The Travel Diaries

Today, I’m joined by a legend of stage and screen. Britain’s naughtiest national treasure. It’s the award-winning actress, Miriam Margolyes.Miriam’s movie roles have included the BAFTA award-winning Mrs Mingott in Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Age of Innocence’ and of course Professor Sprout in the Harry Potter films. She’s appeared in a host of hugely popular TV shows from Blackadder and Miss Marple to more recently the Real Exotic Marigold Hotel and Call the Midwife. And she’s also a prolific travel documentarian filming in and around Australia, the US and Scotland to name a few.As a lifelong lover of Charles Dickens, she presented the successful BBC documentary series Dickens’ America and toured the world with her acclaimed one woman show ‘Dicken’s Women’ in which she played 23 characters based on or inspired by characters in Dickens’s novels.Speaking to me from her Australian home, Miriam was so engaging and generous with her time both before, after and during the interview -so grab a cuppa, settle in and enjoy listening to the very widely travelled and very entertaining Miriam Margolyes.Destination Recap:Robertson, NSW, AustraliaAustraliaTuscany, ItalyKingsgate, Kent Coast, EnglandSt Margaret’s Bay, Kent, EnglandGlasgow, ScotlandIsle of Harris, ScotlandCambridge, EnglandNorfolk, EnglandBasel, SwitzerlandZurich, SwitzerlandLindt Chocolate Shop, Zurich, SwitzerlandIsraelPalestineThe Rust Belt, USAIndiaItalyIrelandIndonesiaKerala, IndiaCalcutta, IndiaGiglio, ItalyFordyce, ScotlandRimini, ItalyAfricaMiriam is heading to a British theatre near you next month, as part of her upcoming book tour, in honour of the paperback release of her fantastic memoir, This Much is True. Head online for tickets.With thanks to…Small Luxury Hotels of the World - Ease yourself into a holiday headspace and visitslh.com/travelcomfortzonesto find out more.DK Eyewitness - Get new editions of DK’s award-winning Eyewitness and Top 10 travel books and plan out adventures to the likes of Italy, Mexico, Spain or Costa Rica. Each guide is complete with updated listings, interest-led travel advice and the latest practical information. Find them all online or at your local bookshop.Thank you so much for listening today. If you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would be wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review on your podcast app - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast.And to hear future episodes as soon as they’re released don’t forget to hit subscribe or “follow” on your podcast app of choice.To find out who’s joining me coming up, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On this week’s destination special we are heading to one of the world’s most popular travel destinations. We're off to the South East of Europe, to a country of thousands of islands dotted throughout the Aegean and Ionian Seas. The cradle of Western civilization, its capital, Athens, is home to ancient landmarks dating back to the 5th-century B.C. like the Acropolis and the Parthenon. A country of magical natural landscapes, turquoise seas and secret beaches, with the longest coastline in Europe and the most welcoming locals. It is of course, Glorious Greece.Unsurprisingly, Greece, and in particular the Greek Islands have been a hugely popular choice by my podcast guests over the last seven seasons and what I’ve especially enjoyed is really how many of them are hidden gems that I personally wasn’t hugely familiar with.The first half of today’s episode is a tour around the islands featuring some of my favourite guests over the last few years, and then, afterwards, we’ll be joined by Greece travel expert, fellow podcaster and Greece resident, Heidi Fuller-Love who’ll be sharing her extensive expertise, tips, and recommendations for your next Greek holiday.Destination Recap:Tom Kerridge - AgistriHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall - AeginaFiona Duncan - Koufonisia and AmorgosDavid Loftus - ParosYotam Ottolenghi - FolegandrosRaven Smith - MilosJo Malone - RhodesHeidi Fuller-Love’s Destination Recap:CreteE4 trail, CreteSitia Geopark, CreteSamaria Gorge, CreteKato Zakros, CreteAkoritiri, SantoriniMarBella Elix, PargaNana Princess, CreteAgistriAeginaThirassiaThirassia Paradise SuitesAlonissosKarpathosEpirus MountainsFor more information about Greece head tovisitgreece.grand follow @GreeceGrammable on Instagram.With thanks to…Small Luxury Hotels of the World - Ease yourself into a holiday headspace and visitslh.com/travelcomfortzonesto find out moreClinique UK - Discover Clinique at World Duty Free today.If you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would be wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review on your podcast app - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast.And to hear future episodes as soon as they’re released don’t forget to hit subscribe or “follow” on your podcast app of choice.To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today’s guest is Britain’s undisputed Queen of breakfast telly. A national treasure, who for the last 12 years has been the host of her self-titled show on ITV, Lorraine - it is, of course, Lorraine Kelly.Lorraine became a journalist the hard way, working on local papers before working