkattu

Boone Ashworth

WIRED COUPONS

Tax Deadline Promo! Up to 10% off TurboTax

$50 off in-person tax prep when you switch from TurboTax or another tax provider | H&R Block coupon

$25 off your first 3 orders with Exclusive Instacart Promo Code

1st Order: 25% Off DoorDash Promo Code ($15 minimum)

Get $15 Off $75+ using Afterpay - Finish Line Promo Code

Groupon coupon: Extra 25% off sitewide

The best travel adapters in 2024

Power your camera, phone, laptop, and more around the world, using the best travel adapters

If you're travelling abroad, you'll want to charge your devices along the way. But with limited space in your luggage, you won't want  to buy a different travel adapter for each country you visit. Hence the rise of 'universal' travel charger, which promises support you in over 100 countries worldwide. 

We place 'universal' in quotation marks for a reason: there's no such thing as a travel adapter that will work absolutely everywhere. That said, the devices on our list are well-equipped to handle the three major standards of US, UK, and EU plugs, covering the vast majority of global destinations. 

When journeying through Asia, Central or South America, or Africa, though, it's wise to exercise caution and research the specific standards applicable in each region. Bear in mind these standards even vary between cities and regions in the same country, and older buildings may have different sockets to newer ones.

Also note that some devices hailing from countries with high voltage systems, such as the UK with its 240 volts, might necessitate a voltage converter to function seamlessly in regions employing a much lower voltage, such as the standard 120 volts in the US. This concern typically applies more to high-powered devices like hairdryers, though, than to everyday gadgets like phones, tablets, and laptops. For the former, our top pick is the Bestek adapters, which offer voltage conversion capabilities.

With these considerations in mind, read on to discover the finest travel adapters currently gracing the market. We'll explore the nuances that set them apart and the unique features each brings to the table.

1. Epicka Universal Travel Adapter

Specifications, reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

The Epicka Universal is the best travel adapter for most people today. It features four different international plugs that covers more than 150 countries, including the US, UK, EU and Australia. With four USB-A ports, one USB-C port and one AC socket, you can potentially power or charge six devices at once. And it's affordably priced, and relatively light and compact. 

The only downside is that it's not a voltage converter, so if you're a UK traveler wanting to connect high-voltage products such as hair dryers, we recommend the Bestek 200W Worldwide Travel Adapter (number 5 on our list, below).

2. Zendure Passport III 65W

One USB-C port not enough for you? The Zendure Passport III manages to fit in a whopping four, along with a USB-A port and an AC socket. USB-C is becoming more and more widespread nowadays, with even Apple being forced to fit it into future iPhones , so this travel adapter is nothing if not future-proof.

More broadly, it's compatible with outlets in over 200 countries and regions, including USA, UK, Europe, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Asia, the Middle East, and more. It also has a unique self-resetting fuse, so you don't have to fiddle about replacing it if it blows. When it gets two hot, the two pieces of metal inside it simply separate, killing the power. Then, when the temperature drops, this will reverse and you can carry on using it. Clever stuff.

3. Apple World Travel Adapter Kit

If you're an Apple user, then it makes sense to use Apple's own travel adapter kit for your iPhone , iPad and/or MacBook. As you'd expect, it's compatible with (and optimised for) Apple USB-C Power Adapters, MagSafe and MagSafe 2 Power Adapters, 10W and 12W USB Power Adapters, and Portable Power Adapters. Seven AC plugs are included, which fit various power points in places including North America, Japan, China, United Kingdom, continental Europe, Korea, Australia, Hong Kong and Brazil.

4. Bestek Power Adapter Step Down Travel Voltage Converter

5. Bestek 200W Worldwide Travel Adapter

This travel adapter converts the higher voltage used in places like the UK, so that it can be used safely with 110V US appliances.

Most modern electronic devices, such as laptops and phone chargers, are designed to work with different voltages, so you may not need a voltage converter for these types of devices. However, for items with heating elements, such as hair dryers, curling irons, straighteners, kettles and toasters, you probably will. If you are unsure, always consult the manufacturer's instructions or contact the manufacturer directly for advice.

This travel adapter comes with USB ports and three AC outlets, allowing you to charge seven devices simultaneously. You get three international AC adapters for use in over 150 countries. Plus there's a smart power converter feature that automatically detects the fastest charge for your device. 

6. Targus World Power Travel Adapters

A quick glance at the pictures on this page demonstrates that makers of travel adapters aren't particularly imaginative when it comes to product design. But here's a notable exception. This small tube shape holds three interchangeable adapters, for UK, Europe and North America, made from high impact, durable, VO rated polycarbonate plastic. Measuring a compact 5.6 x 3 x 7.6 inches, it's perfect for slipping into a small bag, and it weighs just 140g. Note, though, there are no USB ports.

7. Apark Universal Plug Travel Adapter

The Apark Universal Plug Travel Adapter takes a more conventional approach to design than the Targus above. But it's also very compact, at just 7.6 x 3.8 x 4.8cm, and even lighter, at just 100g. There are two USB-A ports, too, and this adapter is very reasonably priced. On the downside, there are no USB-C ports, and this isn't a voltage converter. It is very cheap, though.

8. Hyleton Worldwide Travel Adapter

The Hyleton Worldwide Adapter offers four USB-A ports, one USB-C port and an AC plug so you can charge multiple devices at once. You also get four international plugs for use in over 150 countries, including the US, UK, EU and Australia. Otherwise, there's nothing very special about this adapter, but at this low price, it does offer very good value.

9. Skross World To South Africa Travel Adapter

Heading to South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland or Zimbabwe? Then you'll need to have an adapter that fits the Type M socket in use in these southern African counties. And unfortunately most so-called 'Universal' or 'Worldwide' travel adapters don't. 

As the name suggests, the Skross World To South Africa Travel Adapter does, and it's very lightweight and affordable. It works in over 220 countries in total, and it splits into two parts, so you can keep the Europe plug separate from the adapters for the rest of the world. Be aware, though, that there are no USB ports and it's not a voltage converter.

Note that Type M sockets are also found in many other countries, from Israel to Singapore: you can find a full list here .

10. Newvanga International Universal All in One Worldwide Travel Adapter

Looking for something cheap and simple, that just does the job? Then you'll love the low price of this Newvanga travel adapter. It's made of heat resistant ABS and safety shutters to protect your devices, features both a USB-C and USB-A port, and boasts a Smart IC Chip for intelligent, safe and fast charging. This adapter is compatible with 12 different types of plug, from Type A to Type K, and fits iPhones, cellphones, iPad, tablets, laptops , hair straighteners, electric toothbrushes and more. 

Best travel cameras Best travel tripods Best power strips

Get the Digital Camera World Newsletter

The best camera deals, reviews, product advice, and unmissable photography news, direct to your inbox!

Tom May is a freelance writer and editor specializing in art, photography, design and travel. He has been editor of Professional Photography magazine, associate editor at Creative Bloq , and deputy editor at net magazine. He has also worked for a wide range of mainstream titles including The Sun, Radio Times, NME, T3, Heat, Company and Bella.

Related articles

• facebook-spy
• twitter-spy
• pinterest-spy

Never Leave the Country Without the Best Travel Adapter

• Share This Article

Before taking your next big trip overseas, you must ensure you have a top-of-the-line travel adapter. (And that your passport is up to date!) That’s because each major region uses a different jack to plug devices into outlets. Without a travel adapter, you won’t be able to charge any of the devices you bring. And being able to charge a camera battery or a phone could be the difference that makes a good trip great (or keeps a lousy trip from getting worse).

But before we get into our list of the best travel adapters below, there’s one more thing to know about traveling and charging in another country: Most travel adapters will not adjust the voltage coming from the outlet. That matters because the wrong voltage could damage your devices. That means it’s critical to double-check the expected voltage in a given place before jet setting off into the sunset.

In North America and Central America, outlets typically provide about 110-120 volts, while in Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa, outlets typically put out around 220-240 volts. Thankfully, modern hotels, used to accommodating American travelers, will frequently have places you can charge up (if the outlets in your room aren’t American themselves). Also, most computer chargers can adapt voltage, thanks to that chunky brick part on every computer charger cable.

You’ll likely be OK with only a travel adapter, but the more far-flung you get and the less formal your accommodations become, the more likely you’ll need a converter in addition to an adapter. But don’t sweat it, we’ve included some excellent adapter-converter options too.

Related Stories

The traveler’s choice luggage set is under $160 for amazon’s big spring sale, there’s a great groupon deal for every kind of spring break.

Now that you’re armed with the basics of charging and traveling check out a few great travel adapters below.

Read More: A Travel Laundry Bag Helps Manage Dirty Clothes Away From Home

1. EPICKA Universal Travel Adapter

BEST OVERALL

The EPICKA Universal Travel Adapter has everything you want and more in a universal adapter. It has different plugs for every outlet and a female jack for any plug. That means you can put any plug into the adapter and adapt it to any outlet, whether you’re an American in Australia or a European in the U.K. It also features four USB ports and 1 USB Type C port, so you can charge six devices simultaneously.

It also comes with a bevy of safety features, including overload protection. Alas, it doesn’t convert voltage, but as we said, most travel adapters don’t do that.

EPICKA Universal Travel Adapter

$19.99 $24.99 20% off, 2. joomfeen travel adapter.

HONORABLE MENTION

We like the JOOMFEEN Travel Adapter because it’s simple and cheap. If you don’t plan on charging six things at once, there’s no reason to spend money like you are. With three charging ports, including an AC outlet and two USB charging ports, you should easily be able to charge up any necessary devices. It also has some fuse protection and additional safety features, making it a pretty solid adapter with a more trustworthy cheap price because it’s less complicated.

JOOMFEEN Travel Adapter

$11.99 $12.99 8% off, 3. easton inc voltage converter and universal travel adapter.

BEST ADAPTER-CONVERTER

If you want to be extra safe when traveling, pick up a travel adapter/converter like the Easton Inc Voltage Converter and Universal Travel Adapter. You plug the converter into the wall using the included adapters, and voila, you can now safely use heavier-duty items through the three AC ports or the USB and USB-C jacks. It’s fairly compact for handling converting, and the many plugs mean you can plug in once and never have to worry about getting the proper charge during your trip.

Easton Inc Voltage Converter and Universal Travel Adapter

4. hyted travel adapter and converter combo.

MOST COMPACT ADAPTER-CONVERTER

For a converter closer to the size of simple travel adapters, the HYTED Travel Adapter and Converter Combo is as pared down as it gets. That does include some tradeoffs, such as the capability only to accept American-style plugs. But it can be flicked between plain adapting or adapting + converting, so it can safely handle smaller and larger devices. So if you need a converter but only anticipate needing a single plug, go for the HYTED adapter. It won’t let you down or weigh you down.

HYTED Travel Adapter and Converter Combo

5. protege all in one adapter.

MOST VERSATILE

This all-in-one adaptor with a USB port is one of the most versatile travel adaptors, offering great value and a travel-friendly compact option since it combines four of the most common adapter plug configurations in one. Safely charge up to four tablets and smartphones with this multifunctional adaptor, whether at home or overseas.

Protege All in One Adapter

6. apple world travel adapter set.

BEST FOR APPLE PRODUCTS

If you own all Apple everything, you’ll appreciate this World Travel Adapter Kit, which will charge your devices around the world without hassles. With seven AC plugs with prongs that fit different outlets worldwide, these products will directly support outlets everywhere from Japan to Europe. Although it can’t power non-Apple products, one buyer says, “This is one of the things you need for sure if you’re a MacBook user. Definitely useful!”

Apple World Travel Adapter Set

7. ceptics world power plug adapter set.

BEST ADAPTOR SET

Ceptics World Power Plug Adapter Set

8. flight 001 5-in-1 adapter.

MOST PRACTICAL

Even the best travel adaptors can sometimes be confusing, which is why this color-coded 5-in-1 adaptor is the ultimate travel hack. The color-blocking allows you to differentiate adaptors easily, and the box displays a list of colors on the side of the box with corresponding countries. Plus, they all connect, making for a compact solution that takes up minimal space. The most user-friendly adaptor on the market.

FLIGHT 001 5-In-1 Adapter.jpg

9. twelve south plugbug duo adapter/charger.

BEST FOR MACBOOK OWNERS

Keeping that MacBook powered can be essential. The PlugBug Duo snaps onto a MacBook adaptor and allows you to charge three devices using just one socket. It also powers two additional USB-powered devices, including the iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. With five of the most popular AC plugs included, the PlugBug helps you ”skinny down the travel kit,” as one reviewer puts it.

10. RapidX Wireless Phone Pods & Adapter

BEST SPLURGE

Although its price tag is a little higher, this is one of the best travel adaptors that uses magnetic technology to charge up to two phones. Just place your devices on the pods, which connect. You can connect up to five pods, and it only uses a single cable. Each pod contains a USB-C and charging indicator that lets you know when your device is good to go.

RapidX Wireless Phone Pods & Adapter

$25.00 $29.90 16% off, 11. dandelion travel adapter.

MOST STYLISH PICK

Although most travel adaptors get the job done, many look like an ugly brick. This gold and white one is a bit more polished than many options. It charges up to three devices at once, and there are no fragile slider knobs or minuscule levers — just rotate the face, and the plug prongs will switch. Arrives in an equally stylish pouch.

Dandelion Travel Adapter

Add an Extra Layer of Security With a Portable Door Lock

Jake Cappuccino

Jake Cappuccino is a writer specializing in men's lifestyle, grooming, style, gear and trending products.

