Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The Travel Diaries
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maisie Adam | 27 oct. 2026 | 01:04:03 | |
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
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. 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. | |||
| Unpacked: Tromsø, Hôtel de Crillon, Hatta, Listener Q&A & more with Near & Far Editor, Isabella Craddock | 25 oct. 2026 | 00:33:27 | |
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:
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. | |||
| Sara Davies | 20 oct. 2026 | 00:53:48 | |
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:
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. | |||
| Unpacked: Capri, Nice, My wedding story (!), The Grove, LA & more with Design & Travel Editor, Amira Hashish | 18 oct. 2026 | 00:44:49 | |
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:
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. | |||
| Celia Imrie | 13 oct. 2026 | 00:53:08 | |
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
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. | |||
| Unpacked: Seville, Bologna, Peligoni, Cádiz & more with Suzannah Ramsdale, Lifestyle Director at The London Standard | 11 oct. 2026 | 00:37:47 | |
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:
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. | |||
| Louisiana: Small Towns, Swamps & Southern Soul - Destination Special | 06 oct. 2026 | 00:49:11 | |
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.
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. | |||
| Unpacked: New York, Greek Islands, Monastero Santa Rosa, Scandinavia & more, with Conde Nast Traveller Digital Director, Sarah Allard | 04 oct. 2026 | 00:31:45 | |
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
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. | |||
| Steve Backshall returns to the podcast! | 29 sept. 2026 | 00:55:12 | |
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
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. | |||
| Unpacked: Japan, Mongolia, Praiano's Casa Angelina, Ladakh & more with travel writer, Luke Abrahams | 27 sept. 2026 | 00:40:56 | |
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
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. | |||
| Ruthie Rogers | 22 sept. 2026 | 00:41:54 | |
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:
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. | |||
| Unpacked: World's 50 Best Hotels, Belmond Splendido, AlUla, Listener Q&A & more with travel editor, Lauren Ho | 20 sept. 2026 | 00:35:51 | |
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
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| Caitlin Moran | 15 sept. 2026 | 00:52:20 | |
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:
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. | |||
| Unpacked: China, Uzbekistan, Baku, Six Senses & more with travel editor, John O'Ceallaigh | 13 sept. 2026 | 00:33:50 | |
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:
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. | |||
| Nisha Katona | 08 sept. 2026 | 00:59:13 | |
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:
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. | |||
| Sir Michael Palin returns | 16 juin 2026 | 00:56:55 | |
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:
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. | |||
| Race Across The World’s, Jo and Kush | 09 juin 2026 | 00:49:06 | |
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:
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. | |||
| Tom Allen | 02 juin 2026 | 01:00:55 | |
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:
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. | |||
| Matt Tebbutt's Queensland, Australia - Destination Special | 30 mai 2026 | 00:30:49 | |
On today’s Destination Special, we’re taking you somewhere that, for so many travellers, represents the ultimate holiday feeling: Queensland, Australia. This is a state seven times the size of Britain! A place where one trip can take you from the cultural heartbeat and riverside energy of Brisbane, to the al fresco beach lifestyle of the Gold Coast, to ancient rainforest, island life, wildlife encounters, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island cultures, First Nations storytelling, and one of the seven natural wonders of the world, the Great Barrier Reef. Known as Australia’s Sunshine State, Queensland is, of course, famous for its blue skies, golden beaches and that blissful sense of switching off the moment you arrive. But as I discovered through making this episode, it is so much more than that. And that, really, is what makes Queensland so compelling - it’s not just one kind of holiday. It’s a whole collection of holidays in one place. You can wake up in Brisbane, wandering along the river as the city comes to life, stop for brilliant coffee and world-class food, then be out in nature within minutes, perhaps heading to nearby Minjerribah, also known as North Stradbroke Island, for First Nations culture and extraordinary natural landscapes. You can head south towards the Gold Coast for beach walks, coastal drives, wineries, rainforest and incredible produce. Or you can travel north to the Whitsundays, where Hamilton Island, Whitehaven Beach and the Great Barrier Reef deliver that almost dreamlike version of Australia with its turquoise water, white sand, sailing, seafood, and warm tropical air. Today’s guest is someone who experienced Queensland through one of its great strengths: food. Matt Tebbutt, chef, broadcaster and host of Saturday Kitchen, recently travelled there, eating his way through the state, from riverside restaurants and beachside lunches to extraordinary seafood and island dining. What struck me most in speaking to Matt was that the food became a way into everything else: the landscape, the wildlife, the culture, the openness, the warmth, and that easy-going Aussie outdoor lifestyle. This episode is wanderlust, guaranteed. So let’s buckle up and get started. Destination Recap
Thank you to Tourism and Events Queensland for working with me on this episode. For more information and further inspiration about travelling to Queensland, visit queensland.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please hit follow or subscribe wherever you’re listening. 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 on Tuesday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Antoni Porowski, Queer Eye star and Presenter | 26 mai 2026 | 00:53:01 | |
Today’s guest is a global tv star, bestselling author, food obsessive and one of the most beloved members of one of Netflix’s biggest ever shows…Antoni Porowski. You’ll know Antoni as the much-loved food and wine expert from Netflix’s global phenomenon Queer Eye, where for ten seasons he helped people transform not just the way they cooked and ate, but the way they saw themselves. Antoni’s own story is such a fascinating journey in itself. In today’s episode, we travel through his life from childhood road trips to the North Carolina coast and the first meal that truly blew his mind, to the trip he saved up for as a young waiter in New York that made him fall completely in love with travel. We talk about the years before Queer Eye, when he was auditioning, working in restaurants, hustling, and trying to find his way in New York, and what it felt like when the show suddenly changed everything. And, of course, we dive into his new National Geographic series, Best of the World with Antoni Porowski, which takes him to Paris, Mexico City, London and New York. Destination Recap: Holly: AKI Family Resort, Italy
Best of the World with Antoni Porowski premieres June 7 on National Geographic and will be available to stream June 8 on Disney+ and Hulu. 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 wherever you’re listening. 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. | |||
| Eva zu Beck, adventurer & filmmaker | 19 mai 2026 | 00:55:15 | |
