The Travel Diaries is a weekly interview series where journalist Holly Rubenstein chats to a special guest about their adventures around the world, and the travel experiences and destinations that have shaped their lives.
Be transported to exotic and far flung places as Holly and her diverse range of famous guests take you on a journey through the seven chapters of their life's travel diaries, from their earliest childhood travel memory and the first place they fell in love with; to their all time favourite destination, their hidden gem recommendation and what’s at the top of their bucket list. It's wanderlust, guaranteed!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Travel Diaries is a weekly interview series where journalist Holly Rubenstein chats to a special guest about their adventures around the world, and the travel experiences and destinations that have shaped their lives.
Be transported to exotic and far flung places as Holly and her diverse range of famous guests take you on a journey through the seven chapters of their life's travel diaries, from their earliest childhood travel memory and the first place they fell in love with; to their all time favourite destination, their hidden gem recommendation and what’s at the top of their bucket list. It's wanderlust, guaranteed!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
With thanks to...
Titanic Belfast - Discover the world’s most authentic Titanic story at Titanic Belfast - where history, heritage and experience come alive.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Welcome to our first Budget Travel Special! This is one that you, the listeners, have been asking for a lot - and I get it! Travel can feel expensive and overwhelming, but what if I told you that it really doesn’t have to be?
That’s why I knew I had to bring on the ultimate budget travel expert - someone who has made it her mission to help people travel smarter, stretch their money further, and still enjoy incredible experiences, Chelsea Dickenson, aka the Cheap Holiday Expert.
Chelsea has built a huge following all thanks to her easy-to-follow, no-nonsense travel hacks. You’ve probably seen her viral videos on how to snag the best hotel upgrades, fly for less, or even go on an amazing holiday for under £100. And if you’re a fan of This Morning, you’ll recognise her as their go-to expert for low-cost travel. She’s also the co-host of Passports Please, the travel podcast that helps you hack your holidays.
Now, I know budget travel is something so many of you are interested in, and you’ve sent in loads of brilliant questions on Instagram for this one. We’re covering everything, from whether five-star hotels are actually worth it to the best destinations where your money goes furthest, plus Chelsea’s ultimate flight-booking hacks that will save you time and money.
So, whether you’re planning your next getaway or just love hearing about the best travel tricks out there, this episode is packed with useful tips and plenty of fun stories too.
Destination Recap:
Today's episode was produced by Alexandra Calder.
With thanks to Visit Guernsey and Airbnb for their support of today's episode.
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 - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't wait until then, remember there’s the first 13 seasons to catch up on, that's over 145 episodes to keep you busy there.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.