Clare Balding

Today’s guest is a broadcasting legend. Whether it’s the Olympic Games, Paralympics, horse racing, Crufts, Wimbledon or so much more, Clare Balding has risen to national treasure status. She’s also a best-selling author, radio presenter and podcaster, in case you didn’t think she was busy enough!


Covering so many major TV events has taken Clare around the world, and then some. Her travel diaries take us from Mauritius to Costa Rica, Italy to Iona. She tells us how she once won her weight in champagne as a horse jockey; as a dog lover like me she shares her favourite dog friendly spots in the UK; we hear her take on the future of Emma Raducanu, and about the time the Queen turned up at her house for breakfast. All that coming up on The Travel Diaries.


Destination Recap:


  • Chamonix, France
  • Aspen, Colorado, USA
  • Mauritius 
  • Four Seasons Hotel, Mauritius 
  • Sydney, Australia
  • Melbourne, Australia
  • Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  • Australia
  • New Zealand 
  • Costa Rica
  • Hotel Punta Islita, Costa Rica
  • Cuba
  • Lewa, Kenya
  • Galana, Kenya 
  • Tofauti charity
  • Lucknam Park, Bath, England
  • Whatley Manor, Wiltshire, England 
  • Holbeck Ghyll, Lake District, England
  • Rosa Alpina, The Dolomites, Italy
  • Puglia, Italy
  • Umbria, Italy 
  • Iona, Scotland
  • Northumberland, England
  • Wigton, Scottish Borders, Dumfries and Galloway 
  • Elephant Corridor, Sri Lanka 
  • Banyan Tree Mayakoba, Mexico
  • Baltic Sea Cruise
  • Fjord Cruise
  • Panama Canal Cruise
  • The Amazon Cruise
  • South Pacific Cruise
  • Alaska, USA


A big thanks to Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London for hosting us for our interview. Book your winter or Christmas staycation and enjoy Magical Mandarin Moments of delight from £740 per night.


To book your dream villa holiday visit The Thinking Traveller. The Thinking Traveller's collection of luxury villas across Italy, The Greek Islands, Corsica and Mallorca are some of the best properties out there for a villa holiday and come in all sizes, whether you're travelling as a couple or for a big family reunion.


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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. 


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