The Travel Diaries

Today’s guest is someone who has quite literally reached the very top of the world. And if his name isn’t immediately familiar to you, I can almost guarantee you’ll know some of his extraordinary work. Jimmy Chin is one of the world’s most accomplished adventurers. He’s a professional mountaineer, climber, skier, National Geographic photographer and Oscar-winning filmmaker. He’s spent more than two decades exploring some of the most remote and dangerous corners of our planet, achieving feats that most of us could barely begin to imagine. He’s completed pioneering climbs across the Himalayas and the Karakoram, and his photographs have graced the cover of National Geographic. But it’s perhaps his filmmaking that has brought his extraordinary world to a wider audience. Alongside his wife, Jimmy directed Free Solo , the breathtaking documentary following climber Alex Honnold as he attempts to scale Yosemite’s enormous El Capitan without ropes. The film won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2019. Together, they’ve also made the acclaimed documentaries Meru and The Rescue , about the incredible rescue of a boys’ football team from a flooded cave in Thailand. I met Jimmy in London while he was promoting his latest film, Everest: The Other Side , which is in cinemas now. It tells the deeply moving story of ski mountaineers Jim Morrison and Hilaree Nelson, and their seemingly impossible dream of skiing down the treacherous north face of Mount Everest. It's a film about love, loss, resilience and the lengths to which humans will go in pursuit of a dream. This interview was recorded during a busy film press junket, so we weren't in our usual studio environment, and the sound quality isn't quite up to our normal standard. But I really didn't want you to miss the opportunity to hear from someone quite so extraordinary. So, from Yosemite to the Himalayas, let's get started on the travel diaries of Jimmy Chin. Destination Recap: Minnesota, USA Yosemite National Park, California, USA El Capitan, Yosemite, California, USA Karakoram Mountains, Pakistan The Himalayas, Asia Sierra Nevada Mountains, California, USA Teton Range, Wyoming, USA Canadian Rocky Mountains, Canada Mount Everest, Nepal/Tibet Lhotse, Nepal/Tibet Mount Everest North Face, Tibet Everest Base Camp, Nepal Everest: The Other Side , is out now. With thanks to... SANI - Discover what’s new at Sani Resort for 2027, including stunning new family suites and exclusive early booking offers, with savings of up to 15%. Explore the offers here. UNA - Discover your next Italian short break with UNA Italian Hospitality at unaitalianhospitality.com If you’d like to find out who’s joining me next Tuesday, come and follow me on Instagram and TikTok . I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you. If you've enjoyed today's episode, please do subscribe to The Travel Diaries and leave us a rating or review. It really does make such a difference in helping other people discover the podcast. And if you'd like to find out who's joining me next Tuesday, come and follow me on Instagram and TikTok. I'm @hollyrubenstein on both, and I'd love to hear from you. Thanks so much for listening, and I'll see you then. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello and welcome to The Travel Diaries Unpacked, the show where we bring you the latest travel news, trends, inspiration and insider tips from some of the most knowledgeable people in the industry. Today, I'm joined by someone who really does have her finger on the pulse of the travel world: Jacqui Gifford, Editor-in-Chief of Travel + Leisure , one of the world's most influential travel magazines. Jacqui first joined me on The Travel Diaries back in 2020, and goodness, how much has changed since then! She's been in London for Travel + Leisure's inaugural international World's Best Summit, held at The Dorchester this week, bringing together some of the biggest names in hospitality and travel to explore the trends shaping the future of the industry. And that's exactly what we're diving into today. From the rise of coolcations and the return of slow travel to multigenerational holidays, the impact of AI and what truly exceptional hotel service looks like. Jacqui also shares some of her most memorable recent trips, including a spectacular escape to Brazil, a very special journey aboard Britain's newest luxury sleeper train, and the London hotel that reminded her what great hospitality is really all about. It's a fascinating conversation packed with travel inspiration and some genuinely brilliant insights into how and why we're travelling. Destination recap London, England The Bahamas Albany, The Bahamas Rosewood Baha Mar, The Bahamas Alaska, USA India Rome, Italy Rome Cavalieri, Rome Britannic Explorer, A Belmond Train, England The Lake District, England Cornwall, England Wales Cartmel, The Lake District Brown’s Hotel, London Raffles London at The OWO Sweden Denmark Norway Iceland Vancouver, Canada British Columbia, Canada Stockholm, Sweden Toronto, Canada Muskoka, Canada Italy Greece Spain Portugal St. Moritz, Switzerland Grand Hotel des Bains Kempinski, St. Moritz Badrutt’s Palace Hotel, St. Moritz Santa Catarina, Brazil Awasi Santa Catarina, Brazil São Paulo, Brazil Palácio Tangará, São Paulo San Miguel de Allende, Mexico Oaxaca, Mexico Mexico City, Mexico Cabo San Lucas, Mexico Tulum, Mexico Cartagena, Colombia Four Seasons Hotel Cartagena, Colombia Bermuda Hamilton, Bermuda Passalacqua, Lake Como, Italy Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, London Africa Egypt Easter Island, Chile Machu Picchu, Peru Australia Peru Uzbekistan A huge thank you to Jacqui Gifford for joining me again on The Travel Diaries. I always find it so fascinating hearing her perspective on where the travel industry is heading, and I particularly loved what she said about there being no right or wrong way to travel. Sometimes the most meaningful experiences are the simplest ones. As always, if you enjoyed today's episode, please do follow the podcast and leave us a five-star rating or review. It really does make such a difference. And