Naima Karp covers sex, cannabis and sleep. She also writes about home goods and other e-commerce topics. In addition to her work for SPY, Naima has worked as a product reviewer for Variety, and…

Newsletters

Sign up for SPY news straight to your inbox every day

Most Popular

Jodie foster pulled robert downey jr. aside on their 1995 film set and told him: 'i’m scared of what happens to you next' because of addiction, the wait is over: billie eilish announces new album 'hit me hard and soft', irs letter an 'indictment' of nil collectives’ exempt status, you might also like, pj harvey shares demo for ‘eugene alone,’ song she co-wrote for new play ‘london tide’, cannes film festival reveals lineup: coppola, cronenberg, lanthimos, schrader and donald trump portrait ‘the apprentice’ in competition, jake from state farm prepares for his own wnba draft moment, another new york hedge funder is moving to florida, shoppers found a $12 garlic shampoo for hair loss: ‘stops hair thinning immediately’.

Copyright © 2024 Penske Business Media, LLC. All Rights reserved.

The 10 Best Travel Adapters of 2024

Essential packing for any international traveler

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more .

TripSavvy / Chloe Jeong

Travel overseas comes with its share of logistical challenges. Charging your devices in Greece or Sweden shouldn't be one of them. Travel adapters allow an electronic device from one country to plug into a differently shaped outlet. For example, U.S. wall outlets require a plug with two flat vertical prongs, while outlets in the U.K. require a plug with a top vertical prong and two bottom horizontal ones. One major heads-up: most adapters do not convert electricity from one voltage to another, which may be a requirement depending on where you're headed.

When selecting products, we considered supported destinations, the number of USB ports, and different price points.

Final Verdict

• What to Look For

Why Trust TripSavvy

Best overall, epicka universal travel adapter.

Packs easily

Quick-charging USB ports

Covers a wide range of countries

Noisy when charging

A travel adapter helps charge your electronic devices on the go, whether you're taking a short trip across the pond or hopping on a worldwide adventure. The Epicka Universal USB Travel Power Adapter offers support for more than 150 countries, including the U.S., Australia, and most of Europe. The universal input design allows a multitude of plug options. The inclusion of four USB-A ports on its front and a USB-C port allows the charging of six devices at a single time. The first set of USB-A ports charge at 2.4 amps, making it ideal for tablets, cameras, and phones for faster charging, while the remaining two ports charge at 2.1 amps, making them better suited for phones only. The adapter's versatility and compact size saved our reviewer from overpacking. Our tester also appreciated the bonus iPhone charger that comes included.

As with many universal adapters, the Epicka is designed with 110-volt devices in mind, so it's not recommended for higher-powered appliances such as hair dryers or flat irons. 

Size: 2.8 x 2 x 2 inches | Weight: 7.2 ounces | Maximum Voltage: 240 volts | USB Ports: 5

Best Budget

Jmfone universal international travel power adapter.

Charges multiple devices at the same time

Small, compact design

Not compatible with high-energy devices

Simple, lightweight, and effective, Jmfone's universal power adapter is ideal for international travel. It covers 160 countries worldwide to support any backpacker's wanderlust. Perfect for phones and laptops, this adapter simultaneously charges up to five devices with its four USB slots and one AC socket. Thanks to the classic one-piece block structure and built-in surge protection, it packs easily and keeps your devices juiced up. We should note that it's not recommended for use with high-power appliances such as hair dryers.

Size: 2 x 2 x 2 inches | Weight: 4.5 ounces | Maximum Voltage: 240 volts | USB Ports: 4

Conair Travel Smart Conair Travel Smart All-In-One Adapter

Fast charging time

Works with dual voltage appliances

Has features to protect devices

Only one USB port

Not compact

For a travel adapter that performs well, can charge more than one device at a time, and is available at a reasonable price, the Conair Travel Smart All-In-One Adapter is a must-have travel accessory. The all-in-one universal adapter has three outlets and one USB port, so you can charge up to four devices simultaneously—making it great for families or those traveling in groups. The adapter has built-in surge protection and works in Africa, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the Caribbean, Europe, Great Britain, the Middle East, and North and South America . 

Size: 7.3 x 5.4 x 2.6 inches | Weight: 5.44 ounces | Maximum Voltage: 240 volts | USB Ports: 1 

Best Converter Combo

Bonazza bonazza all-in-one world travel plug.

Built-in surge protection

Easy to pack

Easy to use

No USB ports

Traveling outside the U.S. with high-powered electronic devices is always a bit tricky as you need to convert the voltage from 220-240 volts to 110-120 volts. Fortunately, there are options like the Bonazza All-in-One Adapter and Converter, which do exactly that, making travel in more than 150 countries much easier. This all-in-one option offers the comfort of knowing you can use higher-powered devices, such as a hair dryer, without risking a blown fuse.

Beyond hair dryers, this adapter/converter combo is suitable for popular items such as iOS devices, laptops, straighteners, and more. For the input itself, the Bonazza only accepts U.S. standard-type plugs, not international varieties. At just 3 inches and 7.2 ounces, it's also an ultra-portable choice. Our reviewer appreciated the compact size and accompanying travel pouch, noting that it "makes it easy to keep the adapter clean." Our tester also found the adapter incredibly simple, a real bonus compared to other devices.

Size: 2.3 x 2.5 x 2.8 inches | Weight: 3.66 ounces | Maximum Voltage: 240 volts | USB Ports: 0

Runner-Up, Best Converter Combo

Bestek travel adapter and converter.

24-month warranty

Charges seven devices simultaneously

Generous cord length

Not compatible with hair appliances

Widely regarded as a great travel adapter, the Bestek Travel Adapter Converter is a superb combination that provides the best of two important worlds. As an all-in-one solution, the Bestek not only offers three separate international travel adapters covering more than 150 countries, but it also doubles as a 220-volt to 110-volt converter for reducing load and avoiding overheating your most precious travel items. TripSavvy Senior Editorial Director Laura Ratliff states, "Bestek's converter is a must-have when traveling abroad in hotel rooms with minimal outlets."

Capable of charging multiple devices at once, the Bestek adds four USB charging ports for a combined total of 6A output, plus three AC ports. The travel-ready design includes a bag for easy storage and a 5-foot power cable.

Size: 6 x 3 x 1.57 inches | Weight: 1.2 pounds | Maximum Voltage: 240 volts | USB Ports: 4

Best Universal

Ceptics international travel adapter.

Surge protection

Travel-friendly size

Does not convert voltage

When it comes to must-have products while traveling internationally, few items are more important than a universal travel adapter. Supporting worldwide charging in more than 150 countries, the Ceptics Travel Adapter is designed to work with almost any input plug configuration. It can charge as many as five devices simultaneously but works best with tablets, phones, and laptops. The four charging ports—two of which are 2.4 amps and two of which are 2.1 amps—are capable of working with nearly any USB-A device, including Android and iOS, as well as tablets, MP3 players, digital cameras, GPS, and more.

Size: 3 x 2.1 x 2.5 inches | Weight: 5.6 ounces | Maximum Voltage: 240 volts | USB Ports: 4

Most Portable

Targus travel adapter.

Cylindrical design

Worldwide voltage compatibility

This uniquely shaped power adapter from Targus allows you to connect to a wall outlet in North America, the U.K., Europe, Australia, and the Pacific region of Asia. The tube shape holds three interchangeable adapters for AC power cords. About the size of a pepper grinder, it stores easily in a carry-on or duffel bag . Durable polycarbonate plastic material ensures that this model can take all the packing/unpacking, bag dropping, and shoving that accompanies international travel. Note that you won't find any USB ports on this adapter.

Size: 5.6 x 3 x 7.6 inches | Weight: 5.1 ounces | Maximum Voltage: 250 volts | USB Ports: 0

Best User-Friendly

Flight 001 5-in-1 adapter.

Fun, visual organization

Some reviews mention durability issues

Color-coded and lightweight, the Flight 001 travel adapter is as functional as it is attractive. It breaks into four different adapters, separated by bright colors, so you can easily tell which adapter to use in which country you're in. Even more, each universal adapter corresponds to plugs for the U.S., the E.U., the U.K., and Australia and can work in over 150 different countries. The pieces conveniently attach like a cube, with two USB ports capable of charging tablets, cameras, and more.

Size: 4.06 x 2.52 x 2.05 inches | Weight: 6.7 ounces | Maximum Voltage: 240 volts | USB Ports: 2 

Best Compact

Oneadaptr world adapter.

Tested security

Compact and functional

If you want to save on space without sacrificing function, this device is for you. Another classic one-piece adapter, the One World PD sets itself apart by offering fully grounded connections for each plug type to protect against the risk of shock. The sliding toggle controls the North American, the U.K., and Australia/China plugs, while a smaller European plug pops out. It also has three USB-A ports and one USB-C to put out 18 watts. An over-current protection system will automatically shut off any abnormal usage detected. A BS8546 certification guarantees the highest protection. This small but mighty adapter is perfect for phones, tablets, and laptops (which charge best using the AC power adapter).

Size: 2.15 x 2.72 x 2.64 inches | Weight: 6.3 ounces | Maximum Voltage: 240 volts | USB Ports: 3

Best for Apple Users

Apple travel adapter kit.

Built to last

Reduces overall tech load

Trusted company

Not a standalone option

Most of us have strong opinions about our tech gear, especially when it comes to an iconic brand like Apple. If you are a supporter and own several of their products or even just a MacBook, this is a great complementary set of adapters. These plugs use the Apple power adapter brick as a base, so you'll need to have that already for this kit. It contains seven AC plugs with laser-etched labels for quick identification and covers many tourist destinations including Japan, Australia, Europe, Korea, Brazil, and more. As with any brand, there is peace of mind knowing that the accessories come from the same manufacturer for smooth and secure functioning. And, we appreciate that the price range fits right in with the other picks on our list.

Size: 5.3 x 5.3 x 1.9 inches | Weight: 11.2 ounces | Maximum Voltage: 240 volts | USB Ports: 1

When international adventure calls, be prepared with the Epicka Universal Travel Adapter . Its universal input design, USB-A, and USB-C ports simultaneously support up to six devices in over 150 countries. For the ultralight backpacker or the occasional jet-setter, the Jmfone Travel Adapter is a smart, budget-friendly choice.

What to Look For in a Travel Adapter

Destination.

If you want to cut down on bulk, go for a streamlined, single-type converter, though it might only work in some regions. On the other hand, universal adapters will be effective no matter where you wind up—so if you’re a frequent jet-setter, this might be the best option.

There are other benefits to choosing a lighter product, depending on the space you'll be staying in once you arrive. "Because some hotels and homes have outlets in the most unusual locations, make sure that the adapter is not too large or heavy to fit into sunken sockets," says Charlie Cotton, head of operations at millennial group travel company FTLO Travel.

Newer converters now come with USB ports, eliminating the need for the USB-to-outlet converter for charging tablets and phones. In most cases, this means that you can charge more than one device at a time, which is handy for families—everyone’s gadgets definitely add up on the road—or those traveling with multiple devices .

Forking over a ton of money for a converter you’ll only use once a year doesn’t make sense, so go for a price that correlates with how often you travel. That said, buying one before you leave for vacation is almost always cheaper than on the ground.

Many countries use a single plug type throughout. To ensure your adapter is compatible, you must identify the plug type used in the country or countries on your itinerary. World Standards shares a map that details plug types for every country.

A universal adapter allows you to take your devices worldwide with one compact adapter that fits a variety of outlets. A plug adapter fits a single country’s outlets.

A plug adapter updates the shape of your device’s plug to fit the outlet in the country you’re traveling to. It doesn’t convert voltage. A voltage converter adapts the electrical voltage from the device to the outlet. This is valuable because American devices sometimes operate at a different voltage than is available in other countries.

Amber Nolan is a travel writer located in Key West with over 10 years of experience in the travel industry. Her work has been published in USA Today, Jetsetter, Cruise Critic, Frommers, and several other travel publications. She is currently covering tourism for the local Key West newspaper, the Blue Paper. In addition to her research, we also sent several of the products to testers for their feedback. 

In researching what to look for when selecting travel adapters, we spoke to three travel experts. Experts we spoke to included:

• Lydia Mansel , outdoor gear writer at Just Packed
• Charlie Cotton , head of operations at millennial group travel company FTLO Travel
• Laura Ratliff , senior editorial director at TripSavvy

The 9 Best Power Adapters for European Travel of 2024

The 10 Best Travel Alarm Clocks of 2024

Foval Power Step-Down Voltage Converter Review

Electrical Outlets That Are Used in Norway

HAOZI Universal Travel Adapter Review

The Best Car Phone Mounts, Tested and Reviewed

Travel Ready AC Power Adapter Review

EPICKA Universal Travel Adapter Review

Bonazza All-in-One Adapter and Converter Review

The 5 Best Waterproof Phone Pouches of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

How to Charge Your Electronic Devices Overseas

The 11 Best Travel Money Belts of 2024

Electricity in Italy - Plugs, Adapters and Converters

The 7 Best Travel Car Seats of 2024

Electricity in Europe - How to Use Power Sockets

The 9 Best UV Umbrellas of 2024

Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

UK Edition Change

• UK Politics
• News Videos
• Paris 2024 Olympics
• Rugby Union
• Sport Videos
• John Rentoul
• Mary Dejevsky
• Andrew Grice
• Sean O’Grady
• Photography
• Theatre & Dance
• Culture Videos
• Food & Drink
• Health & Families
• Royal Family
• Electric Vehicles
• Car Insurance deals
• Lifestyle Videos
• UK Hotel Reviews
• News & Advice
• Simon Calder
• Australia & New Zealand
• South America
• C. America & Caribbean
• Middle East
• Politics Explained
• News Analysis
• Today’s Edition
• Home & Garden
• Broadband deals
• Fashion & Beauty
• Travel & Outdoors
• Sports & Fitness
• Sustainable Living
• Climate Videos
• Solar Panels
• Behind The Headlines
• On The Ground
• Decomplicated
• You Ask The Questions
• Binge Watch
• Travel Smart
• Watch on your TV
• Crosswords & Puzzles
• Most Commented
• Newsletters
• Ask Me Anything
• Virtual Events
• Betting Sites
• Online Casinos
• Wine Offers

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in Please refresh your browser to be logged in

The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. Why trust us?