as a researcher on BBC Scotland, where bosses told her that, because of her Scottish accent, she’d never get a job in front of the camera.Oh how she proved them wrong. Joining TV-am she went on to report on some of the toughest stories of that era, from the Dunblane massacre to the Lockerbie bombings, with her characteristic compassion and empathy, before joining GMTV and the sofas of breakfast TV.What you might not know about Lorraine is that she is fanatical about travel. She has been practically everywhere, and is really intrepid in her travel choices. She takes us from the islands of the Outer Hebrides to the frozen landscape of Antarctica; from remote Botswana to the jungles of Uganda and much much more.Oh, and the occasional grumble in the background is her daughter Rosie’s sausage dog who also joined us for the chat.There’s a lot to cover today. So, let’s fasten our seatbelts and get started.Destination Recap:Glasgow, ScotlandParis. FranceOrkney, ScotlandThe Italian Chapel, Orkney, ScotlandSt Kilda, ScotlandSingaporeMarina Bay Sands hotel, SingaporeOrchard Road shops, SingaporeSentosa Island, SingaporeDuxton Reserve, SingaporeAntarcticaFalkland IslandsAlaska, USASouthern AfricaBotswanaUgandaBorneoBarra, ScotlandHarris, ScotlandTunisiaRajasthan, IndiaMongoliaSiberiaThe ArcticListen to Lorraine’s podcast What If? wherever you get your podcasts.With thanks to…Clinique UK - Discover Clinique at World Duty Free today.The Kensington Hotel - For bookings and more information click here.Small Luxury Hotels of the World - Ease yourself into a holiday headspace and visitslh.com/travelcomfortzonesto find out moreThank you so much for listening today. If you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would be wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review on your podcast app - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast.And to hear future episodes as soon as they’re released don’t forget to hit subscribe or “follow” on your podcast app of choice.To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today is a Travel Diaries first - a Listener Special where you, my amazing listeners, are this week’s special guests. I’ve interviewed many a star over the past seven seasons, but the real stars have been you, the listeners. Your incredible support has allowed the podcast to grow as quickly as it has, so it only felt right that I turn the tables, and the microphone, back on to you to tap into your collective wisdom and travel experiences, as you answer the seven chapters of the travel diaries.From China to Kerala, from Costa Rica to Puglia, from the rainforests of the Amazon to the plains of Kenya, fasten your seatbelts for the first ever Travel Diaries Listener Special.Destination Recap:Chapter One - Earliest Childhood Travel Memoriesfeaturing- Beijing, China from Tone in Surrey, England- France from Katja in SloveniaChapter Two - The First Place You Fell In Love Withfeaturing- Villefranche-sur-Mer, Francefrom Emma in Edinburgh, Scotland- Austria from Joe from Somerset, England- Kerala, India from Emma in LondonChapter Three - The Place Where You Learnt The Most About Yourselffeaturing- Karditsa, Greece from Aoife in IrelandChapter Four - All Time Favourite Destinationsfeaturing- Puglia, Italy from Tracey in Wexford, Ireland- Ecuadorian Amazon Rainforest from Charlotte in New Zealand- Nice, France from Jen in Belfast, Northern Ireland- Kenya from Emma in WorcestershireChapter Five - Hidden Gemsfeaturing- San Gerardo de Rivas in Costa Rica from Mani in Birmingham, England- Rendezvous Bay, Antigua from Charlie in the Wirral, England- Red Wharf Bay on the Isle of Anglesey, Wales from Shireen in WalesChapter Seven - The Destination At The Top Of Your Travel Bucket Listsfeaturing- Toronto, Canada from Ellie in East Sussex, England- Japan from Aaron in South WalesWith thanks to…Small Luxury Hotels of the World - Ease yourself into a holiday headspace and visitslh.com/travelcomfortzonesto find out more.Clinique UK - Discover Clinique at World Duty Free today.If you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would be wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review on your podcast app - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast.And to hear future episodes as soon as they’re released don’t forget to hit subscribe or “follow” on your podcast app of choice.To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On today’s episode I’m joined by Mr Blue Eyes himself, our favourite judge from the Great British Bake Off, and making a very rare podcast appearance, I’m thrilled to be joined by Paul Hollywood.Paul began his career as a baker, quickly ascending to become Head Baker in some of the world’s most exclusive hotels. His talent caught the eye of TV producers who snapped him up for cooking shows and before long, he was cast as a judge on one of TV’s most successful shows of all time - the Great British Bake Off. Paul has taken part in every season of the show and when he isn’t filming he’s most likely working on other TV series that combine his two loves - food and travel, and he has travelled the world over.He’s probably the guest this season that a lot of you have been most curious about, maybe because of his tough love and penetrating stare on the Bake Off. As you’ll here, Paul