don't forget, I'll be back on Tuesday with another episode of The Travel Diaries. Until then, happy travels! With thanks to... SANI - Discover what’s new at Sani Resort for 2027, including stunning new family suites and exclusive early booking offers, with savings of up to 15%. Explore the offers here. UNA - Discover your next Italian short break with UNA Italian Hospitality at unaitalianhospitality.com If you’d like to find out who’s joining me next Tuesday, come and follow me on Instagram and TikTok . I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you. I’ll be back on Tuesday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I'm joined by one of the funniest women in British comedy, Maisie Adam. Since winning the prestigious So You Think You're Funny competition at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2017, she's become a familiar face on shows including Mock the Week, Taskmaster and Last One Laughing, as well as selling out her own stand-up tours across the UK and beyond. Born and raised in North Yorkshire, Maisie's career has taken her all over the world, and as you'll discover, she's an incredibly enthusiastic traveller. Today, we're heading from her childhood holidays in Blackpool and Tenerife to the cobbled streets of Prague, a solo interrailing adventure through Italy, her love affair with New Orleans, and a rather unfortunate case of mistaken identity in Norway. I loved this conversation, and I hope you will too. Destination Recap Ljubljana, Slovenia Lake Bled, Slovenia Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain Blackpool, Lancashire, England Bettys Café Tea Rooms, Harrogate, England Ilkley Moor, West Yorkshire, England Cow and Calf Rocks, Ilkley, England Bolton Abbey, North Yorkshire, England Fountains Abbey, North Yorkshire, England Goathland, North Yorkshire, England Whitby, North Yorkshire, England Humble Pie 'n' Mash, Whitby, England Whitby Abbey, Whitby, England Robin Hood's Bay, North Yorkshire, England Berlin, Germany Prague, Czech Republic Milan, Italy Venice, Italy Pisa, Italy Florence, Italy Naples, Italy Sorrento, Italy Amalfi Coast, Italy New Orleans, Louisiana, USA Bourbon Street, New Orleans, USA Frenchmen Street, New Orleans, USA Preservation Hall, New Orleans, USA Garden District, New Orleans, USA Kristiansand, Norway Dubai, United Arab Emirates Brazil If you'd like to see Maisie live, she's currently touring the UK with her brand-new stand-up show, Whatsherface , with dates running through to March 2027. You can find all the dates and book tickets at maisieadam.com . You can also check out Maisie's brilliant podcast, Big Kick Energy, wherever you get your podcasts. With thanks to... Visit Isle of Wight - from breathtaking coastal scenery and beautiful beaches to charming villages, exceptional local food and unforgettable experiences, all just a short journey from the mainland. Start planning your island escape at visitisleofwight.co.uk . SANI - Discover what’s new at Sani Resort for 2027, including stunning new family suites and exclusive early booking offers, with savings of up to 15%. Explore the offers here. UNA - Discover your next Italian short break with UNA Italian Hospitality at unaitalianhospitality.com If you’d like to find out who’s joining me next Tuesday, come and follow me on Instagram and TikTok . I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you. I’ll be back on Sunday with a new episode of Unpacked with Travel & Leisure Editor, Jacqui Gifford. If you've enjoyed today's episode, please do subscribe to The Travel Diaries and leave us a rating or review. It really does make such a difference in helping other people discover the podcast. And if you'd like to find out who's joining me next Tuesday, come and follow me on Instagram and TikTok. I'm @hollyrubenstein on both, and I'd love to hear from you. Thanks so much for listening, and I'll see you then. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello and welcome back to The Travel Diaries Unpacked, your weekly weekend dose of wanderlust. Joining me this week is Isabella Craddock, she’s the founder and editor of Near+Far magazine, former editor at Condé Nast Traveller Middle East and the Middle East Academy Chair for The World’s 50 Best Hotels. Raised between Cape Town and the UK, and now based in Dubai, Isabella comes from a family of hoteliers, so you could say that a love of travel and beautiful hotels is quite literally in her blood. Today, we’re heading north to the Arctic Circle, as Isabella takes us to Tromsø in Norway and shares the extraordinary experience of witnessing the midnight sun. For my Hotel of the Week, we're swapping Norway for Paris, as I share the details of a very special stay at the iconic Hôtel de Crillon. We’re also discovering a completely different side of Dubai, as Isabella takes us to the rugged mountains of Hatta and a brand-new luxury glamping retreat. And we have our listener Q&A. Destination Recap: Tromsø, Norway Sommerøy, Norway Alta, Norway Svalbard, Norway Hôtel de Crillon, Paris, France Jardin des Tuileries, Paris, France Bar Les Ambassadeurs, Paris, France Bar Hemingway at The Ritz, Paris, France Hatta, Dubai, UAE Caravan by Habitas, Hatta, UAE The Red Sea, Saudi Arabia Kyoto, Japan Vienna, Austria Schloss Fuschl, Salzburg, Austria Moar Gut, Grossarl, Austria AKI Family Resort PLOSE, South Tyrol, Italy Make sure you check out Near+Far, for lots more inspiration, particularly if you're planning a trip to the Middle East. With thanks to... SANI - Discover what’s new at Sani Resort for 2027, including stunning new family suites and exclusive early booking offers, with savings of up to 15%. Explore the offers here. UNA - Discover your next Italian short break with UNA Italian Hospitality at unaitalianhospitality.com If you’d like to find out who’s joining me next Tuesday, come and follow me on Instagram and TikTok . I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you. I’ll be back on Tuesday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I’m joined by entrepreneur, TV personality and crafting queen, Sara Davies. Sara founded Crafter’s Companion while she was