The Travel Diaries

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:Eswatini (Formerly Swaziland) London, England MozambiqueProvence, France Masai Mara, Kenya and Tanzania Las Vegas, Nevada, USAPassalacqua, Lake Como, ItalyRitz Paris, France The Mark Hotel, Manhattan, New York, USAMkhaya Game Reserve, Safari, SwazilandIsraelGrand Egyptian Museum (GEM), Giza, Egypt SpaceRichard 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.

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: ThailandAustraliaThe Niagara Café, Gundagai, NSW, AustraliaÎle de Ré, France, FranceRiva, Barnes, London, England Riley’s Fish Shack, Tynemouth, EnglandPorto, PortugalDouro Valley, Portugal Laigueglia, Liguria, Italy, Italy Hotel Windsor, Laigueglia, Liguria, ItalyTrieste, Italy Tbilisi, GeorgiaArgentinaPeruBrazilLake Como, Italy If you’d like to explore more of Rick’s stories, tips and recipes, his new book Rick Stein’s Christmas is out now. II’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 journeyMarrakech – Designer Anya Hindmarch and Wanderlust editor-in-chief Lyn Hughes on the city of artisans, colour and contrastsAtlas Mountains - Sir Richard Branson, The Hairy Bikers, and blind adventurer Amar Latif on Berber villages, snow-topped peaks and mountain escapesOuarzazate (the “door to the desert”) - Travel & Leisure Editor Jacqui Gifford on this cinematic frontier townPaula’s Destination Recap:Tangier Villa Mabrouka, TangierAsilahTetouan Royal Mansour Tamuda Bay Dar Ambrosia, Asilah Mimi Calpe, TangierM’HamidErfoud Iriki Taroudant Dar Ahlam, OuarzazateSkouraMarrakechOualidia Riad Mina, Marrakech Berber Lodge, Marrakech Riad L’Atelier, MarrakechRosemary, Marrakech Tribalista, Marrakech The Memory RoadThanks 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:Bamburgh Beach, Northumberland, EnglandIsle of Man, EnglandPortugalNamibiaMadurai, IndiaSouthern ItalyBuenos Aires, ArgentinaPatagonia, ArgentinaValdes Peninsula, ArgentinaGrossglockner High Alpine Road, AustriaAtlas Mountains, MoroccoMexicoThe Ghats, IndiaJapanLithuaniaRiga, LatviaTallinn, EstoniaFinnish ArchipelagoSouthern TurkeyMachu Picchu, PeruNigeriaPan-American HighwayWith 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:Kudadoo, The MaldivesVenice, Italy Utah, USAThe Grand Canyon Italy Seoul, KoreaLouisiana, USAKruger National Park, South Africa 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.