9 best travel adapters to keep your devices charged on holiday

The last thing you want on that first post-lockdown holiday is to be caught without your phone or camera, article bookmarked.

Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile

Sign up to our free weekly newsletter for insider tips and product reviews from our shopping experts

Sign up for our free indybest email, thanks for signing up to the indybest email.

With travel on the horizon once more, it’s time to start thinking about investing in the accessories no jet-setter should be without, and adapters deserve to be at the very top of that list.

If you’re still relying on the one you picked up at Dubai airport 20 years ago, then it’s time to upgrade – ideally to one with at least one USB port and the ability to help you stay connected in a minimum of 150 countries.

Features to look out for include mechanisms that allow the prongs to slide smoothly into place and slot quickly back in when not in use, and a small LED light that will show you when the power’s on.

One thing you don’t have to worry too much about though is surge protection – these days, the majority of adapters have this built in.

We’ve included a number of travel adapters designed especially for smaller items of tech such as iPhones and iPads , simply because these days many leisure travellers are more likely to carry numerous smaller gadgets, rather than larger items such as laptops .

• 10 best travel backpacks to prepare for that long-awaited trip
• 11 best noise-cancelling headphones to help you focus
• 11 best packing cubes for keeping your suitcase organised

We tested our adapters by using them with a wide range of gadgets, paying careful attention to the way in which interchangeable adapters could be swapped and how securely the prongs stayed in place

We quickly realised the benefit to a number of extras we hadn’t considered before, whether it was dedicated pouches with clearly marked compartments or extra-clear markings indicating which country a certain adapter was most likely to be required in.

You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent .

Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.

OneAdaptr all-in-one world adapter with USB-C & 3 USB charger

You can plug five devices into this all-singing, all-dancing adapter which has three USB ports, a USB C port and the ability to do its thing in 150 countries.  It has brilliant packaging – in this case a book-like box with a magnetic closure that looks and feels far too good to simply be tossed in the bin. For extra points in the packaging department, this adapter also comes with its own colour-coordinated drawstring pouch.

Our favourite feature was the way in which the prongs slid out – unlike other adapters, which required a separate button to be pressed, we simply needed to press and hold the same button that we used to slide out the prongs.

Mophie charge stream global travel kit

This adapter, designed with smart phones in mind, is another product with brilliant packaging – in this case, a sturdy pouch with clearly identifiable sections for the various components, which include a wireless charging station, five interchangeable adapters, a micro-USB cable and a car adapter.

Sadly we didn’t have a phone with wireless charging capability on which to test the wireless charger, but we were still able to charge our phone the traditional way, using the USB port. We loved the ultra-bright LED light that appeared when this adapter was in use, as well as the way in which the different components slotted firmly but quickly into place.

Anker 65W 3-port charger

This is another wonderfully compact adapter designed with phones and USB C-charging laptops in mind, although the tiny size of the different attachments might be a downside for those prone to clumsiness. However, we loved the ease with which they slotted into the body of the main unit, which provides plenty of power.

Two USB-A ports and one USB-C port (the type most Samsung users will be familiar with) offer a total of 65W of output, which can be used to power three devices simultaneously. We loved the sky-blue trim, and the bright blue light offered a welcome alternative to the standard red.

Samsonite worldwide adapter

This is a sturdy, reliable adapter that will keep you connected in 150 countries. The various prongs slide out with satisfying ease, and a two-year warranty will appeal to those prone to slinging their adapters in cramped corners of backpacks and suitcases.

Perhaps we’re nit-picking, but we would have loved to see a flash of colour, and we can’t help but feel £35 is a little steep when it’s easy to find adapters with USB ports (which this one doesn’t have) for much less.

Twelve South plugbug duo

A lot of thought has gone into the design of the Ferrari-red plugbug duo, as well as its packaging. The PlugBug comes tucked into a sturdy cardboard box with cut-out holes for the various components. Designed for use with Apple gadgets such as iPhones, MacBooks and iPads, it has five interchangeable adapters that allow it to be used in 150 countries. MacBooks or iPads can be plugged into the base and there are two USB ports on the side.

Heys universal adapter

This is a compact, top-quality adapter with the ability to charge a wide range of gadgets, and a great price tag – just £24. It’s far from basic, with two USBs, a sleek red trim and a locking action that means the prongs stay put when extended but will easily slide back in when they’re no longer needed.

One aspect that proved unexpectedly useful was the red outline around the holes for the prongs of three-pinned UK plugs – when fumbling around in semi-darkness, this acted as a handy visual guide.

Go Travel worldwide adapter and USB

Go Travel’s adapter errs on the chunky side (it’s surprisingly heavy) but it’s got a thoughtful, top-quality design, with two USB ports and a sturdy locking mechanism that will keep the various prongs in place. A gold star was awarded for the clearly marked wording next to the controls for each set of prongs – it’s all too easy to forget which countries have which sockets.

There are two USB ports and we appreciated the positioning of the LED light that appears when it’s plugged in – the light is on the bottom, so you’ll be able to quickly tell whether it’s turned on if you know where to look but its position means it’s unlikely to keep you awake if you’re easily disturbed.

Herschel travel adapter

A stylish adapter contained in a zip lock-style (but inevitably landfill-destined) plastic bag, Herschel’s contribution to connectivity will appeal to style-conscious jetsetters. It’s got a sleek pared-back look and the casing has a rubberised feel which offers a welcome alternative to cold, hard plastic.

There are two USB ports on the side and the design is slightly different to most adapters, with the prongs positioned in a way which means you’ll need to rotate the adapter depending on which set you’re using. Our one gripe was that the sliding controls erred on the stiff side and more than once we had to prise out the prongs manually.

Flight 001 5-in-1 universal travel adapter

Why can’t all adapters look like this? A colourful, Lego-like stack of interchangeable adapters that slot easily in and out, the flight 001 5-in-1 universal travel adapter has two USBs and comes in a neat, sturdy box that doubles as the perfect carrying case.

Although this is an adapter made up of multiple parts, rather than internal, fixed prongs that simply slide in and out, the ease with which the pieces slot together – and the clever use of colour – means the likelihood of any part being left behind is slim to none.

The verdict: Travel adapters

The brilliant and stylish OneAdaptr all-in-on world adapter is proof that an adapter really can serve multiple purposes without making any sacrifices in the quality department.

However, the Mophie charge stream global travel kit is one of the best travel adapters designed with smart phones in mind and the Anker 65W 3-port charger is a stylish, compact adapter that is ideal for families.

Make travelling light work with one of these travel wallets to keep all your holiday documents organised and safe

New to The Independent?

Or if you would prefer:

Want an ad-free experience?

Hi {{indy.fullName}}

• My Independent Premium
• Account details
• Help centre

Apple World Travel Adapter Kit

Product Information

The World Travel Adapter Kit includes a set of seven AC plugs with pins that fit different power points around the world, each laser-etched with the regions they are compatible with. For world travellers, this is the perfect kit to ensure power connectivity in most countries you may travel to.

The kit is designed to work with iPod, iPhone, iPad and Mac notebooks. It is compatible with Apple USB-C Power Adapters, MagSafe and MagSafe 2 Power Adapters, 10W and 12W USB Power Adapters, and Portable Power Adapters.

The AC plugs included in the World Travel Adapter Kit directly support power points in North America, Japan, China, United Kingdom, Continental Europe, Korea, Australia, Hong Kong and Brazil.

The best iPhone chargers 2024: top-tier cables, mats and blocks for your iPhone

These are the best iPhone chargers, blocks and cables in 2024

• Best iPhone chargers
• Best USB-C charging cables
• Best Lightning charging cables
• Best wireless chargers
• Our iPhone charger advice

The best iPhone chargers are neccessary investment if you're often caught with little to no battery life. These helpful bits of kit will juice up your pocket companion in no time at all, and in this guide, we've sifted through the best available options in 2024. 

In the olden days, every iPhone came with a 5W charger, but in 2024, even the very best iPhones – from the iPhone 15 Pro Max to the iPhone SE (2022) – ship without one. What's more, if you do still have an old 5W charger, these power packs don't support fast charging – and that's where time-saving 20W chargers come in. iPhones also use different charging standards to many Android phones, so strong PD (Power Delivery) measurements are worth looking out for.

We've divided this roundup into sections to help you further. First, there's chargers and charging blocks, then charging cables, with wireless charging pads and car chargers rounding out our selection. For other charging needs, our guides to the best wireless chargers and best power banks may help, too.

Do bear in mind that every phone in  Apple 's new  iPhone 15  series – that's the standard iPhone,  iPhone 15 Plus ,  iPhone 15 Pro  and  iPhone 15 Pro Max  – has USB-C connectivity (rather than Lightning), so we've split the aforementioned charging cables section into two parts accordingly.

The best iPhone chargers 2024

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

The best iPhone chargers and charging blocks

1. Apple 20W USB-C Power Adapter

Specifications, reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

The charger that Apple recommends for your iPhone 12 or above is also the one you'll wish came bundled with your not-exactly-cheap purchase. 

At 20W, it's a fast charger, so it's a worthwhile investment compared to simply using the charging cable, but you'll likely begrudge the fact you need to pay the extra, especially since, in the scheme of smartphone charging, 20W isn’t all that fast (though it’s about as much as an iPhone can support).

Still, if you're going to buy one, at least you know you'll get a quality product. It has that clean minimalist design that works so well for Apple devices, and it's incredibly simple to use, making it easily one of the best iPhone chargers. Obviously, don't expect it to come with a spare charging cable (that would be far too much like good value!).

2. Apple 18W USB-C Power Adapter

Apple recommends this charger for the iPad Pro and iPhone 8 or later, all of which support fast charging. It's frustrating Apple doesn't provide this fast charger with the any of its phones anymore.

But if you’re a heavy iPhone user, it’s a worthwhile investment. The difference between the 18W charger and the ancient 5W one is dramatic: with the former you can get about 50% charge from flat in half an hour, but the latter takes much longer. It's worth noting you won't get a cable with this charger though. Sigh.

This also obviously isn’t quite as powerful as Apple’s 20W charger, but the difference is negligible, and if your device can’t make the most of 20W then this is a safe bet – if an inevitably overpriced one, coming from Apple as it does.

3. Anker PowerPort Speed Plus Duo

If you can’t bear giving more money to Apple for the charger that should have come with your phone in the first place, be careful what you buy instead: some chargers advertised as fast chargers are only fast for Android devices, not Apple ones. This one, though, is a 42W fast charger that works with all iPhones and fast charges iPhone 8s onwards.

It’s half the price of the Apple one and has one high-speed USB-C for fast charging and a second USB-A for other devices. Cables aren’t included. We’ve used many Anker chargers over the years now, and we’ve found them to be consistently reliable.

Given the high power here it’s a great bet for if you have other devices that support fast charging (including those that support higher power charging that any iPhone). It’s potentially more future-proofed for Apple devices too, since in future we might see faster charging iPhones that can take full advantage of a 42W charger.

4. Anker PowerPort Atom III

If you want to charge your laptop as well as your iPhone, this is one of the best iPhone chargers for you. It comes in two models, a single-port one and one with a second USB-A port.

The PowerPort Atom III has 60W of power and can charge pretty much anything that you can connect to its USB-C port. At 60W, it still can’t charge some devices (such as certain Android phones) at top speeds, so consider that if you plan to use this with devices other than your iPhone, but it’s certainly one of the fastest chargers that also powers up Apple gadgets quickly.

On the flipside, if all you want to do is charge your iPhone, then this thing is overkill, and you can potentially get a cheaper charger that will do the job just as well. So, consider what you need before buying.

5. TeckNet 30W PD USB Charger

Most of us live in households where there’s more than one kind of device to charge. That's why this charger from TeckNet is a good solution: it has an 18W USB-C port with Power Delivery for fast charging your iPhone, and it also has two USB-A ports that you can use to charge other devices at the same time.

It’s a fairly bulky charger – don’t expect to be able to hide it behind something in the kitchen – but it’s solid, safe and delivers enough power to recharge even the biggest iPhone at a high speed. Three ports mean it’s a good travel option too.

If you only tend to charge one device at a time then we’d recommend something smaller with fewer ports (and potentially a lower price or higher power), but if you use multiple battery-powered gadgets then this is a great call.

6. TOMMOX PowerCenter 4 75W PD USB Charger

The TOMMOX PowerCenter 4 charger isn't stylish, it’s not incredibly light and it’s not very small. But it is undeniably useful – so much so that, for our money, it ranks among the best iPhone chargers.

It can throw up to 60W of power through its USB-C connector, which is enough to speedily charge a laptop, and its triple USB-A connectors enable you to connect and charge three other devices at the same time. That’s more ports than most chargers give you.

Like its rival chargers, it’s dual voltage, so you can take it with you on holiday to charge your iPhone, your Kindle , your camera, your Apple Watch and anything else that needs topping up. It’s not as elegant as a multi-device wireless charger, but it’s an awful lot cheaper, and it’s one of the most powerful options on this list, so it’s ideal for juicing up devices that support its full wattage.

