# MapTales

> Create and share interactive travel maps with photos, animated routes, and stories.

## About

MapTales is a web application that lets users create beautiful interactive travel maps. Users can plot locations on a map, add photos and descriptions, choose transport types (car, plane, walk, bicycle, boat, bus, train), and watch animated route playback between destinations. Maps can be shared publicly, privately, or via unique links.

- Website: https://maptales.eu
- Languages: English, Slovak

## Key Features

- **Interactive Maps**: Create travel maps with custom locations, descriptions, and visit dates
- **Animated Routes**: Watch realistic animated route playback between locations
- **Photo Galleries**: Upload photos and videos to each location
- **7 Transport Types**: Car (road routing), plane (flight paths), walk, bicycle, boat, bus, train
- **3 Map Styles**: Dark, light, satellite
- **Sharing Options**: Public, private, or link-only with QR code generation
- **Map Embedding**: Embed maps on external websites via iframe
- **PDF Export**: Generate printable travel journals from maps
- **Video Export**: Create animated video summaries of trips
- **Collaboration**: Invite others to co-edit maps in real-time
- **Travel Map**: Personal scratch map showing visited countries
- **GPX Import**: Import routes from GPS devices
- **Photo Import**: Auto-create maps from geotagged photos
- **Weather Data**: See weather conditions for each location
- **Explore Feed**: Discover public maps from other travelers
- **Achievements**: Earn badges for travel milestones
- **Leaderboard**: Compare travel stats with the community
- **Public API**: Programmatic access to map data

## Pricing

| Plan | Price | Maps | Locations/Map | Images/Location |
|------|-------|------|---------------|-----------------|
| Free | €0/mo | 2 | 6 | 3 |
| Explorer | €4.99/mo | 10 | 25 | 10 |
| Adventurer | €9.99/mo | 30 | 50 | 25 |
| Pro | €14.99/mo | Unlimited | Unlimited | 50 |

All paid plans include private maps, link-only sharing, and a 7-day free trial.

## Use Cases

- Travel bloggers documenting journeys
- Road trip planning and sharing
- Honeymoon and vacation memories
- Digital nomad route tracking
- Family travel journals
- Educational geography projects

## FAQ

**Q: Is MapTales free?**
A: Yes, the free tier includes 2 maps with up to 6 locations each. Paid plans start at €4.99/month.

**Q: Can I share maps with non-users?**
A: Yes. Public maps are visible to anyone. Link-only maps can be accessed by anyone with the link, no account needed.

**Q: What transport types are supported?**
A: Car, plane, walk, bicycle, boat, bus, and train. Each shows realistic animated routes.

**Q: Can I collaborate on maps?**
A: Yes. Invite collaborators as viewers, editors, or admins to co-edit maps in real-time.

**Q: Does MapTales have an API?**
A: Yes. A public REST API is available for programmatic access to map data. API keys can be generated in account settings.

**Q: Can I import GPS data?**
A: Yes. MapTales supports GPX file import and can auto-create maps from geotagged photos.

## User Stories & Examples

### Travel Blogger
Sarah is a travel blogger who documents her 3-month Europe trip. She creates a map for each country, adds photos from her camera (auto-positioned via GPS data), writes descriptions, and shares the maps publicly. Her readers follow the animated routes and explore her photo galleries. She embeds the maps in her blog posts via iframe.

### Family Road Trip
The Johnson family plans a 2-week road trip across the US. They create a shared map where each family member can add locations and upload photos in real-time using collaboration. After the trip, they export a PDF travel journal as a keepsake and share the animated video on social media.

### Digital Nomad
Alex works remotely while traveling Southeast Asia. He uses MapTales to track every city he works from — adding coworking spaces, cafes, and accommodations. His scratch map shows 23 countries visited. He shares his public profile so other nomads can discover his favorite spots.

### Honeymoon Memory
Maria and João create a private map of their honeymoon in Greece. They add photos of each island they visited, with boat transport between locations. The animated route playback becomes a cherished memory they revisit every anniversary.

### Student Geography Project
A high school teacher assigns students to create MapTales maps of historical trade routes. Students add locations with descriptions of what was traded, using the plane and boat transport types. The maps are shared via link-only URLs for class presentations.

### Cycling Tour
A cycling club documents their annual tour across the Alps. They import their GPX tracks from bike computers, add photos at each mountain pass, and use the bicycle transport type. The weather overlay shows conditions they rode through.

### Company Retreat Planner
An event planner creates a map for a corporate retreat in Portugal. Locations include the hotel, restaurants, and activity venues with descriptions and photos. The map is shared via QR code printed on welcome packets.

## How It Works

1. **Create an account** — Sign up for free at maptales.eu
2. **Create a map** — Give your map a name and optional description
3. **Add locations** — Click on the map or search for places. Add photos, descriptions, and visit dates
4. **Choose transport** — Select how you traveled between locations (car, plane, walk, bicycle, boat, bus, train)
5. **Watch the animation** — Press play to see your route animated on the map
6. **Share** — Make it public, share via link, embed on your website, or export as PDF/video

## Links


- Full documentation: https://maptales.eu/llms-full.txt
- Explore public maps: https://maptales.eu/explore
- Pricing details: https://maptales.eu/pricing
- API documentation: https://maptales.eu/api-docs
- Privacy policy: https://maptales.eu/privacy
- Terms of service: https://maptales.eu/terms