National Geographic acts as your guide to the city

Two words — City. Secrets. And because these apps are from editors at National Geographic, you know you’re in for a travel treat.

Name: National Geographic City Guides

Available for: iOS iPhone and iPad

What it does: The free version offers local tips and iconic photos for each destination as well as fun facts and weather info. The paid version has curated walks, lists of “do-not-miss” places to visit, city secrets and customizable itineraries, as well as additional photos with tips from the pros.

Cost: Free, $4.99

What’s hot: The app is sleek, packed with smart info and even a little bit mysterious. Searching through it for secrets was a fun, discovery-packed journey in itself, with tidbits of info where you least expected them. I liked the “Did You Know?” section best, not only for the secrets and trivia, but also for practical info. The “What to Do” list is alphabetical and easy to add to a custom itinerary or list of favorites. If you are in the city and need directions, just click “locate.”

What’s not: Right now it’s featuring guides only to the most visited cities: London, Paris, Rome and New York. So add more destinations, please. Also, it might take a little time to experiment with the menu icons on the front page of the guide. It’s not totally clear to me what they are, and then they just take you to another menu.

Worth it: Yes, even if you’ve already been to these hot locations. You’ll still find travel tips and info you didn’t know, as I did with the paid version of the London app.