The best USB-C iPhone charging cables

1. Anker Powerline III USB-C to USB-C Cable

Anker's Powerline III USB-C to USB-C cable is  Amazon 's best-selling USB-C charging cable, and for good reason. It'll charge your iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max at its maximum charging speed (when paired with one of the above charging blocks), and you won't have to fork out a princely sum for the privilege (at the time of writing, the Powerline III retails for $12.99 / £9.99 / AU$19.99).

This 1.8-meter cable isn't braided, which perhaps explains why its price is so agreeable, but Anker has nonetheless adorned the Powerline III with "quadruple bulletproof fiber cores", which allow it to withstand up to 25,000 bends. In other words, this super slim cable will outlast your current iPhone 15 – and likely the iPhone 16 , should you choose to buy one – and you can use it to charge your USB-C-compatible MacBook or iPad to its maximum charging capacity, too.

What's more, thanks to the reverse charging capabilities of the iPhone 15, you’re now able to reverse charge your AirPods using a cable such as this one (check out our guide on how to charge AirPods using an iPhone 15 for the details). That benefit applies to all the USB-C chargers listed in this guide, mind.

2. Amazon Basics USB-C to USB-C 2.0 Fast Charger Cable

If you're looking for a cheap and cheerful iPhone 15 charger, Amazon's entry-level USB-C to USB-C 2.0 Fast Charger is a worthy pick. With its USB-IF certification and 480Mbps speed, it'll reliably charge any USB-C-compatible Apple product, and its 1.8-meter length provides a reasonable level of flexibility (unless your living in a house with huge rooms).

This Amazon Basics cable only supports USB 2.0 data, so you won't be able to use it to connect to SuperSpeed USB 3.1 devices such as external HDD or SSDs, but for an affordable, no-frills charging experience, you can't really go wrong here.

3. Apple USB-C to USB-C Cable

Put simply, with Apple's USC-C to USB-C cable, you're paying for the brand name and some impressive length. For everything else – price, durability, etc. – you'll be better off going for Anker's aforementioned Powerline III USB-C cable, but we know that some people prefer the comfort of pairing their iPhone with an Apple-branded cable, hence why we've included this model here.

A shorter, 1-meter Apple USC-C cable is currently available at Amazon and via Apple itself, but we think, if you're already committed to spending big, you may as well fork out the $34.99 / £29 / $49 price for this 2-meter version, which is more versatile (by virtue of its superior length). If you really want to push the boat out, Apple also has a beautiful-looking braided version of this cable available at Amazon, though the price of that particular model fluctuates more than the price of Bitcoin.

The best Lightning iPhone charging cables

1. Anker Powerline Plus II USB-C to Lightning Cable

The Powerline Plus II cable is exceptionally tough and exceptionally quick, and it may be the last Lightning cable you ever buy. That’s because it’s designed for USB-C connections, which deliver much faster charging than USB-A ones – assuming your charger delivers the right amount of juice, of course.

It works with high-powered chargers, including Apple’s ones, and is lab-tested to withstand 30,000 bends, which means it should last thirty times longer than lesser cables. Anker is so confident that it offers a lifetime warranty: this cable should last much longer than any of your iPhones or iPads.

The Anker Powerline Plus II USB-C to Lightning Cable is not cheap, but given its durability it could end up being better value than other cables, which might need replacing a lot more frequently. So, for savvy buyers this is a strong choice.

2. Anker Powerline USB-C to Lightning Cable

If you’re not fussed about getting a braided cable and want a 1.8 meter one, the original Powerline cables are very good value: you’ll be hard-pressed to find a similar quality USB-C cable of the same length for the same price.

The question here is whether you want the increased strength of the braided Powerline Plus II, which is only a little bit more expensive. Where that one has been lab-tested to survive 30,000 bends, the original Powerline has only been tested to 12,000 bends – although like its sibling it does come with a lifetime warranty.

In short, then, if you plan to use this cable a lot – and don’t want to have to replace it for a long, long time – it’s probably worth spending the extra on the Powerline Plus II, but as a relatively basic, affordable option, this is a strong choice.

3. Amazon Basics DoubleBraided Nylon USB-A to Lightning Cable

This 3-meter cable may be the most useful iPhone charging cable ever made. It’s available in much smaller sizes, but there’s a reason we love the long one. It’s long enough to stretch from a wall socket to the sofa or from your in-car charger to the kids’ iPad in the back seat.

We can’t overstate how useful that actually is, since it means there’s almost no situation where you won’t be able to still use your device while it’s charging. Length isn’t the only good thing here. Nylon braiding means it doesn’t tangle easily, and the sleeves at the joint between the cable and the connector prevent the bending that can lead to dangerous fraying.

The colors range from utilitarian grey to hard-to-lose red and rose gold. Our only niggle is that the Lightning end feels a little looser than Apple’s own cable, especially in our iPad.

4. Apple USB-C to Lightning Cable

Simple in almost every way, the Apple USB-C to Lightning cable is an ideal option if you prefer sticking with the Apple name. It's not as durable as some other options here, with the cable prone to fraying after a lot of use unless you're very careful, but you have the guarantee of compatibility thanks to this being made exclusively for Apple devices. 

The cable works with iPhones, iPads and iPods that have Lightning connectors so it's fairly flexible here. You can also use it with numerous types of USB-C power adapters to gain fast-charging functionality. It's far from an exciting cable with only one color option and little else going on, but it's highly dependable. Of course, coming from Apple you’ll also be paying above the odds for what you get, but in exchange you get the reassurance of a trusted brand.

5. Belkin Triple Pack of 6-inch Charge and Sync Cables

Here’s a handy one for people with gadgets of various vintages: a triple pack of 6-inch charging cables that covers pre-Lightning iPhones, iPads and iPods, plus modern Lightning devices and non-Apple micro USB devices such as Kindles, console controllers and cameras.

We’d argue that the main benefit of buying a triple-pack of good-quality cables from the likes of Belkin instead of a single cable with swappable connectors is that swapping connectors causes wear and tear for the three days you get before losing all of them.

So, this pack can help you charge almost anything, and you’re unlikely to wear them out quickly. If you only have one device, or all your chargeable gadgets use the same connector, then these three cables may not be necessary, but if your house is as full of gadgets as ours then these cables will come in real handy.

6. Belkin Boost Charge USB-C cable

Sometimes, little things make a big difference. At 1.2 meters (4ft) compared to the more common 0.9 meter (3ft), Belkin’s Boost is a little bit longer than the average iPhone charging cable.

That extra foot means it’s a lot more useful: it’s likely to be long enough to reach from the floor socket to the sofa without you having to sit in an awkward position; it’s long enough to reach the bedside table without having to rearrange the furniture; it’s long enough for the passenger in your car, and so on.

It’s a typically high-quality Belkin product, although personally we prefer braided cables to smooth ones as they're less likely to get tangled and damaged. There are of course even longer cables than this available, but they can be overkill, where this strikes a nice balance.

The best iPhone wireless charging pads and car chargers

1. Mophie 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad

With Apple’s AirPower wireless charging pad DOA, where do you go when you want to charge not just your iPhone but your AirPods and your Apple Watch too? Mophie has the answer, and while it’s hardly cheap, it’s compact, stylish, easy to clean and particularly handy for commuters and travelers.

The Mophie 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad will chuck 7.5W of power at your iPhone and works through cases up to 3mm thick. Meanwhile, the Apple Watch connector is housed at an angle that’s ideal for Bedside Mode, and the AirPods charging point doesn’t obscure your view of your Apple Watch’s face.

Unlike standard wireless charging pads you won’t need to buy or provide a separate wall charger, either. So, it’s a very well thought through and complete wireless charging option. If there’s a downside it’s that this isn’t cheap, but it’s certainly still good value for money, and one of the best iPhone chargers overall.

2. MagSafe Duo

If you want a highly stylish wireless charger that also happens to charge both your iPhone and Apple Watch at the same time, the MagSafe Duo looks gorgeous. It's not as fast as some other wireless chargers because it only offers up to 11W when hooked up to a 27W wall adapter (which isn’t included here), however that won't be an issue if your focus is overnight charging.

Where the MagSafe Duo does stand out is in its ability to be folded in half and easily deposited in your pocket for safe keeping. You won't have trouble finding room for this device when it's not in use, and it's ideal for regular travel. 

Just bear in mind that you're paying the Apple premium for good looks and a practical design. Still, as this works well both as a travel charger and a primary one, you won’t have to buy two if you get this.

3. Anker PowerWave Fast Wireless Charging Pad

As with wired fast chargers, wireless chargers don’t work in the same way for iPhones as they do for Android devices. For example, a typical 10W wireless charger will deliver that power to Android but drop to 7.5W or even 5W for an iPhone. That’s because Apple doesn’t currently support 10W wireless charging: it initially supported 5W and upped that to 7.5W, but iOS still currently limits some Qi chargers to 5W.

This Anker wireless charger delivers the current iPhone maximum of 7.5W to recent iPhones, but it’s important to note that it can only do that if it’s connected to a wall charger that’s compatible with Quick Charge 3.0. If not, it isn’t drawing enough power. Note that if you have a MagSafe charger and iPhone you can exceed 7.5W – in that case you can get up to 15W, just not with Qi charging.

4. Belkin PowerHouse Charge Dock

Belkin’s PowerHouse is a simple, effective and reasonably-priced dual charger for iPhone and Apple Watch, and it works with any iPhone that has a Lightning connector. Unlike the Mophie wireless pad there’s no AirPods charger and the iPhone connection is wired, not wireless – but the connector is movable so you shouldn’t have to take your phone out of its case.

The integrated, magnetic Apple Watch charger doesn’t need your charging cable – so you can use your Watch cable somewhere else, for example when you’re traveling or at work. It’s a good quality charger but beware if you have an official Apple leather case: some reviewers say the heat from the charger transfers color from the case to the charger. For everyone else though, the Belkin PowerHouse Charge Dock looks to be a very strong choice of wireless charger, and one of the best iPhone chargers around.

5. Anker Power Drive PD 2-port Type C Car Charger

Many car chargers deliver tiny amounts of power, and that’s a problem if you want to charge something hungry such as an iPad, or if you need to recharge a flat iPhone in a hurry. Anker’s Power Drive PD solves that problem: it’s a 30W charger with a fast USB-C port as well as a USB-A port for older devices and devices that don’t support fast charging.

That means you can charge your iPad while topping up your iPhone, or just recharge something big like your laptop. It’s small, too, so it won’t dominate the dashboard like some other multi-socket chargers do.

This is specifically a car charger, so don’t buy it as an all-purpose solution, but if you need an in-car option then this is one of the best. Just note that you need to unplug it when the engine is turned off, which can be a minor bit of extra hassle.

6. Apple MagSafe Battery Pack

Utilizing the iPhone 12, 13, 14 and 15 line's method of using magnets to perfectly align everything, the MagSafe Battery Pack looks great. Simply attach it to the back of your iPhone and you're good to go. It’s slick, simple, and very Apple. The magnets mean it's firmly attached with the battery pack capable of charging via a 27W or higher charger such as those with a MacBook, or there's the option to use a Lightning cable for up to 15W of wireless charging.

It's expensive for what it is but as is always the way with Apple products, you'll grudgingly realize why. Just don't count on it coming with a power adapter or cable because, of course, it doesn't, so that’s potentially yet another expense you’ll have to factor in if you somehow don’t already have one. Still, cost aside this is one of the best iPhone chargers.

What type of iPhone charger is for you?

How to choose the best iphone charger for you.

Don’t just look at the price. Look at what you want to do now, and what you might want to do next year. For example, an 18W charger will fast charge your iPhone, but it’s not powerful enough to run a MacBook Pro . A more powerful one may be a better option for your future tech arsenal.

It’s also wise to go for USB-C even if you don’t need it right now. That’s the standard for the rest of the mobile market (iPhone 15 included), so USB-C is future-proofed and backwards compatible. Just remember that we mean USB-C plugging into the charger, and Lightning on the other end of the cable to plug into the iPhone (unless you've got an iPhone 15, of course, which uses USB-C on both ends).

The options above are our favorite iPhone charging blocks, iPhone charging cables and wireless iPhone charging pads, so they're a good place to start. We’ve chosen them based on three key criteria: quality, usefulness and value for money. Whether you’re a road warrior or a box set binger, these chargers, cables and pads are the best ways to keep your iPhone powered up.

What's the difference between wireless and wired charging?

Wireless isn’t always as fast, but it’s more convenient. Most wireless iPhone chargers deliver 5W or 7.5W and work through most iPhone cases.

Most standalone charging pads expect you to provide the actual charger brick, and can’t deliver more power than you put into them – so, even if an iPhone wireless charging pad can deliver 7.5W, it can’t do that if you’re plugging it into a charger that only gives it 5W.

What to look for in an iPhone charger

If you're looking for a charging block, power and ports matter. For fast charging (iPhone 8 onwards), you’ll need 18W or more and USB-C, not the older, more common USB-A.

Meanwhile, when choosing a charging cable, durability is key. Nylon braiding reduces tangling; look for reinforcements where the cable meets the connector, as that’s where cables tend to fray.

Finally, if you want a wireless charger, it's worth bearing in mind that many wireless chargers deliver 5W. That's fine for overnight charging, but if you want something faster, a 7.5W option charges faster.

Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox

Get the hottest deals available in your inbox plus news, reviews, opinion, analysis and more from the TechRadar team.