still at university, turning an idea into an international, multimillion-pound crafting business. She went on to become the youngest-ever female investor on BBC One’s Dragons’ Den, was awarded an MBE for services to the economy, and swapped the boardroom for the ballroom on Strictly Come Dancing. We recorded this episode a few weeks ago in central London, and Sara was such a lovely person to spend time with, with an infectious enthusiasm for travel. And her travel diaries are full of adventure. We’re heading from the beaches of the Scottish islands in a campervan built by her dad and trekking on the great wall of china to the northern lights in Norway and the backstreets of Kyoto. Destination recap: Yorkshire Dales, England Lake District, England Isle of Skye, Scotland Fidden Farm Campsite, Isle of Mull, Scotland Fairy Pools, Isle of Skye, Scotland Dalby Forest, North Yorkshire, England Wray Castle, Lake Windermere, England Ullswater, Lake District, England Pooley Bridge, Cumbria, England Park Foot Holiday Park, Ullswater, England Ullswater Wake & Surf, Cumbria, England Tromsø, Norway Sommarøy, Norway Bergen, Norway Alta, Norway Ice Hotel, Alta, Norway Oslo, Norway Denmark Lapland, Finland Norwegian Fjords, Norway Southampton, England P&O Cruises Iona, Norwegian Fjords Caribbean Tokyo, Japan Shinjuku Station, Tokyo, Japan Kyoto, Japan Tokyo Skytree, Japan Okinawa, Japan Osaka, Japan Japanese Alps, Japan Great Wall of China, Beijing, China Himalayas, India Delhi, India Brecon Beacons, Wales Greece Turkey Croatia Sicily, Italy Peligoni, Zakynthos, Greece River Ganges, Varanasi, India Delhi, India Taj Mahal, Agra, India West Coast, USA Yosemite National Park, California, USA Sara's new book Crafting For All Occasions is out now. And don’t forget to check out her podcast, Mind Your Business wherever you get your podcasts. With thanks to... SANI - Discover what’s new at Sani Resort for 2027, including stunning new family suites and exclusive early booking offers, with savings of up to 15%. Explore the offers here. UNA - Discover your next Italian short break with UNA Italian Hospitality at unaitalianhospitality.com If you’d like to find out who’s joining me next Tuesday, come and follow me on Instagram and TikTok . I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you. I’ll be back on Sunday with a new episode of Unpacked. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to The Travel Diaries: Unpacked, your weekend dose of wanderlust. I’m Holly Rubenstein, and today I’m joined by travel and design editor Amira Hashish, founder of creative studio Rapport, who spent 12 years at the Evening Standard, where she was executive editor. From antiques hunting in Nice to finding the quieter side of Capri, we’re exploring some of her favourite escapes, with a little Florence inspiration and insider tips for making the most of three days in LA. Plus, I’m sharing my family-friendly Hotel of the Week. Destination Recap: Nice, France Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA Hudson, New York, USA Joshua Tree, California, USA Florence, Italy Milan, Italy Mexico City, Mexico Arrowtown, South Island, New Zealand Silverton, Colorado, USA Capri, Italy Naples, Italy Marina Grande, Capri Anacapri, Capri The Grove, Hertfordshire, England Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire, England Rome, Italy Los Angeles, California, USA West Hollywood, Los Angeles Silver Lake, Los Angeles La Brea, Los Angeles Larchmont, Los Angeles Malibu, California Santa Monica, California Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Venice, Los Angeles Venice, Los Angeles Downtown Los Angeles Griffith Park and Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles Pasadena, California Palm Springs, California Santa Barbara, California Montecito, California Brooklyn, New York, USA Copacabana Palace, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Splendido, Portofino, Italy A huge thank you to Amira for joining me, and leaving us with quite the travel wish list! Find out more about Amira's work at Club Rapport . If you’d like to find out who’s joining me next Tuesday, come and follow me on Instagram and TikTok , I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you. With thanks to... Airbnb - Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.co.uk/host I’ll be back on Tuesday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I’m joined by the iconic Celia Imrie. Celia is, of course, one of Britain’s best-loved actresses, with an extraordinary career spanning more than five decades. From her unforgettable collaborations with Victoria Wood, to Bridget Jones’s Diary, Calendar Girls, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and, more recently, The Thursday Murder Club. She's one of those performers who has been part of our lives for as long as I can remember. But what you might not know about Celia is that she is a completely insatiable traveller. She's happiest when she's on the move, whether that's aboard a glamorous ocean liner, travelling across America by train or setting off on an adventure somewhere entirely unexpected - because as you’ll soon discover, Celia doesn’t fly, so this makes for a particularly interesting episode. Her lifelong love of travel is at the heart of her new book, The Elegant Hustler: Adventures from a Life on the Move, which is out now, a collection of stories from a life spent exploring the world. Destination recap Middleton-on-Sea, West Sussex, England Udaipur, Rajasthan, India Jaipur, Rajasthan, India Delhi, India Melbourne, Australia Sydney, Australia Los Angeles, California, USA Washington, D.C., USA Toronto, Canada Singapore Paris, France Sainte-Chapelle, Paris, France Nice, France Hôtel Negresco, Nice, France Villeneuve-Loubet, France Menton, France Monte Carlo, Monaco Isle of Wight, England Southampton, England Queen Mary 2, Cunard, Southampton to New York New York City, USA Coast-to-coast railway journey, USA San Luis Obispo, California, USA Los Angeles, California, USA Ice hotel, Norway Japan China The Elegant Hustler: Adventures from a Life on the Move, which is now. If you’d like to find out who’s joining me next Tuesday, come and follow me on Instagram and TikTok . I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you. I’ll be back on Sunday with another episode of Unpacked, this time with Design & Travel Editor, Amira Hashish, With thanks to... Airbnb - Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.co.uk/host . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I’m joined by the brilliant Suzannah Ramsdale, Lifestyle Director at The Standard, whose job involves knowing exactly where’s worth going and what’s worth your precious time off. And there’s so much inspiration in this conversation. If you’re already dreading the clocks going back, Suzannah has some very tempting ideas for extending your summer, with a little help from her Spanish family connections. There’s the seaside spot she returns to again and again, and a food-filled Italian escape that had me mentally checking flights before we’d finished talking. We also hear how a rather adventurous first meeting led to some extraordinary dates around the world, including a trip to New Orleans, which ties in beautifully with this week’s Louisiana Destination Special. And my Hotel of the Week is a Greek island favourite that promises to solve a few of those familiar family holiday dilemmas. Having finally been myself, I’ve got plenty to tell you. Destination Recap: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA Inns of Aurora , Aurora, USA Peligoni , Zakynthos, Greece Villa Kallista , Zakynthos, Greece Nobelos Bio Restaurant , Zakynthos, Greece Eliamos , Kefalonia, Greece Piazza Maggiore, Bologna, Italy Cremeria Santo Stefano , Bologna, Italy Cremeria La Vecchia Stalla , Bologna, Italy Cremeria Cavour , Bologna, Italy Palacio Bucarelli , Seville, Spain Cristine Bedfor , Seville, Spain Royal Alcázar, Seville, Spain Seville Cathedral, Seville, Spain Plaza de España, Seville, Spain María Luisa Park, Seville, Spain Triana, Seville, Spain La Viña, Cádiz, Spain Casa Manteca , Cádiz, Spain La Caleta, Cádiz, Spain Jerez de la Frontera, Spain Seoul, South Korea If you’d like to find out who’s joining me next Tuesday, come and follow me on Instagram and TikTok , I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you. With thanks to... Airbnb - Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.co.uk/host I’ll be back on Tuesday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From the jazz clubs and Mardi Gras parades of New Orleans to the swamps, dance halls and small towns of Acadiana, this Destination Special explores a side of Louisiana, USA that many visitors never get to see. We travel west along Interstate 10 into the heart of Cajun and Creole country, a region shaped by its French language, distinctive music, extraordinary food and deep connection to the surrounding bayous. Louisiana travel and culture writer Herman Fuselier shares the traditions behind Jazz Fest and Mardi Gras, introduces the sounds of Cajun and Zydeco music, and explains why the true heart of Cajun country lies beyond New Orleans. Cajun French musician Jourdan Thibodeaux joins me from his home on Cypress Island, overlooking the Atchafalaya Basin. We discuss language, identity, life in the swamp and the importance of experiencing South Louisiana authentically. Finally, Lori Johnson Walls of Johnson’s Boucanière in Lafayette introduces the dishes every first-time visitor should try, from crawfish étouffée and po’boys to beignets and a proper Louisiana boudin. Destination Recap Cities, towns and regions New Orleans, USA Baton Rouge, USA Acadiana, USA Atchafalaya Basin, USA Lafayette, USA Breaux Bridge, USA Opelousas, USA Eunice, USA New Iberia, USA Lake Charles, USA Sunset, USA Arnaudville, USA Washington, USA Cypress Island, USA Henderson, USA Mamou, USA Avery Island, USA Vacherie, USA Places mentioned New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, New Orleans, USA French Quarter, New Orleans, USA Café du Monde, New Orleans, USA Eunice Cajun Mardi Gras, Eunice, USA La Poussière Cajun Dancehall, Breaux Bridge, USA Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival, Breaux Bridge, USA El Sido’s Zydeco & Blues Club, Lafayette, USA Festivals Acadiens et Créoles, Lafayette, USA Johnson’s Boucanière, Lafayette, USA Dwyer’s Café, Lafayette, USA Poor Boy’s Riverside Inn, Lafayette, USA Olde Tyme Grocery, Lafayette, USA Borden’s Ice Cream Shoppe, Lafayette, USA Original Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival, Opelousas, USA DezMeaux’s Boudin, Opelousas, USA Steamboat Warehouse Restaurant, Washington, USA Hotel Klaus , Washington, USA Fred’s Lounge, Mamou, USA Cypress Cove Landing Houseboats , Henderson, USA TABASCO Factory and Avery Island, Avery Island, USA Laura Plantation, Vacherie, USA To find out more about visiting Louisiana, go to ExploreLouisiana.com . If you’d like to find out who’s joining me next Tuesday, come and follow me on Instagram and TikTok . I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you. I’ll be back on Sunday with another episode of Unpacked, this time with Suzannah Ramsdale, Lifestyle Director for The Standard. With thanks to... Airbnb - Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.co.uk/host . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on The Travel Diaries: Unpacked, I’m joined by Sarah Allard, Digital Director of Condé Nast Traveller, for your weekly weekend dose of wanderlust. Sarah’s job takes her to some extraordinary places, and today she’s sharing the trips, hotels and foodie finds she thinks should be on your radar. We start with the growing appeal of Northern Europe, including the Danish island of Bornholm, before heading to New York for her 40th birthday celebrations. Expect bagels, martinis and a few days in the Hudson Valley, where pretty towns, farm shops and gorgeous hotels make the perfect contrast to Manhattan. We’re also talking Greek island favourites, from the spectacular restaurant setting that won Sarah over on Sifnos to a new hotel on Paros. My Hotel of the Week is Monastero Santa Rosa on the Amalfi Coast, where I found what might just be my favourite swimming pool in the world. And if you’re looking for