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When the smartphone was in its infancy and app stores were not yet operational, its best built-in app to help travelers was the Maps app. There were no walking directions provided, just a map that you needed to interpret to help you get to your destination. These days, smartphones have so spoiled us that we wonder how we have lived without it. For example, the technologically-advanced descendant of the first map app now features not only driving and walking directions, but also directions for those who take public transportation (for some countries, at least). This has made it easier for travelers to navigate through some foreign countries the same way that natives do. With the right apps, you can turn your smartphone into an indispensable travel companion that can save you money; if your pockets cannot afford travel just yet, you can even do a little armchair traveling from your smartphone. Below are some handy apps to have when exploring foreign territory: > Bla Camera Pro ($0.99, iOS) > Camera Plus Pro ($1.99, iOS) > Google + > Google Maps (Free, iOS/Google Play) > City Maps to Go (Free, iOS/Google Play) > VSCO Cam (Free, iOS/Google Play) > Pin Drop (Free, iOS) > Metro (Free, iOS)

Artists, and art lovers, have been coming to western Cornwall for centuries, but the picture-postcard appeal of St Ives, with its Tate Gallery and Barbara Hepworth Garden, tends to steal the limelight from its plainer sister, Penzance. Yet this historic port has much to love: atmospheric pubs, smart restaurants, designer-y shops and galleries that have established it firmly on Cornwall's art trail. Gallery-cum-boutique hotel Artist Residence is on Chapel Street, the most charming and browsable street in Penzance's old quarter. But for art lovers the real draw is the original designs by British artists in the hotel's 14 bedrooms. The reception area opens into a spacious cafe-gallery hung with paintings of Cornwall (all for sale) and mismatched shabby-chic tables and chairs. On a sunny Saturday it's buzzing with couples and young families, setting a laid-back tone for the rest of the hotel. Friendly staff show us to the Picture Room, a light and airy double with crisp white linen and walls hung with playful graphic prints saying things such as "Rise and shine". It's modest rather than spacious: a comfy double bed leaves room for two stylish arm chairs and a desk with views to the neighbouring buildings. (Only the two attic rooms have sea views.)