Axel is a London-based Senior Staff Writer at TechRadar, reporting on everything from the latest Apple developments to newest movies as part of the site's daily news output. Having previously written for publications including Esquire and FourFourTwo, Axel is well-versed in the applications of technology beyond the desktop, and his coverage extends from general reporting and analysis to in-depth interviews and opinion. 

Axel studied for a degree in English Literature at the University of Warwick before joining TechRadar in 2020, where he then earned an NCTJ qualification as part of the company’s inaugural digital training scheme. 

• Alex Walker-Todd Senior Phones Editor
• Michelle Rae Uy Contributor

iPhone 15 Pro Max review: the best just got better

Will there still be an iPhone Ultra?

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 may not get the camera upgrade it badly needs

Most Popular

By Barclay Ballard February 28, 2024

By Barclay Ballard February 27, 2024

By Krishi Chowdhary February 26, 2024

By Barclay Ballard February 26, 2024

By Barclay Ballard February 24, 2024

By Barclay Ballard February 23, 2024

By Barclay Ballard February 22, 2024

By Barclay Ballard February 21, 2024

• 2 Firewalla unveils the world's most affordable 10-gigabit smart firewall — ready for next-gen Wi-Fi 7 and high-speed fiber networks, but a price increase is expected soon
• 3 IKEA's affordable new smart LED wall panel is an impressively versatile mood light
• 4 Sorry, but it may be time to give up your Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy S20
• 5 I switched over from Windows to Mac, and these are my three favorite macOS features
• 2 From online racing to real-life car technology: why MOZA is all-in on the race for driving innovations
• 3 Sonic vs rotating toothbrushes: Which is better?
• 4 Dell XPS 14 vs MacBook Pro 14: which is the best option for pros and casual users?
• 5 GAME store employees have been told to expect layoffs as they receive new zero-hours contracts

'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean?

ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.

When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.

ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form .

My favorite USB-C accessory of all time just scored a magnetic upgrade (and it's on sale)

Magnetic breakaway USB-C connector

ZDNET's key takeaways

• This 140W USB-C connector has a MagSafe-like mechanism that makes it more secure and powerful to use than traditional adapters.
• Coming in a pack of 2 for $27, the accessory is a must-have for travelers, tech enthusiasts, and folks who often switch between different cables and ports.
• Just be mindful of where you store the connector, as its smaller size makes it susceptible to being easily lost.

This is possibly one of the best USB-C accessories that I've ever bought and used. While it seems so simple and straightforward, it's saved my USB-C ports from damage countless times, and it's helped prevent laptops from being yanked to the floor by careless individuals (usually me) tripping over the charging cable. 

Also: Is this 6-in-1 keychain charging cable a gimmick or pure genius? I tested it and found out

It's a magnetic breakaway USB-C connector reminiscent of Apple's MagSafe connector that you can fit into all your devices, even MacBooks that don't have it. I use them on everything from power banks to laptops.

And the best thing of all is that it doesn't slow down data transfer or charging.

I know, because I've been busy testing a bunch of them to find you the best and cheapest model.

A magnetic breakaway USB-C connector consists of two parts. One part is the USB-C port that plugs into the device you want to protect -- be that a laptop, smartphone, charger, power bank, or any USB-C port you want to safeguard from damage -- and the other part goes on the end of the cable you're going to use.

Also: The best GaN chargers of 2024: Expert tested

A super-strong neodymium magnet keeps the two parts together when in use until there's a pull on the connector, and then the two parts come apart. The magnets are very strong and pull the two parts together with a very decisive snap.

It's a simple yet brilliant idea! 

Magnetic breakaway USB-C connector tech specs

• Power : Up to 140W
• Data transfer : Up to 40Gb/s
• Video output:  Up to 8K@60Hz
• Connection type : 24-pin
• LED indicator : Yes
• Dustproof : Yes 

Also:  I tested the world's smallest power station, and it's a solar-charging beast

I've used similar breakaway USB-C connectors before, back when Apple removed the MagSafe charging port from the MacBook Pro. But things have come a long way since then: These connectors have been given a revamp, improving the design and the magnet, and bringing them up to date with support for features such as 140W charging.

The magnet on the breakaway connector is strong.

These breakaway connectors come in three different types --  straight , 90° elbow , and right-angle .

Personally, I like the elbow design. It feels like the most versatile and secure. I find that the straight and right-angled connectors do their breakaway thing much easier, resulting in more accidental breakaways.

The magnetic breakaway USB-C connector is perfect for smartphones too.

Still, I'd much prefer to deal with an accidental breakaway than a laptop that's been dragged to the ground.

The connectors feature a handy LED light, so you can tell if a device is charging. I find this to be a really nice touch.

ZDNET's buying advice

And now the good news is that these are cheaper than ever. I remember paying well over $20 for a single connector, but now you can get a 2-pack for around $26 .

They're a simple, yet effective way to prevent ports from being damaged and laptops from being pulled to the floor. A few dollars spent on a couple of these could save you thousands! 

Featured reviews

This anker usb-c power bank solved my biggest problem with portable chargers, and it's under $20 right now, this $20 magsafe charger is better and cheaper than apple's own accessory, iphone 12 is upgraded to qi2 charging - no magsafe needed.

• United Arab Emirates
• Switzerland
• The Netherlands
• Puerto Rico
• United States
• New Zealand
• ➨ Choose from World Map
• Budget Travel
• Family Travel
• Getting Around
• Visas & Passports
• Work with Us

Browsing Category

• Czech Republic
• Saint Martin
• Uncategorized

Moscow Travel Guide: Best Things to Do + More [2023]

· everything to know about visiting moscow, including the best things to do and how to get around. ·.

Moscow is Russia’s vibrant capital city, and it also happens to be the largest city in all of Europe. The city’s long and infamous history makes it one of the most unique places we have ever visited.

The architecture ranges from centuries-old palaces to uniform, gray concrete buildings. The people range from cold and private to warm and welcoming. Moscow is a city is strong juxtapositions, and we learned a lot during our time there.

This post will break down all you need to know about visiting Moscow, including the best things to do, how to get there, how to get around, and more.

The Best Things to Do in Moscow

1. explore the red square.

The Red Square is the heart of Moscow. Most of the city’s top attractions can be found here, including just about everything on this list. The Kremlin, St. Basil’s Cathedral, and Lenin’s Mausoleum are all located here, and the State Historical Museum and GUM are not far from here, either.

The Red Square is a common home for parades, protests, and seasonal celebrations. There are massive Christmas celebrations here, with food vendors and carnival rides set up in numbers.

2. Check Out the Ziferblat

The Ziferblat is a café in Moscow that is unlike any café we have ever been to. While most cafes charge you for your drinks and food, the Ziferblat charges you for your time.

Upon arrival, you are given a clock. When you leave, the barista calculates how much time you spent in the café and charges you accordingly. This concept was created to help visitors to be more intentional with their time, and the cafe itself is incredibly charming.

For a detailed look at everything you need to know before you visit, make sure you read my post about visiting the Ziferblat Cafe in Moscow .

3. Marvel at St. Basil’s Cathedral

St. Basil’s Cathedral is one of the most iconic churches in the world, and it was the single thing we were most excited to see while in Moscow. Built almost 500 years ago, St. Basil’s Cathedral is recognized by its colorful domes and whimsical style. The church is of the Russian Orthodox faith, and the inside is just as wondrous as the outside.

St. Basil’s Cathedral is located on the edge of the Red Square, making it incredibly convenient to visit. Entrance for non-worshippers costs 800 rubles, and tickets can be bought at the church

4. Explore the Kremlin

The Kremlin is the largest active fortress in Europe, and it is the site of most of Russia’s government affairs. In addition to government buildings, the Kremlin Complex is filled with courtyards, towers, and museums that are open to the public. If you have the time, you could spend a couple of days fully exploring all that there is to see in the Kremlin.

5. Walk Through Lenin’s Mausoleum

Vladimir Lenin is one of the most important figures in Russian history, and his body is located perfectly embalmed in a mausoleum in the Red Square. The Mausoleum is open to the public to visit, and as long as you are willing to go through a few security checks, it is easily one of the best things to do in Moscow. Its convenient location in the Red Square makes it a can’t miss attraction.

There is absolutely no photography allowed inside the Mausoleum. Do not test this rule.

6. Wander Along Arbat Street

The Arbat is a very popular street in Moscow that is lined with stores, cafes, and other touristy attractions. It is one of the oldest streets in the city, dating back to the 1400s. This street is both quaint and trendy, and there are many walking tours that introduce tourists to the neighborhood’s wonders and highlights.

7. Catch a Show at the Bolshoi Theatre

As a lover of the arts, it is hard to think of Moscow and not think of ballet. Russia has always been a top dog in the world of fine arts, and Bolshoi Theater is one of the best places to catch a performance. We were lucky enough to attend an Opera here, and it is a venue that you don’t want to miss out on if you enjoy opera, ballet, or orchestral performances.

8. Visit the State Historical Museum

The State Historical Museum is one of the most respected museums in Moscow. Despite its name, it is not really focused on the history of Russia as a nation. Rather, it contains a collection of artifacts from all throughout Russia’s history.

The museum’s collection is very broad in nature. It houses some items from indigenous tribes that used to occupy the region, pieces collected by the Romanov family, and more.

9. Wander Around GUM

GUM is an absolutely massive mall within walking distance of the Red Square. It isn’t just the size that draws visitors here; it’s the sense of luxury. The mall is so beautiful inside, much like the metro stations.

While visiting a mall might not sound like it belongs on a bucket list, this mall does. You will not want to miss out on visiting GUM while in Moscow.

10. Admire the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

While St. Basil’s Cathedral is the most iconic church in Moscow, it isn’t the only one. The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour is absolutely stunning, with massive golden domes. It is the tallest Orthodox church in the world, and it is the seat of the Orthodox Patriarch of Moscow.

It is located just about a mile from the Red Square, just south of the Kremlin Complex. You can walk to it from the Red Square in about 20 minutes.

How to Get to Moscow

Flying to moscow.

Moscow has three major international airports: Sheremetyevo (SVO) , Domodedovo (DMO) , and Vnukovo (VKO) . All three of them are directly connected to downtown Moscow by the Aeroexpress trains, which leave every 30 minutes throughout the day. By Aeroexpress train, you can expect to get to the city center in 25-45 minutes depending on the airport that you fly into.

Sheremetyevo is the biggest and busiest of the three airports, and it is the one you are most likely to fly into – especially if you are coming from outside of Europe or the Caucus region. We flew into Sheremetyevo on a direct flight from New York City.

I usually provide backup airport options, because flying right into the city isn’t always the cheapest way to get where you’re going. Unfortunately, when it comes to Moscow, don’t really have a choice other than to fly right into Moscow. It is a very remote city, and it is usually the cheapest place to fly into in Russia as a whole.

Since Sheremetyevo is so busy, you will probably find a great flight option anyway. I wrote in  my post about finding cheap flights  that using hub airports will lead to more affordable airfare, and the same logic applies here. Even though Russia’s national airline, Aeroflot, is no longer a member of the SkyTeam Alliance, Moscow is still a major hub connecting passengers from all over the world.

READ OUR CHEAT SHEET

Train or Bus to Moscow

Trains and buses are one of the most popular ways to get around Europe. However, they’re of very little use when you’re trying to get to Moscow.

Moscow is hundreds of miles from the nearest major cities. The only major European city that can even be reached within 8 hours on the ground is St. Petersburg, and even the Baltic capitals of Riga, Vilnius, and Tallinn are over 12 hours away.

If you want to get to Moscow, the best option is almost always to fly. While the train routes to Moscow are scenic, they simply take forever.

How to Get Around Moscow

METRO | TROLLEYS | TRAMS | BUSES

Moscow has one of the most memorable metro systems in the world. Its metro lines are very deep underground, and the stations are absolutely stunning. Each station has its own unique style, but all of them contain escalators that seem to go on forever.

The system was built in an effort to showcase the power of the Soviet Union and its bright future. The plans were a form of propaganda, but they resulted in what is still one of the most visually appealing subway systems on earth.

Moscow’s metro system isn’t just pretty. It is also very useful and accessible. The system has 17 lines that connect the city and its surrounding area.

But wait; there’s more!

The Moscow metro system is also incredibly affordable, with each ride costing less than a dollar. The metro is by far the best way to get around Moscow, as it is almost impossible to beat the connection times and the low cost to ride.

Tickets can be bought at electronic, English-speaking kiosks in stations, or directly from ticket counters at certain larger stations. There are also day passes available, which are a very solid option if you plan on riding the metro several times per day.

The metro is by far the best way to get around Moscow.

In addition to the metro system, Moscow also has a network of buses, trams, and trolleys. This system is nowhere near as convenient or well-connected as the metro, though, and is likely of little use to you during your trip. There is no Uber in Moscow, but a similar app named Yandex is available if you need a ride in a pinch.

How Many Days Do You Need in Moscow?

Moscow is the biggest city in all of Europe, and it is absolutely loaded with things to do. You could spend weeks in Moscow and still find new things to do. Of course, most travelers don’t have that kind of time to spend in one place!

I recommend spending no less than three full days in Moscow, and ideally closer to five or seven.

Moscow is very spread out, and it can take some time to get from one major point to another. There are also so many places that are nice to just sit back and relax, which is hard to do when you’re in a hurry trying to cram activities into just a few days.

If you only have a week to visit Russia, I’d advise spending all of the time in one city. If you decide to split your time between Moscow and St. Petersburg, I recommend not trying to squeeze in any day trips beyond those two cities.

When Is the Best Time of the Year to Visit Moscow?