Today’s guest is an adventurer, filmmaker, writer and one of the most extraordinary travel storytellers of her generation. Eva zu Beck's life reads like something from a film. She was Oxford-educated, working in travel media, married, successful, and living the kind of polished, high-achieving life so many people are told to want. But behind the scenes, she knew something wasn’t right. So she walked away from it all. The marriage, the career, the security, the neatly mapped-out future, and bought a one-way ticket to Nepal. Over the past nine years, Eva has travelled almost constantly, often to some of the wildest, most remote and most misunderstood places on earth. She has crossed the Mongolian wilderness on horseback, travelled through the mountains of Pakistan living alongside local families, spent months on the otherworldly island of Socotra in Yemen during lockdown, and driven her old Land Rover Defender, Odyssey, from Mexico through Central America and the United States, all the way to the northernmost point of Alaska. You’re going to love this one guys. Destination recap:
Eva’s new book, The Wilder Way, is out now, and if you loved this conversation, I think you’ll absolutely love the book too. 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 wherever you’re listening. 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. | |||
| Newport Beach - Bonus Destination Special | 16 mai 2026 | 00:33:55 | |
Today we’re heading to the sun-soaked Southern California coast in the USA, arriving at Newport Beach. Now, if you’re listening in the UK and thinking, hang on, where exactly is Newport Beach? - it’s just south of Los Angeles, in Orange County. For a lot of you listening, that name might immediately conjure up The O.C., or the The Real Housewives of Orange County - it’s one of those places that really captures that classic California coastal lifestyle: long sandy beaches, a beautiful harbour dotted with boats, waterfront restaurants serving the freshest seafood, surf culture, spectacular houses, and that sense that life is lived largely outdoors. It’s glamorous, yes, but it’s also very accessible for all price points and surprisingly varied once you get to know it - and that’s what this episode is all about. I’m joined today by Gary Sherwin, a Newport Beach local for the last 25 years, travel expert and CEO of Visit Newport Beach - he knows the area inside out. He shares the places, experiences and little details that really give you a feel for the destination. Because this isn’t just somewhere to come for a quick beach stop. It’s a destination in its own right, and one that seems to offer a really lovely mix of things: that classic California coast feeling, yes, but also a lot of variety within it - from smart hotels and great food to beach days, boat days, family-friendly experiences, little pockets with their own personality, and plenty of ways to slow down and enjoy being by the water. So whether you’re plotting a wider California trip, looking for a different side of Southern California, or just in the mood for a little armchair travel to somewhere sunny and coastal, this should give you a very good feel for it. Destination Recap:
You can discover more about Newport Beach here. As always, thank you so much for listening. If you enjoyed it, do share it with someone who’s planning a California trip, and don’t forget to follow or subscribe on your podcast app so you never miss an episode. I’ll be back on Tuesday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Lucy Beaumont | 12 mai 2026 | 00:53:19 | |
Today's guest is one of the most distinctive and brilliantly funny voices in British comedy. Born in Cornwall by accident, raised in Hull with pride, Lucy Beaumont has built a career out of finding the strange, hilarious and deeply human moments in everyday life. You’ll know her from shows like Would I Lie To You?, Taskmaster, Meet the Richardsons, The Celebrity Traitors, and so much more, as well as from her acclaimed stand-up and writing. In today’s conversation, we travel from an out-of-season teenage trip to Magaluf, to sneaking off to Torquay in search of surfers, falling in love with Menorca, finding magic in New York and New Orleans, and the spiritual pull of Robin Hood’s Bay. We also talk about Hull, panel shows, pad Thai on tour, Celebrity Traitors secrets, travelling with Johnny Vegas, and her brilliant new tour, Bad at Quiz Shows, Good with Weirdos, which begins this September. Holly's Destination Recap
Lucy's Destination Recap
Tickets are available for Lucy's new tour, Bad at Quiz Shows, Good with Weirdos, which begins this September. Thank you to the London Marriot County Hall for having us to film the episode. With thanks to... 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 wherever you’re listening. 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. | |||
| Charlotte Crosby | 05 mai 2026 | 00:54:29 | |
Today’s guest is one of the defining reality TV stars of the last decade. Charlotte Crosby first burst onto our screens on Geordie Shore, one of the biggest reality shows of the 2010s - a show that became a global phenomenon and completely changed the course of her life, taking her from the north of England to filming and working all over the world. Since then, she’s built a huge international following, particularly in Australia, where she’s become a familiar face on primetime TV. And as you’ll hear, travel has completely shaped who she is today. From Southshields to Sydney, Spain to Canada, I know you’re going to love this one Holly's Destination Recap:
Destination Recap:
Bestselling author and reality TV star Charlotte Crosby teams up with Loveholidays to encourage Brits to get reading on holiday With thanks to... 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 wherever you’re listening. 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. | |||
| Dermot O'Leary | 28 avr. 2026 | 00:54:01 | |
Today’s guest is someone whose voice - and face - I think most of us know instantly. Dermot O'Leary has been such a constant in British life for years now, from hosting The X Factor, to his Friday slot on This Morning, to his weekend shows on BBC Radio 2. He’s had this really varied career - presenting everything from major live events like the Brit Awards and BAFTAs, to documentaries, and his more recent travel and food series Taste of Ireland with Dermot O’Leary on ITV, which is back for a second season. What I loved about this conversation is how much of his life has been shaped by travel. He grew up in an Irish family, going back and forth between England and Ireland, with those long childhood journeys to Wexford becoming some of his earliest memories. And that sense of place, of identity, of belonging really runs through everything he talks about in this episode. So today, we’re diving into the seven chapters of Dermot’s travel diaries, from those childhood summers in Ireland, to travelling solo across America, winter escapes to Norway to the Italian region that’s completely stolen his heart. Holly’s Destination Recap: - Priesteregg Resort, Leogang, Austria Dermot’s Destination Recap:
DERMOT O'LEARY'S TASTE OF IRELAND kicks off on Saturday 2nd May on ITV 1 and ITVX, in partnership with Tourism Ireland With thanks to… 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. EZRA - You can use the code EzraUK300 for £300 credit towards a scan. 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 wherever you’re listening. 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. | |||
| Totally Türkiye - Destination Special with Trip.com | 21 avr. 2026 | 00:48:17 | |
In this Destination Special episode, we head to Turkey or Türkiye as it’s now officially known - a country where continents, cultures and centuries collide. From the energy of Istanbul to the surreal landscapes of Cappadocia, and from the beach clubs of Antalya to the hidden coves of the Turquoise Coast, this is a journey through one of the world’s most diverse travel destinations. Along the way, you’ll hear stories and recommendations from past Travel Diaries guests including Simon Reeve, Beverley Knight, Jamie Laing and Fiona Duncan, alongside expert insight from travel writer Annabelle Thorpe, who shares where to go, what not to miss, and her favourite hidden gems. Whether you’re planning a multi-stop itinerary or dreaming of your next escape, this episode is packed with inspiration for exploring Turkey. Destination Recap: Istanbul
Cappadocia
Antalya & Surrounds
Turquoise Coast / Southwest Coast
Kalkan & Kaş Area
Bozburun Peninsula
Datça Peninsula
Dalaman Area
Eastern Turkey
