The Travel Diaries

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:
Soneva Fushi, Maldives
Wexford, Ireland
Curracloe Beach, Ireland
Cahore, Ireland
St Davids, United Kingdom
Fishguard, United Kingdom
Dordogne, France
Atlantic Coast France, France
Norfolk, United Kingdom
Bodrum, Turkey
Donegal, Ireland
Sligo, Ireland
Causeway Coastal Route, United Kingdom
Ballycastle, United Kingdom
Portrush, United Kingdom
Portstewart, United Kingdom
Derry, United Kingdom
Coleraine, United Kingdom
New York City, United States
Washington DC, United States
New Orleans, United States
Los Angeles, United States
Hermosa Beach, United States
Seattle, United States
Puglia, Italy
Salento, Italy
Oslo, Norway
Bygdøy, Norway
Lofoten Islands, Norway
Bergen, Norway
Kirkenes, Norway
Prague, Czech Republic
Japan, Japan
South Korea, South Korea
New England, United States
Maine, United States

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.
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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

Hagia Sophia
Bosphorus
Pudding Shop
Kadıköy
Eminönü
Beyoğlu
Topkapı Palace
Blue Mosque
Bebek
Moda
Çukurcuma
Istiklal Street
Tarabya
Kıyı

Cappadocia

Derinkuyu
Kaymaklı
Red Valley
Argos in Cappadocia

Antalya & Surrounds

Kaleiçi
Lara
Belek

Turquoise Coast / Southwest Coast

Fethiye
Hillside Beach Club
Göcek
Dalyan
Marmaris Bay
Marmaris

Kalkan & Kaş Area

Kalkan
Villa Mahal
Merkez
Kaş
Kekova
Meis
Çıralı

Bozburun Peninsula

Selimiye
Orhaniye
Bozburun

Datça Peninsula

Datça
Knidos
D Maris Bay

Dalaman Area

Ahama hotel

Eastern Turkey

Gaziantep
Mount Nemrut

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 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:
Raffles London at The OWO, London, England

Tom’s Destination Recap:
Gibraltar
Valetta, Malta
Gozo
Rabat, Malta
Mtarfa, Malta
Alpbach, Austria
Berlin, Germany
India
Jakarta, Indonesia
Sydney, Australia
Bondi Icebergs Sea Pool, Sydney, Australia
Bill’s, Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia
Stockholm Archipelago, Sweden
Resarö, Sweden
Dog sledding near Kittilä, Finland
Niseko, Japan
Nozawaonsen, Japan
Albania
South America

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.

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:

Jersey Shore, USA
Kingston, Jamaica
Bob Marley Beach, Jamaica
Negril, Jamaica
London
Ibiza
Es Vedra, Ibiza
New York, USA
Slovenia
Kasakhstan
Colorado, USA
Oman

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.

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:

Palmyra, Syria
Lebanon
Rome, Italy
Prague, Czech Republic
Cambodia
Iran
North Korea
Rishikesh, India
Copenhagen, Denmark
Muskoka, Canada
Zermatt, Switzerland
Morocco
Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Swindon, England
Weston-super-Mare, England
Algeria

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.