There are two different ways to approach this question. Personally, I think the best time to visit Moscow is around Christmas and New Year’s Day. While the weather will be absolutely freezing, Moscow is a surreal winter wonderland in December and January.

We were in Moscow right before Christmas. While it was very cold, you can always bundle up. Exploring the Christmas markets and pop-up ice skating rinks throughout Moscow is one of my favorite memories from anywhere I’ve traveled, and I dream of going back to do it again.

If you aren’t fond of the cold, Moscow is beautiful in the summer. It tends to get pretty cold in the shoulder seasons, so if you want warm weather, you should plan to visit in the summer. Moscow actually gets pretty warm in July and August, and there are a bunch of fantastic places to soak up the sun within the city.

The best time to visit Moscow is either around Christmas or from late May to August.

Is Moscow Safe to Visit?

While Moscow is a truly wonderful city, there’s no denying that visiting Russia comes with risks. As the country is run by an infamous communist dictator, concerns about visiting are valid. While we didn’t experience any sort of threat or negative treatment during our time in Moscow, we visited in a peaceful time.

In our experience, Russia doesn’t seem to detain normal Americans or Westerners to use as pawns. As a regular person, as long as you don’t commit any crimes, there is a slim chance you will run into any issues. However, Russia will not hesitate to enforce its laws against foreigners, and illegal behaviors will likely land you in a very compromising position.

Russia will not hesitate to enforce its laws against foreigners, and illegal behaviors will likely land you in a very compromising position.

To make matters worse, Russia has a bad reputation for gang violence. While the Russian mafia has very little interest in normal Western tourists, they won’t hesitate to pick a fight with anyone who ventures into their sphere of influence. If you seek out illegal substances or activities, you could be a target of the mafia.

If you seek out illegal substances or activities, you could be a target of the mafia.

Finally, since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, things are all very different. Russia is currently at war, and there are battles raging within 8 hours of Moscow. While it is still relatively safe to visit, that could change at any time as the war with Ukraine continues.

Is Moscow Worth Visiting?

Without a doubt, Moscow is worth visiting. It is one of the most unique major cities we have ever visited, and we hope to make it back one day. The Russian Orthodox churches are stunning, the city’s history is unlike any other, and the food is to die for.

While many visitors prefer St. Petersburg to Moscow, I think Moscow deserves a lot of hype of its own. Moscow is the beating heart of Russian culture and history, and it’s a place I highly recommend checking out if you have the chance.

That’s all we have for you about Moscow! I hope this post was helpful as you plan your trip to Russia’s capital.

Have you been to Moscow? Or is this your first time visiting? Comment below if you have anything to add to our travel guide!

Hi, I'm Greg. I'm an avid traveler who has traveled to over 50 countries all around the world with my wife and kids. I've lived in Italy, Mexico, China, and the United States, and I dream of moving abroad again in the future. With this blog, I provide my audience with detailed destination guides to my favorite places and pro-tips to make travel as stress-free as possible.

Leave a comment

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Meet The Author - Greg

Recent Post

How Much Does a Trip to Egypt Cost: Budget Breakdown

March 10, 2024

Best Time to Visit the India Gate in Delhi [2024]

March 1, 2024

Flying with a Sinus Infection: Tips to Avoid Pain

February 20, 2024

11 Best Things to Do in Breckenridge Besides Skiing

February 12, 2024

10 Best Beaches in Mexico for Families (We Lived Here)

February 3, 2024

2018 Primetime Emmy & James Beard Award Winner

R&K Insider

Join our newsletter to get exclusives on where our correspondents travel, what they eat, where they stay. Free to sign up.

A History of Moscow in 13 Dishes

Featured city guides.

Moscow Travel Guide ‪.‬ 4+

Offline city guide & metro map, gonzalo juarez, designed for ipad.

• 4.4 • 22 Ratings
• Offers In-App Purchases

Screenshots

Description.

SPECIAL FEATURES - AUGMENTED REALITY - AR - STOP CARRYING BOOK GUIDES!!! - 100% OFFLINE TRAVEL GUIDE - OFFLINE METRO MAP - ZOOMABLE 100% REGIONAL OFFLINE MAPS - PICS GALLERY - GPS CAPABLE - INTERACTIVE POINTS OF INTEREST on the maps showing public bus stops, restaurants, pubs, hotels, hospitals, museums, theatres, and many others. - DAILY BASED ITINERARIES - BUDGET BASED HOTELS & RESTAURANTS - WHERE, WHAT & HOW TO SHOP - NIGHTLIFE ACTIVITIES - CITY TIPS, MOVING AROUND, COMMUTING - SAFETY TIPS ------------------------------------------ PRODUCT DESCRIPTION Stop carrying heavy city tours guide in your pocket. TRAVEL LIGHT!!! With this Travel Guide you have a full city guide in your iPhone & iPod Touch. This tourist guide is built to be used offline. No connection to Internet required, meaning no extra charges in your phone bill!! AUGMENTED REALITY, unlike other tourist guides you will be able to discover the city with the best iPhone tool - AR - Just click on the AR button, turn yourself 360° and view on the screen where the best spots are and how to find them. You can also scroll up and down to view the closest and furthest attraction. Slide through the tutorial for more tips. After many requests, we bring to you your own steps with a GPS feature. Do not get lost, just take a look where you are standing. It is a very practical city guide since it is designed to be used by itineraries. There are 4 different itineraries for the city depending on the duration of your journey. We also provide tips and advices to travelers, how to get into the city, how to move around, where to shop, where to go at night, most popular places, safety tips, etc... Unlike other guides, this Travel Guide provides you with interactive zoomable OFFLINE MAPS (x6 zoom + GPS capable) of the region showing the attractions, public bus stops, restaurants, pubs, hotels, hospitals and many other useful points of interest. You cannot get lost!. With this guide, you will not only visit the city but also move around its region. Tourist info for must see attractions such as the Red Square, Lenin's Mausoleum, Saint Basil's Cathedral, Moscow Kremlin, Arbat Street, Bolshoi Theatre, Tretyakov Gallery, Pushkin Museum, Novodevichy Convent, New Arbat Avenue, Tverskaya Street, Gorky Park, Kolomenskoye, Poklonnaya Hill, Moscow Metro, Komsomolskaya-Koltsevaya, Mayakovskaya, VDNKh, Prospekt Mira-Koltsevaya, Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Fallen Monument Park, Russian State Library, among others. The travel guide is made based on travelers advices. Unlike other city guides, we can guarantee we have already visited these places and would like to give you a fancy and practical tool to make your visit a more enjoyable one. This app contains IAPs for you to enjoy and discover the best out of your visit.

Version 3.1.17

Bug fixes and content improvement

Ratings and Reviews

Really helpful travel guide! Im loving the soccer championship

Developer Response ,

Thank you very much. We are very happy that you enjoyed the app.

Moscow Travel Guide

Do not waste your time with this one. First of all it is grossly overpriced, the Tube map is in Russian, which is good if you are Russian ( though then what is the point in paying for something that is free and available at every tube station). App appears to be poorly coded, it is slower than molasses in Siberia. The "guide" comments are so simple minded and unoriginal as to be nearly worthless. You can get any of the 'insights' for free from virtually any tourist agency. I would give this app a zero but for the fact that it is a good idea.

In-App Purchases

App privacy.

The developer, Gonzalo Juarez , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Linked to You

The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:

• Contact Info
• Identifiers

Data Not Linked to You

The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

• Diagnostics

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish

• Moscow Tourism, Russia $0.00
• Moscow Augmented Reality, Offline Maps & Metro Routing App $3.99
• Moscow Kremlin $0.00
• Pack Kremlin $1.99
• Saint Petersburg $0.00
• Moscow Maps- $0.00
• St Petersburg Travel Guide $1.99
• Nizhny Novgorod $0.00
• Sochi $0.00
• Kazan $0.00
• Developer Website
• App Support
• Privacy Policy

More By This Developer

Metropolitan Museum of Art NYC

Istanbul Travel Guide .

Barcelona Travel Guide -

Miami Travel Guide

Vienna Travel Guide .

Florence Travel Guide Offline

EPIC MOSCOW Itinerary! (2024)

Moscow is the heart of Mother Russia. Just the mention of this city conjures images of colorful bulbous pointed domes, crisp temperatures, and a uniquely original spirit!

Moscow has an incredibly turbulent history, a seemingly resilient culture, and a unique enchantment that pulls countless tourists to the city each year! Although the warmer months make exploring Moscow’s attractions more favorable, there’s just something about a fresh snowfall that only enhances the appearance of the city’s iconic sites!

If you’re a first-time visitor to Moscow, or simply wanting to see as much of the city as possible, this Moscow itinerary will help you do just that!

Unlock Our GREATEST Travel Secrets!

Sign up for our newsletter and get the best travel tips delivered right to your inbox.

Best Time To Visit Moscow

Where to stay in moscow, moscow itinerary, day 1 itinerary in moscow, day 2 itinerary in moscow, day 3 and beyond, staying safe in moscow, day trips from moscow, faq on moscow itinerary.

Here is a quick look at the seasons so you can decide when to visit Moscow!

The summer months (June-August) are a great time to travel to Moscow to take advantage of the enjoyable mild temperatures. This is considered peak travel season. Bear in mind that hotel prices rise along with the temperatures!

If you’re planning a trip to Moscow during fall (September-November) try to plan for early fall. This way the temperatures will still be pleasant and winter won’t be threatening.

Russian winters (December-February) are not for the faint of heart as Napoleon learned to his peril. Some days the sun will be out for less than an hour, and snow is guaranteed. Although winters are exceptionally cold, this is when you’ll get a true glimpse of the Moscow experience!

The best time to visit Moscow is during spring  (March-May). The temperatures will begin to creep up and the sun begins to shine for significant portions of the day. Hotel rates will also have yet to skyrocket into peak ranges!

With a Moscow City Pass , you can experience the best of Moscow at the CHEAPEST prices. Discounts, attractions, tickets, and even public transport are all standards in any good city pass – be sure invest now and save them $$$ when you arrive!

Moscow is a large city with many accommodation options to choose from. Staying in a location that fits with your travel plans will only enhance your Moscow itinerary. Here is a brief introduction to a few great areas of the city we recommend checking out!

The best place to stay in Moscow to be close to all the action is Kitay-Gorod. This charming neighborhood will put you within walking distance to Moscow’s famous Red Square, thus cutting down on travel time. This will allow you to see more of the city in a shorter amount of time!

It’s surrounded by restaurants, cafes, bars, and shops. If you’re a first-time visitor to Moscow, or just planning a quick weekend in Moscow, then this area is perfect for you!

Another great area to consider is the Zamoskvorechye district. This area of the city offers a blend of new and old Moscow. It has an artsy vibe and there are plenty of fun sites you can explore outside of the main touristy areas of Moscow.

Of course, as in all areas of Moscow, it’s close to public transportation that will quickly connect you with the rest of the city and make your Moscow itinerary super accessible!

Best Airbnb in Moscow – Exclusive Apartment in Old Moscow

Modern and cozy, this apartment is in the heart of Old Moscow. Bordering the Basmanny and Kitay-Gorod districts, this two-bedroom flat is walking distance to the Kremlin and Red Square. Safe, quiet, and comfortable, this is the best Airbnb in Moscow, no question!

Best Budget Hotel in Moscow – Izmailovo Alfa Hotel

The Izmailovo Alfa Hotel is a very highly rated accommodation that provides all the components necessary for a comfortable trip to Moscow. There is an on-site restaurant, bar, fitness center, and an airport shuttle service. The rooms are modern and spacious and are equipped with a TV, heating/air conditioning, minibar, and more!

Best Luxury Hotel in Moscow – Crowne Plaza Moscow World Trade Centre

If you’re touring Moscow in luxury, the Crowne Plaza Moscow World Trade Centre is the hotel for you! Elegantly furnished rooms are equipped with a minibar, flat-screen TV,  in-room safes, as well as tea and coffee making facilities! Bathrooms come with bathrobes, slippers, and free toiletries. There is also an onsite restaurant, bar, and fitness center.

Best Hostel in Moscow – Godzillas Hostel

Godzillas Hostel is located in the center of Moscow, just a short walk from all the major tourist attractions and the metro station. Guests will enjoy all the usual hostel perks such as self-catering facilities, 24-hour reception, Free Wi-Fi, and security lockers. This is one of the best hostels in Moscow and its wonderful social atmosphere and will make your vacation in Moscow extra special!

Godzillas Hostel is one of our favourites in Moscow but they’re not taking guests right now. We’re not sure if they’re closed for good but we hope they’ll come back soon.

An important aspect of planning any trip is figuring out the transportation situation. You’re probably wondering how you’re going to get to all of your Moscow points of interest right? Luckily, this sprawling city has an excellent network of public transportation that will make traveling a breeze!

The underground metro system is the quickest and most efficient way to travel around Moscow. Most visitors rely exclusively on this super-efficient transportation system, which allows you to get to pretty much anywhere in the city! It’s also a great option if you’re planning a Moscow itinerary during the colder months, as you’ll be sheltered from the snow and freezing temperatures!

If you prefer above-ground transportation, buses, trams, and trolleybuses, run throughout the city and provide a rather comfortable alternative to the metro.

Moscow’s metro, buses, trams, and trolleybuses are all accessible with a ‘Troika’ card. This card can be topped up with any sum of money at a metro cash desk. The ticket is simple, convenient, and even refundable upon return to a cashier!

No matter which method you choose, you’ll never find yourself without an easy means of getting from point A to point B!