somewhere closer to home this autumn, Sarah answers a listener’s question about cosy British boutique stays, with two delicious recommendations in Somerset and Devon. Destination Recap Sweden Finland The Lofoten Islands, Norway Bornholm, Denmark New York City, USA The Hudson Valley, New York, USA INNESS , Accord, New York, USA The Catskills, New York, USA Wildflower Farms, Auberge Collection , Gardiner, New York, USA Rhinebeck, New York, USA Athens, Greece Sifnos, Greece Faros, Sifnos, Greece NÓS Hotel & Villas , Sifnos, Greece Paros, Greece Luura Paros Cliff , Paros, Greece Santorini, Greece Mykonos, Greece Gleneagles , Auchterarder, Scotland The Amalfi Coast, Italy Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spa , Conca dei Marini, Italy Amalfi, Italy Positano, Italy Capri, Italy Bruton, Somerset, England Number One Bruton , Bruton, England At the Chapel , Bruton, England Glebe House , East Devon, England India The River Nile, Egypt One&Only Moonlight Basin , Big Sky, Montana, USA Edinburgh, Scotland Glasgow, Scotland The Scottish Highlands, Scotland Hope by WildLand , Sutherland, Scotland If you’d like to find out who’s joining me next Tuesday, come and follow me on Instagram and TikTok . I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you. You can also send me your travel questions for a future episode of Unpacked at thetraveldiarespodcast@gmail.com With thanks to... Airbnb - Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.co.uk/host . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest is returning to the podcast after 5 years! TV presenter, adventurer and explorer Steve Backshall is one of the most travelled people in the world, and one of the best story tellers - so he is the ultimate Travel Diaries guest. Just listening back to his first episode in preparation for today was a reminder of what an amazing episode that was - if you haven’t listened to that scroll back and listen to that first, because his life is so interesting, and then come back and listen to this one! It was so lovely to meet him in person this time, just last week. We filmed this in London, and it was really good fun putting some of your new travel diaries chapters to him - his answers were sensational. When somebody has been to this many places it's hard to know where to start, but I think that you're going to be absolutely captivated by Steve's stories, as I was. So from Suriname to the Scilly Isles, Jerusalem to Alaska, and so much more, here’s Steve. **Listeners - there's a strange video with the loading of Apple Podcasts' video today, so I'm reuploading this as an audio only file until it resolves.** Destination recap West Cornwall, England Land’s End, England South Africa Suriname Alaska, USA Juneau, USA The Azores, Portugal Dominica Colombia Papua New Guinea New Britain, Papua New Guinea New Ireland, Papua New Guinea New Caledonia Yucatán, Mexico Cancún, Mexico Tulum, Mexico Bimini, The Bahamas The Isles of Scilly, England St Martin’s, Isles of Scilly Jerusalem Tel Aviv, Israel The Negev Desert, Israel Kyrgyzstan Northeast Greenland, Greenland Steve’s Deadly Live tour begins in October. Find out more here . If you’d like to find out who’s joining me next Tuesday, come and follow me on Instagram and TikTok , I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you. I’ll be back on Sunday with another episode of Unpacked, this time with Conde Nast Traveller’s Digital Director, Sarah Allard. With thanks to... Kimpton Los Monteros - a five-star hotel for discovering the best of Marbella. Airbnb - Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.co.uk/host Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I’m joined by travel writer, author and photographer, Luke Abrahams. Luke is one of the UK's most prolific travel journalists, having been to 30 countries this year alone, and he's about to release a new book, The Luxury Travel Book: 25 personal experiences that make you rethink the world and your place in it. These are stories that make you rethink the beauty of life and the mastery of human creativity, and it is packed full of his beautiful photography too. We'll be unpacking Ruthie Rogers' bucket list destination, Kyoto; reflecting on my Hotel of the Week, Casa Angelina; chatting about Luke's recent trip to Ladakh in Northern India, and answering your listener question. Destination Recap The Shinmonzen , Kyoto, Japan Park Hyatt Kyoto , Kyoto, Japan Sowaka , Kyoto, Japan Tokyo, Japan Okinawa, Japan Osaka, Japan Hotel Lo Scoglio , Nerano, Italy The Amalfi Coast, Italy Ravello, Italy Casa Angelina , Praiano, Italy Positano, Italy Capri, Italy Le Sirenuse , Positano, Italy The Path of the Gods, Amalfi Coast, Italy Scala, Italy Ladakh, India Shakti Ladakh , Ladakh, India Kargil, India The Imperial New Delhi , New Delhi, India Leh, India Paro, Bhutan Genghis Khan Retreat , Orkhon Valley, Mongolia Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia Kazakhstan Tajikistan Luke's new book, The Luxury Travel Book: Extraordinary experiences money can't buy is available for pre-order here . If you’d like to find out who’s joining me next Tuesday, come and follow me on Instagram and TikTok , I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you. With thanks to... Airbnb - Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.co.uk/host I’ll be back on Tuesday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest is one of the most influential figures in British food. Ruthie Rogers is the chef and co-founder of The River Cafe, the legendary Michelin-starred Italian restaurant in Hammersmith, which she opened with Rose Gray in 1987. Over nearly four decades, The River Cafe has completely transformed the way we eat and think about Italian food in this country, and its kitchens have helped launch the careers of some of Britain’s best-known chefs, including Jamie Oliver, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Theo Randall and April Bloomfield. But Ruthie’s influence extends far beyond the restaurant. She’s the author of numerous much-loved cookbooks and the host of the hugely successful podcast Ruthie’s Table 4, where an extraordinary guest