With thanks to trip.com for their support of today’s episode. If you’re anything like me and tend to plan quite layered, multi-stop trips, trip.com is a really useful tool to have in your back pocket. What I love is being able to see everything in one place, whether that’s flights, hotels, trains or experiences, and to just map it all out properly. With trip.com I can book everything - perfect for exploring a destination as vast and diverse as Turkey. If you’re enjoying The Travel Diaries, don’t forget to follow or subscribe on your podcast app so you never miss an episode. You can also follow me on Instagram @hollyrubenstein and on TikTok for more travel inspiration and behind the scenes. Thanks again for listening, and see you next week! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Tom Bradby | 14 avr. 2026 | 00:52:30 | |
Tom Bradby is the calm, authoritative face of ITV News at Ten…but behind that desk is a man who has reported from war zones, witnessed history unfold first-hand… and even been shot in the line of duty. He’s spent decades right at the centre of global events, from political uprisings to natural disasters, often in places most of us would never dare to go. And then there’s the royal family. He’s one of the very few journalists to have had real, behind-the-scenes access at the moments the whole world is watching. He was the journalist chosen to conduct the official engagement interview with Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales - and that wasn’t just an announcement. It was the moment the world properly met Kate, heard their story in their own words, and got a first glimpse of the future of the monarchy. And then, years later, he was trusted again. This time sitting down with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in an interview that completely broke with royal tradition, when Harry openly spoke about the pressures he was under and confirmed a rift with his brother. Those are the moments people remember watching. Talking about. Picking apart the next day. And now, he’s turned all of that experience into drama, with his new ITV series Secret Service - a gripping political thriller that feels so real because it comes from a world he knows intimately. At the heart of it all, he’s a traveller. From a childhood spent chasing the sun in Gibraltar and Malta, to ski racing in the Austrian Alps, to reporting from some of the most extraordinary and challenging places on earth… his life has been shaped by the places he’s been. Holly’s Destination Recap:
Tom’s Destination Recap:
Secret Service starts Monday 27th April, 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX. This episode was recorded at the London Marriott Hotel County Hall. With thanks to… Airbnb - Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.co.uk/host Saily - Download SAILY in your app store and use our code traveldiaries at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase If you enjoyed this episode, please hit follow or subscribe wherever you’re listening. 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. | |||
| Eve, Grammy-winning hip hop star | 07 avr. 2026 | 00:47:27 | |
Today’s guest is quite simply one of the most iconic voices in hip hop and R&B. She’s the artist behind some of the biggest tracks of the early 2000s, including Who’s That Girl, Let Me Blow Ya Mind with Gwen Stefani, and Gangsta Lovin’. These are songs that defined an era and still feel just as fresh today. It is of course, Eve. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Eve, rose to global fame as part of the legendary Ruff Ryders crew, working alongside names like DMX and Dr. Dre, before carving out her own hugely successful solo career. She became the third female rapper in history to have a number one album on the Billboard 200, won a Grammy, starred in film and television, and has remained one of the most respected and trailblazing women in the industry. But beyond the music, there’s a whole other side to Eve, one shaped by travel. As she told me, she still feels like that “little girl from Philadelphia who got to see the world because of her music” . In this episode, we explore exactly how that journey has unfolded. I spoke to Eve a couple of weeks ago in person on the South Bank in London, in the beautiful Big Ben Balcony suite of the London Marriott County Hall, looking out over the houses of Parliament and Westminster Bridge. From childhood trips to the Jersey Shore, to falling in love with Jamaica, to building a life here in London, which she now calls home, I know you’re going to love this one. Holly’s Destination Recap: - Naturhotel Forsthofgut, Austria Eve’s Destination Recap:
Eve's Scorpion 25th Anniversary Edition (Red and Black Splatter, 2LP) is out now here This episode was recorded at the London Marriott Hotel County Hall. With thanks to… Airbnb - Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.co.uk/host Saily - Download SAILY in your app store and use our code traveldiaries at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase If you enjoyed this episode, please hit follow or subscribe wherever you’re listening. 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. | |||
| Dom Joly | 31 mars 2026 | 01:04:16 | |
Welcome to a brand new season of The Travel Diaries - I’m so excited to be back! My guest today is comedian, writer and broadcaster Dom Joly. You’ll of course know him from Trigger Happy TV - one of the most iconic comedy shows of the early 2000s - now celebrating its 25th anniversary, with Dom back on tour across the UK through to 2027. But beyond comedy, travel has been a defining thread throughout Dom’s life. He’s visited 108 countries, and his story begins in Lebanon, where he grew up during the civil war, with what he describes as a “front-row view” of the conflict. His early experiences shaped a lifelong curiosity about the world, particularly places often misunderstood. Dom is widely credited with bringing “dark tourism” into the mainstream, exploring destinations associated with history, conflict and tragedy, and we also talk about his concept of the “bad news gap”: the difference between how places are portrayed in the media and the reality on the ground. In this episode, his travel diaries take us from Lebanon and Syria to North Korea, Cambodia, Iran, Canada and beyond. I hope you love this one. Destination Recap:
Dom is currently on tour with the Trigger Happy TV 25th Anniversary Tour across the UK until 2027. You can also find his latest book, The Conspiracy Tourist, at domjoly.tv. This episode was recorded at the London Marriott Hotel County Hall. With thanks to… Saily - Download SAILY in your app store and use our code traveldiaries at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase Sovereign - Visit sovereign.com to speak to a personal travel planner today to curate your perfect Sani holiday this summer If you’re enjoying The Travel Diaries, don’t forget to follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode. You can also follow me on Instagram @hollyrubenstein and on TikTok for more travel inspiration and behind the scenes. See you next week! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Season 16 Trailer - The Travel Diaries with Holly Rubenstein | 24 mars 2026 | 00:01:02 | |
A new travel chapter begins next Tuesday March 31. Join me every Tuesday for unforgettable travel tales. It's wanderlust guaranteed! See you then everyone. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Richard E. Grant | 30 déc. 2025 | 00:51:43 | |
Today, for our final episode of the year, I am joined by someone whose life story reads like an atlas: the actor, writer, and now podcast host, Richard E. Grant. Born in Swaziland, now known as Eswatini, in southern Africa, Richard grew up in a world of big landscapes, no television, and endless imagination. From there he moved to London in the early 1980s, and very quickly became unforgettable figure on stage and screen - from his iconic role in Withnail & I, all the way through to Gosford Park, Jackie, Star Wars, Saltburn, and his Oscar-nominated performance in Can You Ever Forgive Me? Throughout it all, running beneath the red carpets and film sets, there has been travel. He spent 33 summers at a beloved farmhouse in Provence with his late wife Joan, brocante shopping and watching the seasons change. He’s had close encounters with sharks while scuba diving off Mozambique, checked into seedy hotel suites in Las Vegas, and floated on the still waters of Lake Como. And now, his travel stories telling them in a new way. Richard is the co-host, of the brilliant new podcast Hotels with History with travel pr Jules Perowne - a series that dives into the scandals, intrigue, glamour and ghosts of some of the world’s most legendary hotels. So, sit back, pour something festive, and join me as we step inside the seven travel chapters of Richard E. Grant. Destination Recap:
Richard is co-host of the Hotels with History podcast, Season 1 out now I'll be back with a new season of the podcast in the Spring. With thanks to... Citalia - If you’re dreaming of your own Italian adventure, visit Citalia.com to start planning today. Naturhotel Forsthofgut – if, like many of our guests, you’re dreaming of an alpine escape rooted in harmony with nature, visit forsthofgut.at to start planning today. Beaverbrook Hotel - Escape the everyday and discover Beaverbrook for yourself, a truly indulgent country-house retreat just outside London. Find out more and book your stay at beaverbrook.co.uk. Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first to find out who is joining me next time, come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on TikTok - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't wait until then, remember there’s the first 14 seasons to catch up on, that's over 165 episodes to keep you busy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Rick Stein returns - Christmas Special | 16 déc. 2025 | 00:40:32 | |
Welcome to a very special festive edition of The Travel Diaries. Today I’m joined by the legendary chef, restaurateur and writer, Rick Stein. Rick is returning to the podcast for the first time in five years, and I can’t think of a better guest to bring a little culinary sparkle to our Christmas Special. This year, Rick is celebrating the release of his beautifully personal and utterly joyful new book, Rick Stein’s Christmas - a treasure trove of festive recipes, stories, traditions, and reflections on what this time of year really means. In our conversation, we dive into his own Christmas rituals in both Cornwall and Australia, the dishes that embody comfort and nostalgia for him, the lessons he learned while cooking - and occasionally improvising - his way through last year’s festivities, and the deeply human side of the season that he weaves into the book. We also travel far beyond the Christmas table, hearing about Rick’s recent adventures filming in the Australian outback, the food gems he uncovered there, his newest favourite destinations, and the UK restaurants he’s loving right now. So pour yourself something warm and cosy, settle in, and enjoy this festive journey with the wonderful Rick Stein. Destination Recap:
If you’d like to explore more of Rick’s stories, tips and recipes, his new book Rick Stein’s Christmas is out now. I I’ll be back in a couple of weeks, on the 30th, with a very special guest to close out the year - actor and national treasure Richard E. Grant. Until then, have a cosy, joyful Christmas, and thank you so much for listening to The Travel Diaries. With thanks to... Citalia - If, like Rick, you’re dreaming of your own Italian adventure, visit Citalia.com to start planning today. Naturhotel Forsthofgut – if, like many of our guests, you’re dreaming of an alpine escape rooted in harmony with nature, visit forsthofgut.at to start planning today. Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first to find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on TikTok - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't wait until then, remember there’s the first 15 seasons to catch up on, that's over 160 episodes to keep you busy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Magical Morocco - Destination Special | 28 oct. 2025 | 00:54:36 | |
Welcome to a very special edition of The Travel Diaries, where we’re heading to a country that has enchanted so many of my guests over the years: Morocco. This Destination Special is a love letter to a place that casts a lifelong spell. In the first half, you’ll hear unforgettable memories from past guests - Sir Michael Palin, Anya Hindmarch, Lyn Hughes, Sir Richard Branson, The Hairy Bikers, Amar Latif, and Jacqui Gifford - each sharing the moments that made Morocco magical for them: the colours of Marrakech, the silence of the Sahara, the scent of a tagine in the Atlas Mountains. Together, their voices weave a vivid tapestry of this extraordinary land. And it’s no wonder UK visitor numbers are soaring. Morocco is that rare combination - just a short flight away, yet a complete change of pace: immersive, sensory, unforgettable. Then, in the second half, I’m joined by travel writer and Morocco expert Paula Hardy, who splits her time between the UK and Morocco. With over 15 years of experience, she takes us beyond the usual hotspots, from the Mediterranean feel of Tangier and Tetouan, to desert oases near Skoura, coastal towns like Asilah, and hidden Berber mountain villages. We dive into Morocco’s traditions - crafts, cuisine and culture - and its exciting evolution, with high-speed trains, striking new architecture, and preparations for the 2030 World Cup. Whether you’ve visited before or it’s been on your bucket list for years, this episode will open your eyes to a Morocco you may not yet know, and remind you why so many travellers return again and again. Destination Recap: Northern Morocco - Sir Michael Palin on why Morocco is his all-time favourite journey Marrakech – Designer Anya Hindmarch and Wanderlust editor-in-chief Lyn Hughes on the city of artisans, colour and contrasts Atlas Mountains - Sir Richard Branson, The Hairy Bikers, and blind adventurer Amar Latif on Berber villages, snow-topped peaks and mountain escapes Ouarzazate (the “door to the desert”) - Travel & Leisure Editor Jacqui Gifford on this cinematic frontier town Paula’s Destination Recap:
Thanks so much for listening today. I'll be back with some fabulous Christmas specials in December. In the meantime, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on TikTok - I’d love to hear from you. Remember there’s the first 15 seasons to catch up on, that's over 160 episodes to keep you busy. And visit TheTravelDiariesPodcast.com for everything else podcast-related. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| The Hairy Bikers - From the archives | 21 oct. 2025 | 00:58:58 | |
Today on The Travel Diaries we’re revisiting a very special conversation from the archives with national treasures Si King and the late, much-loved Dave Myers, better known to millions as The Hairy Bikers. Si and Dave were my very first duo on the podcast, and what a joy they were. For more than two decades, they entertained Britain with their infectious humour, foodie expertise and shared love of motorbikes. Their travel and food shows from Asian Adventure to Mediterranean Adventure and Route 66 inspired countless viewers to see the world through flavour and friendship. When I spoke to them, Dave was in the middle of undergoing cancer treatment. He joined me the night before a round of chemo, having travelled down to London especially, which made their generosity of time and spirit all the more moving. Listening back now, after Dave’s passing earlier this year, it feels particularly poignant to hear his warmth, wit and passion for life come through so vividly. This episode is a celebration of both Bikers’ deep love of travel, of each other, and of the extraordinary journeys they shared with us all. In this archive chat, we travel together from Namibia to India, Argentina to Estonia, with countless adventures in between. Destination Recap:
With thanks to... Titanic Belfast - Discover the world’s most authentic Titanic story at Titanic Belfast - where history, heritage and experience come alive. Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first to find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on TikTok - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't wait until then, remember there’s the first 15 seasons to catch up on, that's over 160 episodes to keep you busy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Eugene Levy | 14 oct. 2025 | 00:25:30 | |