was an absolute delight, very unaffected and genuine, and clearly really passionate about travel. I really enjoyed this one and I hope you will too. So let’s get started.Destination Recap:MexicoEnsenada, MexicoBaja, MexicoChablé Yucatán, Chocholá, MexicoConwy, North WalesIbiza, SpainSt Lawrence Gap, BarbadosCliveden, Hampshire, EnglandLondon, EnglandCyprusAnnabelle Hotel, CyprusAnassa Hotel, CyprusJerusalem, IsraelRome, ItalyThe Great British Bake Off Tent, EnglandCafes near the Coliseum, Rome, ItalyVerbier, SwitzerlandCasablanca, MoroccoAustraliaNew ZealandBAKE by Paul Hollywood, published by Bloomsbury on 9 June 2022 (£26.00 RRP, Hardback)With thanks to…Clinique UK - Discover Clinique at World Duty Free today.Anantara Kihavah MaldivesVillas - The resort is currently offering 30% off with a Best of Maldives offer, which includes a complimentary four course lunch in SEA for stays of four to seven nights and acomplimentary manta ray snorkelling or dolphin cruise for stays over 8 nights, available for stays until 23 December. Head toanantara.comorcheck out@anantarakihavah on Instagram to find out more.If you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would be wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review on your podcast app - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast.And to hear future episodes as soon as they’re released don’t forget to hit subscribe or “follow” on your podcast app of choice.To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today, I’m joined by one of the world’s most successful adventure and nature photographers, Chris Burkard.Nearly 4 million people follow Chris’s work throughout the year on Instagram as he travels to some of the world’s most remote destinations and extreme environments, often requiring Chris to take on immense challenges to capture his work. His stories inspire us to consider our relationship with nature, and the importance of the preservation of wild places everywhere.His travel diaries take us from Greenland to the Kuril Islands, and from remote Iceland to the beaches of California, with some great photographs tips at the end, too.Destination RecapPismo Beach, California, USAYosemite, California, USAIcelandKuril IslandsÍsafjörður, IcelandGreenlandNicaraguaLake Baikal, RussiaMongoliaFaroe IslandsSvalbardChris' new book,Wayward, is out now.With thanks to…Clinique UK - Discover Clinique at World Duty Free today.CV Villas - Book your dream villa holiday at CVVillas.comIf you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would be wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review on your podcast app - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast.And to hear future episodes as soon as they’re released don’t forget to hit subscribe or “follow” on your podcast app of choice.To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today, I’m joined by Raven Smith, the best-selling author and Vogue columnist who’s been hailed as the funniest man on Instagram and dubbed London’s fashion world philosopher. His first book, Raven Smith’s Trivial Pursuits, captured readers as a witty and irreverent guide to modern life and he’s back with a new book, part memoir part commentary on masculinity, called Raven Smith’s Men.As you’ll soon hear, Raven is also an avid traveller and has written for numerous travel titles about his experiences around the world. He takes us from the pyramids of Egypt to the nightclubs of New York, from Greek island tavernas to the hidden beaches of Barbados, with lots of laughs along the way.So fasten your seatbelts and let’s get started.Destination Recap:Crete, GreeceKos, GreeceMilos, GreeceO Hamos, Milos, GreeceBrighton, EnglandBarbadosJapanSea-U Guesthouse, BarbadosBerlin, GermanyCairo, EgyptAdrére Amellal, Siwa, EgyptOld Cataract Hotel, Aswan, EgyptL'Avant Comptoir de la Mer, Paris, FranceBrasserie Zedel, London, EnglandRochelle Canteen, London, EnglandQuo Vadis, London, EnglandDuck Soup, London, EnglandCubaFinca Paradisa, CubaHawaii, USAThat was the fabulous Raven Smith. His new book Raven Smith’s Men is out now.With thanks to…Clinique UK - Discover Clinique at World Duty Free today.Airbnb - Whether you’re looking to live anywhere, or become a Host yourself, visitAirbnb.comand find out more. Prospective Hosts can learn more about how much they can earn sharing their space through theWhat’s My Place Worth Tool.If you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would be wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review on your podcast app - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast.And to hear future episodes as soon as they’re released don’t forget to hit subscribe or “follow” on your podcast app of choice.To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today’s guest is one of the UK’s most loved chefs, Gennaro Contaldo. A key player in bringing his native Italian cuisine to British shores over recent decades, Gennaro’s written over a dozen best-selling Italian cookbooks and is the mentor to his protege Jamie Oliver, who credits Gennaro with teaching him everything he knows about Italian cooking, and Gennaro calls him his sixth child. You’ll have seen on numerous TV shows with Jamie, on Saturday Kitchen and on Two GreedyItalians, with the late great Antonio Carluccio.This