We travel internationally quite a bit, and I have searched long and hard for a way to mark places on a map and save them reliably so we can see them on our phones. What we really want is to be able to create several maps, like one for each place we’re going to visit, and switch between them.
The only thing I’ve found that will do something like this is Google MyMaps but it is sooo clunky, and it’s not reliable over cellular.
Suggestions?
Add locations you want to visit as contacts and then view them in Apple Maps?
My wife and I have used map.me all over the world. Most maps are free. When I am going someplace, I will put a pin in important places like my hotel before I leave so I have them mapped even if I don’t have cellular access.
I use Mapstr, though it doesn’t have offline capabilities. It does have tags though and they work very nicely for grouping pins together.
Same for me: using maps.me app for offline maps, but i create my travel routes and poi’s in Google Earth. Then i export the data from there as kml-file and import it into maps.me. Done. Very helpful is also to have different colors for the pins available.
I use Galileo, which has good vector maps, works offline and lets you save pois in folder so you can turn whole groups on and off.
It even has offline navigation now, though I use Google for that.
That sounds like a really cool idea… I will have to try that.
Another thing that I use maps.me for (sorry I misspelled it in my first post) is checking where I am on an airplane. It usually takes a little while to get a GPS signal, but once I do I can find out exactly where I am — a nice diversion on long flights 
@maennig - looks good, but there are no updates since 2013? Would have it for the Topographical map, but if the other map-data is not updated, its not practical. For me personally i like all the details in OpenStreetMap and they are mostly added in the past years.
Thanks, i was just looking at the AppStore-page and there it says © 2013. Thats the point for OSM - we see our changes very fast compared to other maps. Every time i plan a hiking-vacation i’am adding a lot of buildings and other things i recognise to the map along my route. 
Maps.me (and maybe others listed here) are based on the crowd-sourced open map project so the maps are updated quite frequently.
(I even got an account on the map project and added a couple of POI for consideration.)
I don’t actually know if it is on iOS, but on android I use the Nokia here app, it allows me to download that maps for whole country’s and regions for offline useage. Something I find invaluable when I am in Europe
Thanks to all for some great ideas. I had maps.me for quite a while but I didn’t know it could slurp up kml files, so I’ll be checking into that. Also Galileo and Mapout.
What a great place this is!
Useful conversation - Thanks!
I have a related project which I’d love some input on.
I need to make and print maps to give to and orient attendees who have signed up for a bus tour. We’ll be visiting several neighborhoods and I would like everyone to know where we are. No need for great detail.
I would like to enter up to 5-10 addresses In the software and have it create a simple elegant map with markers for each location. I’d also love to be able to identify with a few words - a label - the name of the neighborhood/location.
What software or a combination of software can Help me create such an end product?
@nplanchon Maybe add your places in Google Earth and overlay with OpenStreetMap for a clearer map? Make a screenshot and give them the pic.