list, from Paul McCartney and Elton John to David Beckham, Tony Blair and Nancy Pelosi, share the food memories that have shaped their lives. The podcast has now inspired her beautiful new book, Table 4 at The River Cafe: Conversations about Food and Life. And it turns out that food memories and travel memories have a great deal in common. Both can transport us instantly back to a particular person, place or moment in our lives. I joined Ruthie at The River Cafe on a gloriously sunny summers day. Her travel diaries today take us from Cuba and Mexico to Maine and Marrakech, as well as her beloved Italy and the beautiful rhythm of family life she created with her late husband, the architect Richard Rogers, with summers in Tuscany, winters exploring the world and an almost constant desire to plan the next adventure. Destination Recap: Havana, Cuba Hotel Lungarno, Florence, Italy Camino Real, Mexico City, Mexico Contramar, Mexico City, Mexico Niddo, Mexico City, Mexico Oaxaca, Mexico Puerto Escondido, Mexico Huatulco, Mexico Chichén Itzá, Yucatán, Mexico Uxmal, Yucatán, Mexico Monte Albán, Oaxaca, Mexico Palermo, Sicily, Italy Naples, Italy Lo Scoglio, Marina del Cantone, Italy Amalfi Coast, Italy Ravello, Italy Capri, Italy Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy Trattoria Gianni Franzi, Vernazza, Italy Santa Margherita Ligure, Italy Portofino, Italy Belmond Hotel Cipriani, Venice, Italy York, Maine, USA Marrakech, Morocco Taroudant, Morocco Tafraoute, Morocco Essaouira, Morocco Fez, Morocco The Shinmonzen, Kyoto, Japan You can listen to Ruthie’s Table 4, wherever you get your podcasts. Her new book, Table 4 at The River Cafe: Conversations about Food and Life is available now. I’ll be back on Sunday with another episode of The Travel Diaries: Unpacked. If you’d like to find out who’s joining me next Tuesday, come and follow me on Instagram and TikTok , I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you. With thanks to... Airbnb - Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.co.uk/host Citalia - Discover the real Italy with Citalia, the UK’s leading Italian holiday specialists. Let the Italy Experts craft the perfect holiday for you and experience Italy like a Citalian. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on The Travel Diaries: Unpacked , I’m joined by Lauren Ho, one of the world’s most well-travelled luxury hotel experts. Lauren is Travel Director of Wallpaper* , a contributing editor at Country & Town House and the Academy Chair for Western Europe for The World’s 50 Best Hotels . Recorded just days after this year’s list was revealed in Paris, Lauren shares her reaction to the results, why Asian hotels continue to dominate the top 10 and which new entries she was particularly pleased to see recognised. We also journey to AlUla in Saudi Arabia, where ancient Nabataean tombs, dramatic desert landscapes and extraordinary new hotels are putting the destination firmly on the travel map. Lauren shares her recent stay at Six Senses Amaala on the Red Sea and takes us inside her trip to Georgia, from the hidden corners of Tbilisi to Kakheti’s vineyards and traditional amber wine. My Hotel of the Week is the newly restored Splendido, A Belmond Hotel , overlooking the impossibly beautiful harbour of Portofino. Plus, in our listener Q&A, Lauren recommends the perfect luxurious but not completely bank-breaking destination for a special family celebration. Destination Recap The Peninsula Paris , Paris, France Rosewood Hong Kong , Hong Kong, China Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok , Bangkok, Thailand Chablé Yucatán, Chocholá, Mexico Upper House Hong Kong , Hong Kong, China Mandarin Oriental Qianmen , Beijing, China Rosewood São Paulo , São Paulo, Brazil Passalacqua , Lake Como, Italy Atlantis The Royal , Dubai, UAE Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River , Bangkok, Thailand Capella Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand Amangiri , Canyon Point, Utah, USA Monument Valley, USA AlUla, Saudi Arabia Banyan Tree AlUla , AlUla, Saudi Arabia Our Habitas AlUla , AlUla, Saudi Arabia The Chedi Hegra , Hegra, Saudi Arabia Petra, Jordan The Peninsula Hong Kong , Hong Kong, China FORESTIS , Brixen, Italy Villa Treville , Positano, Italy Carlton Cannes, a Regent Hotel, Cannes, France Splendido, A Belmond Hotel , Portofino, Italy Six Senses Amaala , AMAALA, Saudi Arabia Rosewood Amaala , AMAALA, Saudi Arabia Tbilisi, Georgia The Telegraph Hotel, Tbilisi, Georgia Kakheti, Georgia Estelle Manor , The Cotswolds, England Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest is one of Britain’s funniest, most distinctive and most beloved writers, Caitlin Moran. Caitlin began writing her first book at just 13, was published at 16, and became an award-winning Times columnist and the bestselling author of books including How to Be a Woman, More Than a Woman and What About Men? Her brilliant new book is called How to Be Hopeful, and it begins with a feeling I think many of us will recognise: that the world has become overwhelming and the only reasonable solution might be to run away and start an entirely new life somewhere else. In Caitlin’s case, that meant fantasising about a self-sufficient farmhouse in the Welsh mountains, until she discovered quite how expensive Welsh farmhouses actually are. So what happens next? From her wonderfully feral childhood summers she spent living with her seven siblings in a tiny caravan in Wales to a romantic road trip through the Scottish Highlands; the lavish trip to Antigua that taught her luxury travel wasn’t necessarily for her; and why Corfu remains the island she returns to again and again, and much much more, here are the Travel Diaries of Caitlin Moran. Destination Recap: Tregaron, Wales Strata Florida Abbey, Wales Ynyslas, Wales Ullapool, Scotland Rannoch Moor, Scotland Cornwall, England Antigua and Barbuda Tenby, Wales Kassiopi, Corfu, Greece Paxos, Greece Antipaxos, Greece Iceland Japanese Alps, Japan Tokyo, Japan Abergavenny, Wales Bannau Brycheiniog, Wales Florida, USA Austria Scandinavia Thanks so much for listening today. If you’d like