I’m back with a brand new episode, and today I’m thrilled to be joined by Eugene Levy - the Emmy-winning actor, writer, and total comedy icon. For many of us, he’ll forever be known as the bewildered dad from American Pie, or as the impeccably dressed Johnny Rose in Schitt’s Creek, the multi-award-winning show he co-created with his son Dan that became a lockdown lifeline for so many of us. And more recently, he’s found himself in a rather unexpected new role - that of travel presenter - as the host of The Reluctant Traveler, which is now in its third season on Apple TV+. I’m sure you’ve seen it everywhere over the last couple of weeks, because on one of the episodes, he interviews British royalty, interviewing Prince William. I spoke to Eugene last week while he was here in London, in Soho in one of those classic junket hotel setups, a bit like the Notting Hill Horse & Hound moment, if you know what I mean. So we had less time than usual, back in the day this would have been what I’d call a short haul episode - so we cover his 6 travel chapters today, but I still jumped at the chance to sit down with him and hear about the destinations that have made a lasting impression on him, particularly while filming his new show, and of course to ask him about the prospect of a Schitt’s Creek reunion, which, I have to say, I think he was pretty positive about - let me know if you agree? Fingers crossed! From the Maldives to Seoul, Utah to Italy, here are the travel diaries of Eugene Levy. Destination Recap:
Season 3 of The Reluctant Traveler is out now on Apple TV+. With thanks to... Titanic Belfast - Discover the world’s most authentic Titanic story at Titanic Belfast - where history, heritage and experience come alive. Citalia - If, like Eugene, you’re dreaming of your own Italian adventure, visit Citalia.com to start planning today. The Family Suite - Start planning your next family getaway with The Family Suite, the new platform curating the world’s most beautiful luxury hotels that truly welcome families, without compromise. Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first to find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on TikTok - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't wait until then, remember there’s the first 15 seasons to catch up on, that's over 160 episodes to keep you busy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Dr Jane Goodall - From the archives, in her memory | 07 oct. 2025 | 00:47:15 | |
I was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Dame Dr Jane Goodall last week. A true legend, Jane was the world’s most famous ethologist and conservationist, whose groundbreaking work in Gombe redefined our understanding of chimpanzees and our connection to the natural world. At just 26, with no formal scientific training, she moved from England to Tanzania and began observing chimpanzees in the wild. Her discovery that they used tools to feed themselves changed science forever and propelled her to international fame. That study - still running today - remains the world’s longest continuous wildlife research project. From there, Jane built a global movement, dedicating her life to protecting animals, ecosystems and inspiring future generations. She was named a United Nations Messenger of Peace and made a Dame of the British Empire. But beyond the accolades, she was a tireless advocate, traveling and teaching right up until the end. It was the ultimate honour to speak with her on this podcast. In her memory, I’m re-releasing that conversation today. I hope her voice - full of humility, wisdom and hope - resonates with you as deeply as it did with me. Destination Recap:
If you want to get involved or find out more about Jane’s work, visit www.janegoodall.org.uk and www.rootsnshoots.org.uk The documentary, Jane, is currently available on Netflix and is a fantastic watch. With thanks to... The Family Suite - Start planning your next family getaway with The Family Suite, the new platform curating the world’s most beautiful luxury hotels that truly welcome families, without compromise. Titanic Belfast - Discover the world’s most authentic Titanic story at Titanic Belfast - where history, heritage and experience come alive. Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first to find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on TikTok - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't wait until then, remember there’s the first 15 seasons to catch up on, that's over 160 episodes to keep you busy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Joanna Lumley - From the archives | 30 sept. 2025 | 01:03:51 | |
I'm bringing back some treasures from the Travel Diaries archive, while I take a little time off on maternity leave. And this one has to be one of the best - a name synonymous with travel, Dame Joanna Lumley. Joanna's appetite for adventure was deeply engrained from childhood. She was born in Kashmir in the last days of British India, the daughter of an army officer who served with the Gurkhas. Throughout her childhood her parents lived in Asia, moving to Hong Kong and Malaysia, while she spent term times at school in England. From her early days as a fashion model, gracing the covers of magazines and strutting down runway, Joanna Lumley was destined for greatness. But it was her iconic role as Patsy in the hit TV series "Absolutely Fabulous" that truly catapulted her into the hearts of millions. I love Wikipedia’s description of Patsy - “an alcoholic, a chain smoker, and a frequent recreational drug user. She carries drugs with her at all times, storing joints in her trademark beehive." After surviving solo on a desert island, on the groundbreaking show Girl Friday, Joanna soon became as synonymous with travel as she was with Ab Fab, setting off on epic journeys that would make even the most seasoned globetrotter green with envy, from Japan and India to the Caribbean and the Silk Route. What makes her so remarkable is not just her fearless spirit but her genuine love for the people she meets along the way. She champions causes close to her heart, advocating for the rights of the Gurkhas, supporting endless charities, and shedding light on the important issues affecting our world. So, fasten your seatbelts and get ready as we embark on a journey through the extraordinary life and awe-inspiring travels of Joanna Lumley, from Malaysia to Uzbekistan, Italy to Indonesia. Holly's travel diary: Heckfield Place, Berkshire, England Joanna's Destination Recap:
Thank you so much for listening today. If you enjoyed the episode, don’t forget to hit subscribe, or if you’re on Apple Podcasts, tap follow, so that a new episode lands in your podcast app each week. To be the first to know who’s joining me next week, follow me on Instagram and TikTok at @hollyrubenstein. I’d love to hear from you. And if you can’t wait until then, there are already 15 seasons to catch up on, with more than 160 episodes to keep you busy. You’ll also find all the destinations mentioned by my guests in the episode show notes and on my website: thetraveldiariespodcast.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Oman Uncovered - Destination Special with Dina Macki | 23 sept. 2025 | 00:44:57 | |
Welcome to this very special destination edition of The Travel Diaries, where today we’re heading off on a sensory journey to one of the Middle East’s best-kept secrets, the spellbinding Sultanate of Oman. A land of striking contrasts, where golden deserts meet dramatic mountains and turquoise seas, and where a deep-rooted culture of warmth, hospitality and heritage leaves a lasting impression on all who visit. And who better to take us by the hand and guide us through Oman’s many wonders than my guest today, Dina Macki. Dina is a rising star of the culinary world - you may know her from the BBC’s Saturday Kitchen - and she’s a chef and food writer whose work is a vibrant celebration of Omani cuisine and culture. British-born with Omani heritage, Dina divides her time between the UK and Oman, giving her a rare and intimate perspective on the country, not just through its flavours, but through its landscapes, its people, and its soul. She’s experienced Oman from coast to canyon, from ancient souks to sleek modern resorts, making her the perfect person to lead us through her Omani travel diaries. In this episode, Dina whisks us from the misty, monsoon-swept hills of Salalah in the far south, where coconut palms line the shore and the air is thick with frankincense, to the rugged peaks of Jebel Akhdar, the Green Mountain, with its rose gardens, deep wadis and sky-high plateaus. Along the way, she shares her favourite hotels, from cliffside hideaways to city sanctuaries; her go-to local restaurants, hidden gems and insider tips that only someone who calls Oman home could reveal. Whether you’re a foodie, an adventurer, a nature lover, or simply dreaming of a winter sun getaway or an off-the-beaten-track summer escape, Oman promises something unforgettable for everyone. Destination Recap:
To start planning your journey, head to experienceoman.om. Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first to find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on TikTok - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't wait until then, remember there’s the first 15 seasons to catch up on, that's over 160 episodes to keep you busy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Stephen Mangan | 12 août 2025 | 00:52:57 | |
On today's Season 15 finale, we are joined by the brilliant Stephen Mangan - actor, presenter, writer, and someone with a truly adventurous travel spirit. You’ll know him from a vast array of TV , film and stage hits - The Split, Green Wing, Episodes, Portrait Artist of the Year - and most recently, as the host of ITV’s Caribbean-set hit game show The Fortune Hotel, which is back for its second season. Stephen is a natural storyteller, and in this conversation we really get to go on a journey. From long, cassette-filled car trips back to his family’s roots in wild, windswept County Mayo - where he has 53 first cousins! - to body surfing in the Atlantic with his kids, sleeping under the redwoods in California, living on £4 a day while interrailing across Europe, and living in an ultra luxury hotel in Grenada for a month - Stephen has truly embraced travel in all its forms. Destination Recap:
The Fortune Hotel S2 continues Wednesday 13th and Thursday 14th August on ITV1 and ITVX. You can also catch up on the first two episodes of the series on ITVX now. Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first to find out who is joining me next time, come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on TikTok - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't wait until then, remember there’s the first 14 seasons to catch up on, that's over 155 episodes to keep you busy. I'm now on maternity leave for a few months but keep an eye out for some special episodes dropping into your feed from time to time. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Diana Henry, Food Writer | 05 août 2025 | 01:02:51 | |
Today's guest can conjure entire worlds through her writing. Whether she’s evoking the salty tang of the Lofoten Islands, the rustic flavours of rural Normandy, or the buzz of a New York kitchen, her words are rich with atmosphere and emotion - it is of course, Diana Henry, one of Britain’s most celebrated food writers. She's a James Beard Award winner, long-time Sunday Telegraph columnist, and author of bestselling books like Crazy Water, Pickled Lemons, How to Eat a Peach, and Around the Table, a new audio collection of essays spanning decades of food, travel and life. As you’ll hear, Diana’s wanderlust was born not from glamorous holidays, but from imagination. Growing up in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, she escaped into books and encyclopaedias, dreaming of faraway places long before she ever had the chance to visit them. In this episode, we trace her journeys from Dublin to the Dordogne, Spain to Maine. We talk about foraging for mushrooms in France and eating cod’s heads in Iceland, She shares why she reads restaurant menus for fun, and the deep emotional connection she feels to the places she’s travelled, through taste. I spoke to Diana last month, and although we hadn’t met before, I instantly warmed to her. I loved the way she speaks about travel, through a different lens, shaped by flavour and feeling. I think you’ll really enjoy this one. Holly's recap: Beaverbrook Hotel, Surrey, England Destination Recap:
Around the Table - 52 Essays on Food & Life, Mitchell Beazley is available now in audiobook and will be published in hardback on 2nd October. To win a holiday to Trisara, in Phuket, Thailand, head over to my Instagram page here. With thanks to Airbnb for their support of today's episode. Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first to find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on TikTok - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't wait until then, remember there’s the first 14 seasons to catch up on, that's over 155 episodes to keep you busy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Monisha Rajesh returns, Train Travel Special | 29 juil. 2025 | 00:54:19 | |
Today I’m so pleased to welcome back someone who you all loved the first time around on the podcast - the brilliant author and travel writer, Monisha Rajesh. Her passion for trains, and for the way rail travel slows you down and opens you up to new worlds, was just infectious. And I’m so excited to say that she’s back with a gorgeous new book called Moonlight Express, which takes us deep into the magical world of sleeper trains. In this new adventure, Monisha journeys across Europe, the Americas and beyond, trading airports for railway platforms and following moonlit tracks through some of the most cinematic landscapes on Earth, which we have the pleasure of chatting about today. From the soft snow and candlelit calm of the Norwegian night trains to the fairy-tale villages of Transylvania, glimpsed at sunrise through the window of a creaky couchette on the Dacia Express. Or to the pastel-painted streets of Savannah, Georgia, in the US, reached on Amtrak’s Silver Meteor. She takes us high into the Andes too, aboard the luxurious Belmond Andean Explorer from Cusco to Arequipa, where the train carves through deserts and towering peaks, so close to everyday life you feel like you could touch it. And back in Britain, she celebrates her mum’s 70th aboard the Royal Scotsman, sipping whisky in the observation car as the Highlands go past. She reminds us what makes train travel so unique: the romance, the community, and the chance to simply sit by the window and watch the world roll by. Destination Recap:
Moonlight Express: Around the World by Night Train by Monisha Rajesh is published by Bloomsbury (28 August). With thanks to Airbnb for their support of today's episode. Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first to find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on TikTok - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't wait until then, remember there’s the first 14 seasons to catch up on, that's over 155 episodes to keep you busy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Chris Packham | 22 juil. 2025 | 01:08:17 | |
Today’s guest is one of Britain’s best-loved and most fearless voices in wildlife and environmental broadcasting - it’s the brilliant Chris Packham. Chris first made his name back in the 1980s as a presenter on The Really Wild Show, a programme that inspired a whole generation of children - myself included - to get out into nature. But before that, he was actually behind the camera, working as a wildlife cameraman after studying zoology. And it’s that deep understanding of animals, ecosystems and science that still underpins everything he does. Since those early days, Chris has become a fixture on British television. You’ll know him from Springwatch, Autumnwatch, and Winterwatch, from his BBC documentaries like The Walk That Made Me and Inside Our Autistic Minds, and from his powerful activism, whether he’s leading anti-hunting campaigns, protesting HS2, or calling out the destruction of biodiversity in the UK and beyond. He’s won multiple awards for his environmental work and was awarded a CBE for services to nature conservation. But he’s also never been afraid to challenge the establishment, and I think that’s one of the reasons so many people connect with him. In today’s episode, we explore the places that have shaped him, from Kathmandhu to Kashmir, Mauritius to Marrakech. He talks about the awe and purpose he finds in travel, the power of experiencing landscapes that tell stories - whether it’s battle sites like Little Bighorn in Montana or the brutalist war memorials of the Balkans - and the importance of discomfort, of being challenged by a place. We talk about being neurodivergent and how that shapes the way he sees the world when he travels - and also the places he’ll never return to. Spoiler: it’s not a great day for Dubai or Vegas. Destination Recap:
With thanks to Airbnb for their support of today's episode. Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first to find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on TikTok - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't wait until then, remember there’s the first 14 seasons to catch up on, that's over 155 episodes to keep you busy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Simon Calder, Travel Expert, returns | 15 juil. 2025 | 00:39:28 | |
Today I’m joined once again by one of the UK’s most trusted and best-loved travel experts - Simon Calder. You’ll know him as the Independent’s travel correspondent, a familiar face on TV and radio, and the go-to voice when travel chaos strikes - whether it's air traffic control meltdowns or passport expiry panics. But beyond the headlines, Simon is also a true adventurer, with an insatiable curiosity for the world and a lifelong love of the open road, rails and skies. It’s been a five years since Simon last joined me on the podcast, and in that time, so much has changed - not just in the world of travel, but in the way we think about where we go, how we get there, and why we travel in the first place. So today’s episode is something of a global catch-up. From discovering the ancient cities of Algeria and the wild islands of the Antarctic, to cycling the Danube and family holidays on the beaches of Poland, Simon shares his latest discoveries, surprising favourites, and some underrated gems that might just change your next holiday plans. We’ll talk about the rise of slow travel and destinations that deserve the spotlight. Plus, he’ll be offering his signature no-nonsense travel tips, and sharing the far-flung destinations still lingering on his bucket list. Destination Recap:
Simon discusses his top tips for summer holidays after new research from Tesco Travel Money found 2 in 5 travellers are being caught short of cash abroad. You can find out more about Tesco Travel Money by visiting https://www.tescotravelmoney.com/ With thanks to Airbnb for their support of today's episode. Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first to find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on TikTok - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't wait until then, remember there’s the first 14 seasons to catch up on, that's over 155 episodes to keep you busy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Dan Buettner, 'Blue Zones' Longevity Expert & Explorer | 08 juil. 2025 | 00:50:04 | |
My guest today is Dan Buettner, a National Geographic Explorer, New York Times bestselling author, Emmy-winning Netflix host, and a record-breaking endurance cyclist. In fact, he holds three Guinness World Records for distance cycling, having pedalled across the globe to over 70 countries. Travel is not just a passion of his - it’s the lens through which he’s viewed, explored, and helped reimagine how we live our lives. It was during these epic adventures that Dan’s curiosity about longevity began to take shape. And that curiosity eventually led to one of the most fascinating and impactful projects of our time: The Blue Zones. Working alongside National Geographic and a team of medical researchers and demographers, Dan set out to discover the secrets of the world’s longest-lived people. What he found were five extraordinary regions, in Japan, Costa Rica, Italy, Greece and a religious community in California - now famously known as the Blue Zones - where people weren’t just living longer, they were thriving into their 90s and 100s. What’s so remarkable is that these individuals weren’t pursuing health - they were simply living in environments that naturally supported well-being. Think: plant-based diets, daily movement, strong social ties, and a deep sense of purpose. His findings became international bestsellers and his Netflix documentary Live to 100 introduced Blue Zones to a worldwide audience. and He’s back this summer with a new cookbook, Blue Zones Kitchen: One Pot Meals, to help us all cook like the world’s healthiest people. His travel diaries today take us from the jungles of the Congo, and the plains of the Sahara, to the lakes of Guatemala, and the islands of Japan. There was so much to cover, and I was so fascinated by all of Dan’s insights, that we actually lost track of time, and so we’re going to have to do a part 2 one day to find out his worst travel experience and hear a little bit more about his Mexican hidden gem. But nevertheless, I can’t wait to dive into his story with you, let’s buckle up and get started. Destination Recap:
Dan's new book Blue Zones Kitchen One Pot Meals is out on September 2nd in the US, and September 8th in the UK. With thanks to Airbnb for their support of today's episode. Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first to find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on TikTok - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't wait until then, remember there’s the first 14 seasons to catch up on, that's over 155 episodes to keep you busy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Sam Heughan, 'Outlander' star | 01 juil. 2025 | 00:58:00 | |
Welcome back to a brand-new season of The Travel Diaries podcast. Today’s guest is the brilliant Sam Heughan. Sam is best known as the star of Outlander, the historical drama that’s become nothing short of a global phenomenon. Based on Diana Gabaldon’s bestselling novels, the series blends romance, adventure and time-travel against the backdrop of Scotland’s most breathtaking landscapes. Now having just wrapped the filming for its final season, Outlander has not only shaped Sam’s life and career - it’s also driven record-breaking tourism to Scotland as fans follow in the footsteps of its characters. Even if you’ve never watched the show, its cultural impact is impossible to ignore. Outlander has become one of the most-watched dramas worldwide - bringing Scottish history, folklore and scenery to millions - and transforming Sam into one of the most recognisable faces on television. You’ll hear today that in a way, travel has shaped every part of his story: from his childhood in rural Dumfries and Galloway to filming across Scotland and trekking as far as Mt Everest. Whether it’s sipping coffee in Cape Town, diving with sharks in New Zealand, or discovering secret beaches in Sydney and Hawaii, Sam’s passport is as well-stamped as they come. He's an author, entrepreneur and adventurer. He hosted a hit travel series Men in Kilts, wrote a travel memoir, Waypoints, and he's the driving force behind his award-winning spirits brands The Sassenach Whisky and Sassenach Gin. His brand-new book The Cocktail Diaries, a collection of recipes and stories inspired by his favourite drinks and places, is out this September. I caught up with Sam halfway across the world to talk about the places that matter most to him. Destination Recap:
Sam’s new book, “The Cocktail Diaries” is out in September and is available to preorder now. You can discover The Sassenach, Unique Spirits, here. With thanks to Airbnb for their support of today's episode. Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first to find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on TikTok - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't wait until then, remember there’s the first 14 seasons to catch up on, that's over 155 episodes to keep you busy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Ardal O'Hanlon's Ireland - Bonus Destination Special | 10 juin 2025 | 00:41:15 | |
On today’s bonus Destination Special we’re heading to Ireland, one of my favourite places in the world. Ireland has this special kind of magic. It asks you to slow down, to dig beneath the surface, to chat to the people behind the bar and to take your time - to walk, to wander, to just sit and soak it all up. Joining me is someone who knows the country inside and out - the brilliant comedian and actor, Ardal O’Hanlon. You’ll know Ardal, of course, from TV's Father Ted, where he stole the show as the endlessly lovable Father Dougal - and from the extremely popular BBC series Death in Paradise, where he swapped windswept clifftops for tropical crime-solving in the Caribbean. He’s also an incredible writer, stand-up, and most recently, travel presenter, in The Emerald Isles, his BBC series which explored Ireland’s lesser-known islands, uncovering their culture, music, and wild beauty. In this episode, Ardal shares the places in Ireland that have stayed with him, from childhood summers in Galway and Donegal to his all time favourite destination, a lunar landscape in County Clare, and my favourite part of the episode, his hidden gems, which really bring to life some of the wild islands off the mainland that he visited while making his TV series - a lot to add to your bucket list. We talk about the joy of slowness, the quirks of island life, and his new tour - Not Himself - which he’ll be taking across the UK and Ireland soon. So whether you’re planning a trip to Ireland, dreaming about one, or you’re just here for the stories - settle in and enjoy! Destination Recap:
Visit Ireland.com for more inspiration planning your trip. Ardal is heading back on tour this autumn with his brand new stand-up show, Not Himself. You can find all the tour dates and ticket info at ardalohandlon.com. Thanks so much for listening today. I’ll be back with a brand new season - Season 15 - in a couple of weeks! In the meantime, come and follow me on Instagram - I’m @hollyrubenstein - and you’ll also find me on TikTok. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Jon Sopel | 06 mai 2025 | 00:58:16 | |
Today’s guest is a titan of political journalism - someone whose calm, incisive reporting helped us make sense of the madness during one of the most dramatic chapters in American political history. It’s Jon Sopel, the former BBC North America Editor, who spent eight rollercoaster years covering the United States, through Trump, through Covid, through history being made in real time.He’s interviewed presidents, grilled press secretaries, and yes - even been shouted at by Donald Trump himself. Now, Jon’s back on home turf - though the country he’s returned to isn’t quite the Britain he left behind. In his brilliant new book Strangeland, Jon turns his razor-sharp eye on post-Brexit Britain, peeling back the layers of a nation that feels unfamiliar even to someone who grew up here. It’s part political memoir, part social commentary, and entirely unputdownable. These days, you’ll know Jon as one-third of the brilliant trio behind The News Agents, one of the UK’s most popular news podcasts, which he co-hosts with Emily Maitlis and Lewis Goodall. It’s completely redefined how many people consume the news - and it’s an absolute must-listen if you don’t already. In this episode, we dive into the shifting political landscapes of both the UK and the US and of course, we set off on Jon’s Travel Diaries - from his long stint in Washington D.C. to the sun-drenched Riviera, the energy of Rio, and the beauty of Sydney. Holly’s Destination Recap:
Jon’s Destination Recap:
Strangeland: Is This Britain’s New Normal? By Jon Sopel is out in paperback on 29th May (Penguin £10.99). With thanks to my sponsors - UPPAbaby -The new UPPAbaby Minu V3 is available to pre order at all UK stockists nationwide now. Airbnb - Visit Airbnb.com and find out more. Prospective Hosts can learn more about how much they can earn sharing their space through the What’s My Place Worth Tool. Saily - Download the SAILY app and use our code TRAVELDIARIES at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase. Thanks so much for listening If you want to be the first find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on TikTok. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Reeta Chakrabarti | 29 avr. 2025 | 00:55:18 | |
This week’s guest is someone who many of us will feel we already know. A calm and trusted presence in our living rooms each evening, she’s one of the most familiar faces in British broadcasting - BBC News presenter, correspondent, and author, Reeta Chakrabarti. Raised in Birmingham, Reeta spent part of her teenage years in Calcutta, India - an experience that would later shape her global perspective both as a journalist and a writer. Her career has taken her all over the world, from covering the war in Ukraine from Lviv, to reporting on the 70th anniversary of Indian and Pakistani independence and most recently, covering the Pope's funeral from Rome. She began her career behind the scenes in radio before making the leap to become a correspondent, and finally landing in the iconic BBC News presenting chair - at the age of 49, no less. Proof that there’s no one path to success and it’s never too late to pivot. Her travel diaries today take us from Italy to Chile, Greece to India and much more. Destination Recap: Holly -
Reeta -
Finding Belle by Reeta Chakrabarti, published by HarperFiction, out in hardback, ebook and audio on 8th May *COMPETITION* For your chance to win a 3 night all inclusive stay at LUXME hotel on the Greek island of Kos, head to my Instagram @hollyrubenstein. The winner will be announced on May 20th, T&Cs apply! With thanks to my sponsors today - 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. Airbnb - Visit Airbnb.com and find out more. Prospective Hosts can learn more about how much they can earn sharing their space through the What’s My Place Worth Tool. Saily - Download the SAILY app and use our code TRAVELDIARIES at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on TikTok. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Gaby Roslin | 22 avr. 2025 | 00:38:23 | |
Today we’re joined by Gaby Roslin. Gaby first burst onto our screens in the early 1990s, co-hosting The Big Breakfast with Chris Evans - a show that would become one of the most iconic breakfast TV programmes in the UK. Since then, she’s carved out an extraordinary career as a presenter and broadcaster, spanning television, radio, and podcasting interviewing everyone from Michael Jackson, to the cast of Friends. Gaby is also a passionate traveller, with a deep-rooted sense of wonder about the world. In this episode, she takes us from the thundering majesty of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, a country close to her heart, to the timeless beauty of Rome and Florence in Italy, and the rhythm and soul that captivated her in Havana, Cuba. So let’s dive into the travel diaries of Gaby Roslin. Holly's Destination Recap:
Gaby's Destination Recap:
With thanks to my sponsors today - 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. Airbnb - Visit Airbnb.com and find out more. Prospective Hosts can learn more about how much they can earn sharing their space through the What’s My Place Worth Tool. Saily - Download the SAILY app and use our code TRAVELDIARIES at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on TikTok. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Dame Prue Leith | 15 avr. 2025 | 01:06:18 | |
Today’s guest is quite literally a national treasure. She’s a Dame, a queen of the kitchen, an author, a restaurateur, and of course, the judge who has been serving up wit and wisdom alongside cakes and crumbles on The Great British Bake Off since 2017… it is the one and only Dame Prue Leith. Born and raised in South Africa, Prue moved to London in the swinging Sixties and quickly became a force to be reckoned with in the culinary world. She founded Leith’s - a hugely successful restaurant in Notting Hill that went on to earn a Michelin star - and later opened Leiths School of Food and Wine, which has trained generations of top chefs and food writers. Over the decades, she’s written best-selling cookbooks and novels, been a newspaper columnist, a judge on the Great British Menu, and has sat on countless boards and advisory panels, all while campaigning tirelessly for better food in schools, hospitals, and prisons. Her impact on British food culture is hard to overstate. And now, at 85, she’s showing no signs of slowing down. She’s back on our screens in the new season of her wonderfully warm and personal ITV series, Prue Leith’s Cotswold Kitchen, filmed in her beautiful country home, where she shares family recipes, chats with friends, and brings a bit of sunshine to our screens. If you thought Prue’s adventures were limited to the kitchen, though, you can think again. From the deserts of Turkmenistan and the ancient silk roads of Uzbekistan to beach drives in Western Australia and mountain drives in Bhutan, her travel diaries are as rich and surprising as her legendary glasses collection. So settle in for a deliciously inspiring chat with a woman whose life has been anything but ordinary. Destination Recap: Holly:
Prue:
Prue Leith’s Cotswold Kitchen continues on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player on Saturday 19th April 2025 With thanks to Wexas, Airbnb and Saily for their support of today's episode - Download the SAILY app and use our code TRAVELDIARIES at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on TikTok. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||