Red Square | Moscow Kremlin | Lenin’s Mausoleum | St. Basil’s Cathedral  | GUM Department Store

Spend the first day of your itinerary taking your own self guided Moscow walking tour around the historic Red Square! This is Moscow’s compact city center and every stop on this list is within easy walking distance to the next! Get ready to see all of the top Moscow landmarks!

Day 1 / Stop 1 – The Red Square

• Why it’s awesome: The Red Square is the most recognizable area in Moscow, it has mesmerizing architecture and centuries worth of history attached to its name.
• Cost: Free to walk around, individual attractions in the square have separate fees. 
• Food nearby: Check out Bar BQ Cafe for friendly service and good food in a great location! The atmosphere is upbeat and they’re open 24/7!

The Red Square is Moscow’s historic fortress and the center of the Russian government. The origins of the square date back to the late 15th century, when Ivan the Great decided to expand the Kremlin to reflect Moscow’s growing power and prestige!

During the 20th century, the square became famous as the site for demonstrations designed to showcase Soviet strength. Visiting the Red Square today, you’ll find it teeming with tourists, who come to witness its magical architecture up close!

The square is the picture postcard of Russian tourism, so make sure to bring your camera when you visit! No matter the season, or the time of day, it’s delightfully photogenic! 

It’s also home to some of Russia’s most distinguishing and important landmarks, which we’ve made sure to include further down in this itinerary. It’s an important center of Russia’s cultural life and one of the top places to visit in Moscow!

In 1990, UNESCO designated Russia’s Red Square as a World Heritage site. Visiting this historic site is a true bucket-list event and essential addition to your itinerary for Moscow!

Day 1 / Stop 2 – The Moscow Kremlin

• Why it’s awesome: The Moscow Kremlin complex includes several palaces and cathedrals and is surrounded by the Kremlin wall. It also houses the principal museum of Russia (the Kremlin Armory).
• Cost: USD $15.00
• Food nearby: Bosco Cafe is a charming place to grat a casual bite to eat. They have excellent coffee and wonderful views of the Red Square and the Moscow Kremlin!

The iconic Moscow Kremlin , also known as the Kremlin museum complex, sits on Borovitsky Hill, rising above the Moscow River. It is a fortified complex in the center of the city, overlooking several iconic buildings in the Red Square!

It’s the best known of the Russian Kremlins – citadels or fortress’ protecting and dominating a city. During the early decades of the Soviet era, the Kremlin was a private enclave where the state’s governing elite lived and worked.

The Kremlin is outlined by an irregularly shaped triangular wall that encloses an area of 68 acres! The existing walls and towers were built from 1485 to 1495. Inside the Kremlin museum complex, there are five palaces, four cathedrals, and the enclosing Kremlin Wall with Kremlin towers.

The Armoury Chamber is a part of the Grand Kremlin Palace’s complex and is one of the oldest museums of Moscow, established in 1851. It showcases Russian history and displays many cherished relics. Definitely make sure to check out this museum while you’re here!

The churches inside the Moscow Kremlin are the Cathedral of the Dormition, Church of the Archangel, Church of the Annunciation, and the bell tower of Ivan Veliki (a church tower).

The five-domed Cathedral of the Dormition is considered the most famous. It was built from 1475–1479 by an Italian architect and has served as a wedding and coronation place for great princes, tsars, and emperors of Russia. Church services are given in the Kremlin’s numerous cathedrals on a regular basis.

The Grand Kremlin Palace was the former Tsar’s Moscow residence and today it serves as the official workplace of the President of the Russian Federation (Vladimir Putin seems to have bagged that title for life) .

Insider Tip: The Kremlin is closed every Thursday! Make sure to plan this stop on your Moscow itinerary for any other day of the week!

Day 1 / Stop 3 – Lenin’s Mausoleum

• Why it’s awesome: The mausoleum displays the preserved body of Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin .
• Cost: Free!
• Food nearby: Khinkal’naya is a charming Georgian restaurant with vaulted ceilings and exposed brick. It’s a popular place with locals and right next to the Red Square!

Lenin’s Mausoleum, also known as Lenin’s Tomb, is the modernist mausoleum for the revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin. It’s located within the Red Square and serves as the resting place for the Soviet leader! His preserved body has been on public display since shortly after his death in 1924.

It’s located just a few steps away from the Kremlin Wall and is one of the most controversial yet popular Moscow attractions!

Admission is free for everyone, you’ll only need to pay if you need to check a bag. Before visitors are allowed to enter the mausoleum, they have to go through a metal detector first. No metal objects, liquids, or large bags are allowed in the mausoleum!

Expect a line to enter the building, and while you’re inside the building, you’ll be constantly moving in line with other visitors. This means you won’t be able to spend as long as you’d like viewing the mausoleum, but you’ll still be able to get a good look. Pictures and filming while inside the building are strictly prohibited, and security guards will stop you if they see you breaking this rule.

The mausoleum is only open on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday – unless it’s a public holiday or a day scheduled for maintenance. The hours it’s open for each day are limited, make sure to check online before you visit to make sure you can fit this into your Moscow itinerary for that day!

Insider Tip: The Lenin’s Museum is there for people to pay their respect; remember to keep silent and move along quickly, it’s not intended for people to congregate around. Also, men are not allowed to wear hats and everyone must take their hands out of their pockets when inside the building.

Day 1 / Stop 4 – St. Basil’s Cathedral

• Why it’s awesome: A dazzling designed cathedral that showcases Russia’s unique architecture. This cathedral is one of the most recognizable symbols of the country!
• Cost: USD $8.00
• Food nearby: Moskovskiy Chaynyy Klub is a cozy cafe serving food items and pipping hot tea; it’s the perfect place to go if you’re visiting Moscow during the winter months!

Located in the Red Square, the ornate 16th-century St. Basil’s Cathedral is probably the building you picture when you think of Moscow’s unique architecture. Its colorful onion-shaped domes tower over the Moscow skyline!

The cathedral was built from 1555-1561 by order of Tsar Ivan the Terrible. It was designed with an iconic onion dome facade and enchanting colors that captivate all who see it. Fun fact: If you’re wondering why Russian churches have onion domes, they are popularly believed to symbolize burning candles!

This iconic cathedral has become a symbol of Russia due to its distinguishing architecture and prominent position inside the Red Square. It’s one of the most beautiful, wonderful, and mesmerizing historical cathedrals in the world!

The interior of the church surprises most people when they visit. In contrast to the large exterior, the inside is not so much one large area, but rather a collection of smaller areas, with many corridors and small rooms. There are 9 small chapels and one mausoleum grouped around a central tower.

Visiting the inside is like walking through a maze, there are even small signs all around the cathedral tracing where to walk, and pointing you in the right direction! The walls are meticulously decorated and painted with intricate floral designs and religious themes.

The church rarely holds service and is instead a museum open for the public to visit.

Insider Tip: During the summer months the line to go inside the cathedral can get quite long! Make sure to arrive early or reserve your tickets online to guarantee quick access into the cathedral!

Day 1 / Stop 5 – GUM Department Store

• Why it’s awesome: This is Russia’s most famous shopping mall! It’s designed with elegant and opulent architecture and provides a real sense of nostalgia!
• Cost: Free to enter
• Food nearby: Stolovaya 57 is a cafeteria-style restaurant with a variety of inexpensive Russian cuisine menu items including soups, salads, meat dishes, and desserts. It’s also located inside the GUM department store, making it very easily accessible when you’re shopping!

The enormous GUM Department Store is located within the historic Red Square. It has a whimsical enchantment to it that sets it apart from your typical department store.

A massive domed glass ceiling lines the top of the building and fills the interior with natural sunlight. There are live plants and flowers placed throughout the mall that give the shopping complex a lively and cheerful feel! A playful fountain sits in the center, further adding to the malls inviting a sense of wonder and amusement!

The GUM department store opened on December 2, 1893. Today, it includes local and luxury stores, including Fendi, Louis Vuitton, Prada, and many more! There are numerous cafes, restaurants, and even a movie theater inside!

For a special treat, head into Gastronom 1. This 1950s-style shop sells gourmet food items, like wine, freshly-baked pastries, cheese, Russian chocolate, and of course, vodka! Also, be on the lookout for a bicycle pedaling ice cream truck with an employing selling ice cream!

The ambiance is simply amazing, a trip to this idyllic shopping mall is an absolute must on any Moscow itinerary!

Insider Tip: Make sure to carry some small change on you in case you need to use the restroom, you’ll need to pay 50 rubles – or about USD $0.80 to use the bathroom in GUM.

Wanna know how to pack like a pro? Well for a start you need the right gear….

These are packing cubes for the globetrotters and compression sacks for the  real adventurers – these babies are a traveller’s best kept secret. They organise yo’ packing and minimise volume too so you can pack MORE.

Or, y’know… you can stick to just chucking it all in your backpack…

Novodevichy Convent | Gorky Park | State Tretyakov Gallery | All-Russian Exhibition Center | Bolshoi Theater

On your 2 day itinerary in Moscow, you’ll have a chance to use the city’s excellent public transportation service! You’ll explore a few more of Moscow’s historic highlight as well as some modern attractions. These sites are a little more spread out, but still very easily accessible thanks to the metro!

Day 2 / Stop 1 – Novodevichy Convent

• Why it’s awesome: The Novodevichy Convent is rich in imperial Russian history and contains some of Russia’s best examples of classical architecture!
• Cost: USD $5.00
• Food nearby: Culinary Shop Karavaevs Brothers is a cozy and simple place to have a quick bite, they also have vegetarian options!

The Novodevichy Convent is the best-known and most popular cloister of Moscow. The convent complex is contained within high walls, and there are many attractions this site is known for! 

The six-pillared five-domed Smolensk Cathedral is the main attraction. It was built to resemble the Kremlin’s Assumption Cathedral and its facade boasts beautiful snowy white walls and a pristine golden onion dome as its centerpiece. It’s the oldest structure in the convent, built from 1524 -1525, and is situated in the center of the complex between the two entrance gates.

There are other churches inside the convent as well, all dating back from many centuries past. The convent is filled with an abundance of 16th and 17th-century religious artworks, including numerous large and extravagant frescos!

Just outside the convent’s grounds lies the Novodevichy Cemetery. Here, you can visit the graves of famous Russians, including esteemed authors, composers, and politicians. Probably the most intriguing gravestone belongs to Russian politician Nikita Khruschev!

The Novodevichy Convent is located near the Moscow River and offers a peaceful retreat from the busy city. In 2004, it was proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The convent remains remarkably well-preserved and is an outstanding example of Moscow Baroque architecture! 

Insider Tip: To enter the cathedrals inside the complex, women are advised to cover their heads and shoulders, while men should wear long pants.

Day 2 / Stop 2 – Gorky Central Park of Culture and Leisure

• Why it’s awesome: A large amusement area in the heart of the city offering many attractions!
• Cost: Free! 
• Food nearby: Check out Mepkato, located inside Gorky Central Park for a casual meal in a cozy setting. There are indoor and outdoor seating options and the restaurant is child-friendly!

Gorky Central Park of Culture and Leisure is a large green space in the heart of Moscow. The park opened in 1928, and it stretches along the scenic embankment of the Moskva River. It covers an area of 300-acres and offers a lovely contrast from the compact city center.

You’ll find all sorts of wonderful attractions, from boat rides to bike rentals to tennis courts and ping-pong tables, and much more! there are an open-air cinema and festive events and concerts scheduled in the summer months.  A wide selection of free fitness classes is also offered on a regular basis, including jogging, roller skating, and dancing!

Although many of the options you’ll find here are more suited for outdoor leisure during the summer, you’ll also a selection of winter attractions, including one of Europe’s largest ice rinks for ice-skating!

If you’re trying to decide what to do in Moscow with kids, the park also offers several venues designed specifically for kids. Check out the year-round Green School which offers hands-on classes in gardening and art! You can also feed the squirrels and birds at the Golitsinsky Ponds!

The park is very well maintained and kept clean and the entrance is free of charge, although most individual attractions cost money. There is also Wi-Fi available throughout the park.

With so many attractions, you could easily spend all day here! If you’re only planning a 2 day itinerary in Moscow, make sure to plan your time accordingly and map out all the areas you want to see beforehand!

Day 2 / Stop 3 – The State Tretyakov Gallery

• Why it’s awesome: The gallery’s collection consists entirely of Russian art made by Russian artists!
• Food nearby : Brothers Tretyakovs is located right across the street from the gallery. It’s a wonderfully atmospheric restaurant serving top quality food and drinks!

The State Tretyakov Gallery was founded in 1856 by influential merchant and collector Pavel Tretyakov.  The gallery is a national treasury of Russian fine art and one of the most important museums in Russia!

It houses the world’s best collection of Russian art and contains more than 130, 000 paintings, sculptures, and graphics! These works have been created throughout the centuries by generations of Russia’s most talented artists!

The exhibits range from mysterious 12th-century images to politically charged canvases. The collection is rich and revealing and offers great insight into the history and attitudes of this long-suffering yet inspired people!

All pictures are also labeled in English. If you plan to take your time and see everything inside the museum it will take a good 3-4 hours, so make sure to plan your Moscow trip itinerary accordingly! This gallery is a must-see stop for art lovers, or anyone wanting to explore the local culture and history of Russia in a creative and insightful manner! 

Insider Tip: When planning your 2 days in Moscow itinerary, keep in mind that most museums in Moscow are closed on Mondays, this includes The State Tretyakov Gallery!