episode is a real love letter to Gennaro’s homeland of Italy, bringing to life with such passion destinations like the Amalfi coast, Puglia, Sicily and the Aeolian Islands. So, fasten your seatbelts, and let’s get started.Destination Recap:Minori, Amalfi Coast, ItalyMonte Gargano, Puglia, ItalyMonte Sant'Angelo, Italy: Saint Michael's CaveSalina, Aeolian Islands, Sicily, ItalyCatania, Sicily, ItalyStromboli, Aeolian Islands, Sicily, ItalyLipari, Aeolian Islands, Sicily, ItalySignum Hotel, Aeolian Islands, Sicily, ItalyNaples, ItalyIndiaGennaro is an ambassador for Citalia and his latest recipe book Gennaro’s Limoni: Vibrant Italian recipes celebrating the lemon is out now.With thanks to…Clinique UK - Discover Clinique at World Duty Free today.Citalia - Discover the real Italy withCitalia, the UK’s leading Italian holiday specialistsVilla D’Este Hotel - Experience one of Europe’s grandest hotels, on the shores of Lake Como in Italy, for its 150th season. Visit villadeste.com to find out more.If you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would be wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review on your podcast app - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast.And to hear future episodes as soon as they’re released don’t forget to hit subscribe or “follow” on your podcast app of choice.To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you.If you can’t wait until then, there’s always the first six seasons to catch up on, with guests from Sir Michael Palin and Jo Malone, to Stanley Tucci and Raymond Blanc. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today, we’re being transported to an island paradise. An archipelago of nearly 700 coral islands, 100,000 square miles of the world’s clearest turquoise ocean, secret sandbars, private coves, secluded pink sand beaches, and undisturbed wildlife. We’re heading to The Beautiful Bahamas.There are 16 main islands in the Bahamas, and no two islands are alike with their own culture, history, cuisine, diving, fishing - there is something for every type of traveller, and I'm joined today by two fabulous guests who will be bringing these different islands to life.First I’m joined by someone who has called The Bahamas their home for over 25 years, the designer, entrepreneur and former model, India Hicks.India is the daughter of famed interior designer David Hicks and Lady Pamela Hicks. She is the granddaughter of Lord Mountbatten who was Prince Philip’s uncle and whose assassination by the IRA was most recently depicted on the The Crown on Netflix. India was thrown into the spotlight as a teenager when was a bridesmaid to her godfather, Prince Charles and Princess Diana at their wedding.So it may seem somewhat of an unusual decision that India has settled and raised her five children on a tiny Bahamian island. She speaks to me from her home on the picture postcard Harbour Island.And later we’ll be joined by the acclaimed travel writer and editor Alicia Miller. Alicia has written extensively about the Bahamas and is full of tips and recommendations about so many different islands.Destination Recap:India HicksHarbour IslandThe Dunmore Beach ClubThe Landing HotelQueen ConchCocoa Coffee HouseWindermere IslandAndrosKamalame Cay, AndrosNew ProvidenceRosewood Baha Mar, New ProvidenceBlue Holes divingGrand BahamaTiger Shark divingAlicia MillerHarbour IslandThe Landing HotelThe Dunmore HotelNew ProvidenceNassauParadise IslandAtlantis HotelBaha MarRosewood Baha MarCafé Boulud The BahamasMarcus at Baha MarDowntown NassauThe Graycliff HotelFish FryFrankie Gone BananasBREEF Coral Reef Sculpture Garden & Coral NurseryThe Poop Deck restaurantThe ExumasSpanish WellsAndrosKamalame CayGrand BahamaCoral Vida ProjectEleutheraThe Other SideThe CoveIf you would like find out more about the Bahamas, check out bahamas.com.To hear future episodes of the podcast as soon as they’re released don’t forget to hit subscribe or “follow” on your podcast app of choice. To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you.If you can’t wait until then, there’s always the first six seasons to catch up on, with guests from Sir Michael Palin and Jo Malone, to Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Raymond Blanc . See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today, we’re heading to a mountainous island nation in the Pacific Ocean, with two main islands, the North and the South. A land of mammoth national parks, epic biodiversity, dynamic Māori culture and world-class adventure sports. One of the most popular destinations to be picked by my guests as top of their travel bucket list. It is of course, New Zealand.Today’s episode is a bumper celeb guest double bill, representing both the North and the South Island, kicking off with the comedian, writer and actor Rose Matafeo, who grew up in Auckland on the North Island. Rose’s critically acclaimed show Horndog won the award for Best Show at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, setting her on a trajectory to international stardom. Her sitcom, Starstruck, which she writes and stars in was commissioned by the BBC and HBO Max. Season One became the BBC’s best performing new comedy of last year. Rose is particularly passionate about NZ’s food and cultural scenes, and she shares her must dos, her...