to find out who’s joining me next Tuesday, come and follow me on Instagram and TikTok , I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you. I’ll be back on Sunday with The Travel Diaries: Unpacked and our guest, World’s 50 Best Hotels European chair, and travel journalist, Lauren Ho. If you’d like to find out who’s joining me next Tuesday, come and follow me on Instagram and TikTok , I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you. With thanks to... Airbnb - Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.co.uk/host Hotels with History podcast - Hotels with History is a podcast hosted by actor Richard E. Grant and travel & hospitality expert Jules Perowne, uncovering the scandals, legends and surprising stories behind the world's most legendary hotels. Search Hotels with History wherever you get your podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello and welcome to our very first episode of The Travel Diaries: Unpacked, your weekend travel fix. Today I’m joined by the fabulous John O'Ceallaigh. John is a travel journalist and consultant to luxury hospitality brands, who previously served as the luxury travel editor for The Telegraph for nearly a decade. We'll be unpacking Nisha's bucket list destination, China; reflecting on my Hotel of the Week, Six Senses London; chatting about John's recent trip to Azerbaijan, and answering your listener question. Destination Recap: China Beijing, China Shanghai, China Yunnan, China Shangri-La, Yunnan, China Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, Shangri-La, China Yellow Mountain, Anhui, China Chengdu, Sichuan, China St Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City Six Senses London, Bayswater, London, England The Whiteley, Bayswater, London, England Notting Hill, London, England Dubai, United Arab Emirates Baku, Azerbaijan Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan Fairmont Baku, Flame Towers, Baku, Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev Centre, Baku, Azerbaijan Uzbekistan Khiva, Uzbekistan Samarkand, Uzbekistan Registan Square, Samarkand, Uzbekistan All the destinations mentioned are included in the episode show notes and on thetraveldiariespodcast.com If you’d like to find out who’s joining me next Tuesday, come and follow me on Instagram and TikTok , I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you. With thanks to... Airbnb - Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.co.uk/host I’ll be back on Tuesday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello and welcome to a brand new season of The Travel Diaries. It’s great to be back! I couldn’t think of a more joyful guest to kick off the season than Nisha Katona. A former child protection barrister turned restaurateur, food writer and TV presenter, Nisha is the founder of the hugely successful Mowgli Street Food restaurants, the author of several cookbooks, including her newest release, The Curry Bible, and was a judge on the BBC’s Great British Menu. In this episode, Nisha describes herself as a “culinary evangelist and anthropologist”, and food is the thread running through her extraordinary Travel Diaries. We journey from childhood holidays in Mallorca and the tastes that first awakened her curiosity, to Beijing, her ancestral home of Varanasi, the temples and night markets of Cambodia, and her love for the Amalfi Coast. Our conversation travelled far beyond holidays, taking in family, identity, faith, grief and the ways in which travel helps us understand both the world and ourselves. Destination Recap: Mallorca, Spain Taunus Therme, Bad Homburg, Germany Beijing, China Forbidden City, Beijing, China Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India River Ganges, Varanasi, India Siem Reap, Cambodia Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia Jeju Island, South Korea Amalfi Coast, Campania, Italy Mount Vesuvius, Campania, Italy Pompeii, Campania, Italy Herculaneum, Campania, Italy Parco dei Principi, Sorrento, Italy Positano, Campania, Italy Ravello, Campania, Italy Capri, Campania, Italy Lloret de Mar, Catalonia, Spain Blanes, Catalonia, Spain Ibiza, Spain China Jerusalem, Israel Nisha's fabulous new book, The Curry Bible, is out now. Today’s conversation was filmed earlier this summer at the beautiful London Marriott Hotel County Hall, in the most spectacular room - The Big Ben Balcony Suite - overlooking the Thames and the Houses of Parliament. I’ll be back on Sunday with our first episode of The Travel Diaries: Unpacked with travel editor John O'Ceallaigh. If you’d like to find out who’s joining me next Tuesday, come and follow me on Instagram and TikTok , I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you. With thanks to... Airbnb - Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.co.uk/host Citalia - Discover the real Italy with Citalia, the UK’s leading Italian holiday specialists. Let the Italy Experts craft the perfect holiday for you and experience Italy like a Citalian. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest is, quite simply, one of the great travellers of our time. Sir Michael Palin first joined me on The Travel Diaries back in 2020, and that episode went on to become one of our most loved and most listened-to conversations ever. So when the opportunity came up for him to return to the podcast, this time to mark the publication of his new book, In Nigeria, I absolutely leapt at the chance. For anyone listening who might not be fully familiar with Sir Michael Palin’s extraordinary career, he first became known as one of the members of Monty Python, before going on to become one of the world’s most beloved travel broadcasters and writers. His landmark BBC travel series, from Around the World in 80 Days to Pole to Pole , Full Circle , Himalaya and so many more, completely changed the way travel was brought to our screens. I went to Michael’s house in London to film the interview and you’ll be able to watch the full conversation on YouTube and Spotify this weekend. On today’s episode, we talk about some of the extraordinary journeys he’s been on since we last spoke, from Nigeria to Iraq, Venezuela and the Philippines. We talk about the places that surprised him, the countries that defied their reputation, the journeys that have stayed with him, and the places he still dreams of visiting. And, because Michael has already shared his original seven travel chapters with us, this time I asked you to send in some brand new travel chapters for him. So listen out, because one of your questions might just be in there. Holly’s stay: Palazzo Fiuggi , Italy Destination Recap: Venezuela Philippines Nigeria, Nigeria Lagos, Nigeria Kano, Nigeria Port Harcourt, Nigeria Iraq, Iraq Babylon, Iraq Cuzco, Peru Machu Picchu, Peru Iguazu Falls, Argentina/Brazil Victoria Falls, Zambia/Zimbabwe Russia, Russia Mürren, Switzerland Kamchatka, Russia Bhutan Nepal The Dolomites, Italy Armenia, Armenia Georgia, Georgia Mount Ararat, Turkey/Armenia Michael's new book, In Nigeria, is out now. With thanks to Sani for their support of today's episode. Discover your paradise at Sani. For more information, visit sani-resort.com Thank you so much to all of you for listening this season. I really hope you’ve enjoyed travelling the world with me through all of these conversations. The good news is, it won’t be too long before I’m back. We’ve got another summer season coming your way in mid-August, so there are lots more travel stories to come very soon. You can find me on Instagram and TikTok at @hollyrubenstein, you can watch us on YouTube here . And have you checked out my brand new Travel Diaries map, which will save every single destination ever mentioned on the podcast? A very dangerous tool for anyone with a serious case of wanderlust? You can look at it here. Thank you again for listening, have a wonderful summer, and I’ll see you very soon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before we get started, a quick warning: this episode contains spoilers. So if you haven’t finished watching the latest series of Race Across the World, I’d suggest turning off now and coming back once you have! Race Across the World is one of those shows that just gets under your skin, isn’t it? You start off thinking you’re watching a travel programme, and then suddenly you’re so emotionally invested in people trying to get across a border, find a cheap hostel, or make it onto a 29-hour train with no phone and barely any money. This season, five pairs travel over 12,000 kilometres, from Palermo in Sicily all the way to Hatgal in Mongolia, without smartphones, internet access, flights or bank cards, relying instead on instinct, kindness, grit and a lot of very long bus and train journeys. And at the heart of it all were today’s guests: best friends Jo and Kush from Liverpool, who not only won the series, but completely won over viewers along the way. Their friendship was such a joy to watch and there was something so lovely about seeing two young men support each other so openly through the highs and lows. What I loved about chatting to them is that Race Across the World has this brilliant sense of mystery around it. As a viewer, I’m always wondering how the show actually works. So in this episode, we really get into all of that. We talk about the audition process, the secrecy around winning, the budget, the homestays, the toilets, the borders, the long-distance trains, and what it’s really like travelling without your phone in your pocket. And of course, we talk about the places too. From Sorrento and Naples, to Tbilisi in Georgia, the mountains of Kyrgyzstan, the vast landscapes of Kazakhstan, and the wild, icy beauty of Mongolia. Destination Recap: Palermo, Sicily, Italy Sorrento, Italy Naples, Italy Greece Türkiye Kars, Türkiye Georgia Tbilisi, Georgia Azerbaijan Uzbekistan Kyrgyzstan Jalal-Abad, Kyrgyzstan Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Kazakhstan Kyzylorda, Kazakhstan Almaty, Kazakhstan Mongolia Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia Hatgal, Mongolia Lake Khövsgöl, Mongolia Kathmandu, Nepal Punjab, India Central India Sri Lanka Costa Rica Brazil Rio de Janeiro, Brazil With thanks to... Richard Haworth - Discover their luxury hotel-quality bedding, towels and table linen at Richard Haworth At Home Airbnb - Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.co.uk/host Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest is one of the country’s best-loved comedians and presenters - the wonderful Tom Allen. You’ll know him from Bake Off: An Extra Slice , The Apprentice: You’re Fired , QI , Would I Lie To You? , Live at the Apollo and of course his standup comedy. He’s also a brilliant writer, and his new novel, Common Decency , is out now. Tom’s travel diaries are full of glorious detail. We talk childhood holidays, package holidays, the etiquette of sunbeds, solo travel, America, Japan, Spain, the joy of a great hotel, and why food is so often the thing that makes a place unforgettable. Destination Recap: Holly: Sani, Halkidiki, Greece Tom: Gran Canaria, Spain Javea, Spain Alicante, Spain Benidorm, Spain San Francisco, USA New York, USA Philadelphia, USA Cherry Hill, USA Japan Tokyo, Japan Kyoto, Japan Osaka, Japan Hiroshima, Japan Nara, Japan Gran Canaria, Spain Maspalomas, Spain Menorca, Spain Wakefield, England Elgin, Scotland Banchory, Scotland Highlands and Islands, Scotland Beijing, China Forbidden City, China Great Wall of China, China Tom Allen’s hilarious debut novel Common Decency is out now Today’s episode was filmed in the Westminster Suite at London Marriott County Hall With thanks to... Richard Haworth - Discover their luxury hotel-quality bedding, towels and table linen at Richard Haworth At Home Airbnb - Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.co.uk/host If you enjoyed this episode, please hit follow or subscribe on your podcast app. It really helps the podcast grow, allows me to keep bringing you these incredible guests - and it means you’re delivered a fresh dose of wanderlust each week. And if you’d like a little more Travel Diaries in your life, you can find me on Instagram and TikTok @hollyrubenstein. Thanks so much for listening, and I’ll see you next week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.