Day 2 / Stop 4 – All-Russian Exhibition Center

• Why it’s awesome: This large exhibition center showcases the achievements of the Soviet Union in several different spheres. 
• Food nearby: Varenichnaya No. 1 serves authentic and homestyle Russian cuisine in an intimate and casual setting.

The All-Russian Exhibition Center is a massive park that presents the glory of the Soviet era! It pays homage to the achievements of Soviet Russia with its many different sites found on the property.

The center was officially opened in 1939 to exhibit the achievements of the Soviet Union. It’s a huge complex of buildings and the largest exhibition center in Moscow. There are several exhibition halls dedicated to different achievements and every year there are more than one hundred and fifty specialized exhibitions!

The Peoples Friendship Fountain was constructed in 1954 and is a highlight of the park. The stunning gold fountain features 16 gilded statues of girls, each representing the former Soviet Union republics. 

The Stone Flower Fountain was also built in 1954 and is worth checking out. The centerpiece of this large fountain is a flower carved from stones from the Ural Mountains! Along the side of the fountain are various bronze sculptures.

You will find many people zipping around on rollerblades and bicycles across the large area that the venue covers. It’s also home to amusement rides and carousels, making it the perfect place to stop with kids on your Moscow itinerary! Make sure to wear comfortable shoes and allow a few hours to explore all the areas that interest you!

Day 2 / Stop 5 – Bolshoi Theater

• Why it’s awesome: The Bolshoi Theater is a historic venue that hosts world-class ballet and opera performances!
• Cost: Prices vary largely between USD $2.00 –  USD $228.00 based on seat location.
• Food nearby: Head to the Russian restaurant, Bolshoi for high-quality food and drinks and excellent service!

The Bolshoi Theater is among the oldest and most renowned ballet and opera companies in the world! It also boasts the world’s biggest ballet company, with more than 200 dancers!

The theater has been rebuilt and renovated several times during its long history. In 2011 it finished its most recent renovation after an extensive six-year restoration that started in 2005. The renovation included an improvement in acoustics and the restoration of the original Imperial decor.

The Bolshoi Theater has put on many of the world’s most famous ballet acts! Tchaikovsky’s ballet Swan Lake premiered at the theater in 1877 and other notable performances of the Bolshoi repertoire include Tchaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker!

Today, when you visit the theater, you can expect a magical performance from skilled singers, dancers, and musicians with the highest level of technique!

If you don’t have time to see a show, the theater also provides guided tours on select days of the week. Tours are given in both Russian and English and will provide visitors with a more intimate look at the different areas of the theater!

The stage of this iconic Russian theater has seen many outstanding performances. If you’re a fan of the performing arts, the Bolshoi Theater is one of the greatest and oldest ballet and opera companies in the world, making it a must-see attraction on your Moscow itinerary!

Godzillas Hostel

Godzillas Hostel is located in the center of Moscow, just a short walk from all the major tourist attractions and the metro station.

• Towels Included

Cosmonautics Museum | Alexander Garden | Ostankino Tower | Izmaylovo District | Soviet Arcade Museum

Now that we’ve covered what to do in Moscow in 2 days, if you’re able to spend more time in the city you’re going to need more attractions to fill your time. Here are a few more really cool things to do in Moscow we recommend!

Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics

• Hear the timeline of the ‘space race’ from the Russian perspective
• This museum is fun for both adults and children!
• Admission is USD $4.00

The Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics is a museum dedicated to space exploration! The museum explores the history of flight, astronomy, space exploration, space technology, and space in the arts. It houses a large assortment of Soviet and Russian space-related exhibits, and the museum’s collection holds approximately 85,000 different items!

The museum does an excellent job of telling the full story of the exciting space race between the USSR and the US! It highlights the brightest moments in Russian history and humanity and is very interesting and fun for all ages!

If you’re a fan of space or just curious about gaining insight into Russia’s fascinating history of space exploration, make sure to add this to your 3 day itinerary in Moscow!

The Alexander Garden

• A tranquil place to relax near the Red Square
• Green lawns dotted with sculptures and lovely water features
• The park is open every day and has no entrance fee

The Alexander Garden was one of the first urban public parks in Moscow! The garden premiered in 1821 and was built to celebrate Russia’s victory over Napoleon’s forces in 1812!

The park is beautiful and well maintained with paths to walk on and benches to rest on. The park contains three separate gardens: the upper garden, middle garden, and lower garden.

Located in the upper garden, towards the main entrance to the park is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with its eternal flame. This monument was created in 1967 and contains the body of a soldier who fell during the Great Patriotic War!

The park stretches along all the length of the western Kremlin wall for about half a mile. Due to its central location in the city, it’ll be easily accessible when you’re out exploring The Red Square.

It provides a bit of relief from the city’s high-energy city streets. Bring a picnic lunch, go for a walk, or just sit and people watch, this is one of the best Moscow sites to wind-down and relax!

Ostankino Television Tower

• Television and radio tower in Moscow
• Currently the tallest free-standing structure in Europe
• Make sure you bring your passport when you visit, you can’t go up without it!

For spectacular views of the city, make sure to add the Ostankino Television Tower to your itinerary for Moscow! This impressive free-standing structure provides stunning views of the city in every direction. The glass floor at the top also provides great alternative views of the city!

It takes just 58 seconds for visitors to reach the Tower’s observation deck by super fast elevator. The tower is open every day for long hours and is a great site in Moscow to check out! There is even a restaurant at the top where you can enjoy rotating views of the city while you dine on traditional Russian cuisine or European cuisine!

The tower is somewhat of an architectural surprise in a city that is not known for skyscrapers! To see the city from a new perspective, make sure to add this stop to your Moscow itinerary!

Izmaylovo District

• The most popular attractions in this district are the kremlin and the flea market
• Outside of the city center and easy to reach via metro
• Most popular during the summer and on weekends

Travel outside the city center and discover a unique area of the city! The Izmaylovo District is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike, and one of the coolest places to see in Moscow! The two main attractions we recommend checking out are the Kremlin and the flea market.

The Izmailovo Kremlin was established as a cultural center and molded after traditional Russian architecture. This colorful complex is home to several single-subject museums, including a Russian folk art museum and a vodka museum!

Next to the Kremlin is the Izmailovo open-air market, which dates back to the 17th century! The market is connected to the Izmailovo Kremlin by a wooden bridge. Pick up all your Russian souvenirs here, including traditional handicrafts, paintings, books, retro toys, and Soviet memorabilia!

You will find many hand-made and hand-painted options available at higher prices, as well as mass-produced souvenir options at lower prices!

Museum of Soviet Arcade Games

• Closed on Mondays
• Filled with old arcade games that visitors get to try out!
• The museum also includes a small cafe and burger shop

For something a little different, check out the Museum of Soviet Arcade Games! The museum features roughly 60 machines from the Soviet era, including video games, pinball machines, and collaborative hockey foosball! The machines inside the museum were produced in the USSR in the mid-1970s.

The best part is, most of the games are still playable! Purchase tickets and try the games out for yourself! The museum also has a neat little screening room that plays old Soviet cartoons and an area with Soviet magazines! This unique attraction is a fun addition to a 3 day itinerary in Moscow, and an attraction that all ages will enjoy! 

Whether you’re spending one day in Moscow, or more, safety is an important thing to keep in mind when traveling to a big city! Overall, Moscow is a very safe place to visit. However, it is always recommended that tourists take certain precautions when traveling to a new destination!

The police in Moscow is extremely effective at making the city a safe place to visit and do their best to patrol all of the top Moscow, Russia tourist attractions. However, tourists can still be a target for pickpockets and scammers.

Moscow has a huge flow of tourists, therefore there is a risk for pickpocketing. Simple precautions will help eliminate your chances of being robbed. Stay vigilant, keep your items close to you at all times, and don’t flash your valuables!

If you’re planning a solo Moscow itinerary, you should have no need to worry, as the city is also considered safe for solo travelers, even women. Stay in the populated areas, try and not travel alone late at night, and never accept rides from strangers or taxis without a meter and correct signage.

The threat of natural disasters in Moscow is low, with the exception of severe winters when the temperature can dip below freezing! Bring a good, warm jacket if you visit in Winter.

However, please note that Russian views on homsexuality are far less accepting than those in Western Europe. Likewise, Non-Caucasian travellers may sadly encounter racism in Russia .

Don’t Forget Your Travel Insurance for Moscow

ALWAYS sort out your backpacker insurance before your trip. There’s plenty to choose from in that department, but a good place to start is Safety Wing .

They offer month-to-month payments, no lock-in contracts, and require absolutely no itineraries: that’s the exact kind of insurance long-term travellers and digital nomads need.

SafetyWing is cheap, easy, and admin-free: just sign up lickety-split so you can get back to it!

Click the button below to learn more about SafetyWing’s setup or read our insider review for the full tasty scoop.

Now that we’ve covered all the top things to see in Moscow, we thought we’d include some exciting day trips to other areas of the country!

Sergiev Posad (Golden Ring)

On this 7-hour guided tour, you’ll visit several scenic and historic areas of Russia. Start your day with hotel pick-up as you’re transferred by a comfortable car or minivan to Sergiev Posad. Admire the charming Russian countryside on your drive and enjoy a quick stop to visit the Russian village, Rudonezh!

You’ll see the majestic Saint Spring and the Church of Sergiev Radonezh. You’ll also visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, one of the most famous Orthodox sites in Russia!

Lastly, you’ll swing by the local Matreshka market and enjoy a break in a nice Russian restaurant before returning to Moscow!

Day Trip to Vladimir and Suzdal

On this 13-hour trip, you’ll discover old Russia, with its picturesque landscapes and white-stoned beautiful churches! You’ll visit the main towns of the famous Golden Ring of Russia – the name for several cities and smaller towns north-east of Moscow.

Your first stop will be in the town of Vladimir, the ancient capital of all Russian principalities. The city dates back to the 11th century and is one of the oldest and the most important towns along the Ring! Next, you’ll visit Suzdal, a calm ancient Russian town north of Vladimir with only 13,000 inhabitants!

The old-style architecture and buildings of Suzdal are kept wonderfully intact. If you’re spending three days in Moscow, or more, this is a great option for exploring the charming areas outside the city!

Zvenigorod Day Trip and Russian Countryside

On this 9-hour private tour, you’ll explore the ancient town of Zvenigorod, one of the oldest towns in the Moscow region! As you leave Moscow you’ll enjoy the stunning scenery along the Moscow River, and make a few stops at old churches along the way to Zvenigorod.

Upon arrival, you’ll explore the medieval center, including the 14th-century Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery. Next, you’ll take a break for lunch (own expense) where you’ll have the chance to try out the Russian cuisine! Next, you’ll visit the Museum of Russian Dessert and sip on tea at a Russian tea ceremony.

The final stop of the day is at the Ershovo Estate, a gorgeous place to walk around and enjoy nature!

Day Trip to St Petersburg by Train visiting Hermitage & Faberge

On this full-day tour, you’ll enjoy a a full round trip to St Petersburg where you’ll spend an exciting day exploring another popular Russian city! You’ll be picked up from your hotel in Moscow and be transferred to the train station where you’ll ride the high-speed train ‘Sapsan’ to St Petersburg.

Upon arrival, you’ll start the day by touring the Hermitage Museum and the Winter Palace. Next, you’ll visit the Faberge Museum, where you’ll explore the impressive collection of rare Faberge Eggs! In the afternoon, enjoy a sightseeing boat ride and a traditional 3-course Russian lunch.

If you’re spending 3 days in Moscow, or more, this is an excellent trip to take!

Trip to Kolomna – Authentic Cultural Experience from Moscow

On this 10-hour tour, you’ll escape the city and travel to the historic town of Kolomna! First, you’ll visit the 14th-century Kolomna Kremlin, home to the Assumption Cathedral and an abundance of museums!

Next, enjoy lunch at a local cafe (own expense) before embarking on a tour of the Marshmallow Museum – of course, a marshmallow tasting is provided!  Your final stop is the Museum of Forging Settlements, where displays include armor and accessories for fishing and hunting.

Discover this beautiful Russian fairytale city on a private trip, where all of the planning is taken care of for you!

Stash your cash safely with this money belt. It will keep your valuables safely concealed, no matter where you go.

It looks exactly like a normal belt  except for a SECRET interior pocket perfectly designed to hide a wad of cash, a passport photocopy or anything else you may wish to hide. Never get caught with your pants down again! (Unless you want to…)

Find out what people want to know when planning their Moscow itinerary.

How many days you need in Moscow?

We recommend that you spend at least two or three days in Moscow to take it all in.

What’s the best month to visit Moscow?

The best time to visit Moscow is over the spring, from March to May as temperatures are mild, crowds are thin and prices are reasonable.

What are some unusual things to do in Moscow?

I mean, queuing up to see an almost 100 year old corpse is pretty unsual! Check out Lenin’s Mausoleum if you fancy it!

What are some fun things to do in Moscow?

The Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics is a fun place to explore the famous space race from the perspective of the ‘other side’!

We hope you enjoyed our Moscow itinerary! We’ve made sure to cover all the Moscow must-sees as well as some unique attractions in the city! Our addition of insider tips, favorite food stops, and day trips from Moscow is an added bonus and will guarantee you make the most out of your exciting Russian vacation!

Immerse yourself in the modern and traditional Russian lifestyle! Get lost in museums, witness awe-inspiring architecture, and indulge in Russian cuisine! Spend the day strolling through all of the charming sites of Moscow, admiring the beautiful scenery and discovering the city’s fairytale-like enchantment!

And for transparency’s sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links . That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we don’t believe are up to scratch. Again, thank you!

Alya and Campbell

Share or save this post

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail.