
Women Who Travel | Condé Nast Traveler
Though travel and adventure have historically been publicly claimed by men, women have always been part of those narratives, too. Each week, host and Condé Nast Traveler editor Lale Arikoglu shines a light on some of those stories, interviewing female-identifying guests about their most unique travel tales—from going off-grid in the Danish wilderness to country-hopping solo—sharing her own experiences traveling around the globe, and tapping listeners to contribute their own memorable stories. This is a podcast for anyone who is curious about the world—and excited to explore places both near and far from home. For more from Women Who Travel, visit our website or subscribe to our email newsletter.
Latest episodes

Oct 22, 2019 • 26min
The Race to Visit Every Country in the World
A few weeks ago, Jessica Nabongo became the first black woman to visit every country in the world when she stepped foot in the Seychelles. We’ve been following her journey for years and to celebrate her enormous accomplishment, we’re throwing it back to when we spoke with her in January when she was in Malawi, country 151 of 195. You can read all about the end of Jessica's journey and what she’s learned here: https://www.cntraveler.com/story/jessica-nabongo-on-what-visiting-195-countries-has-taught-her
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Oct 16, 2019 • 38min
Why We All Need to Slow Down When We Travel
Do you ever feel so much pressure to eat, see, and do everything on a trip that you end up feeling utterly overwhelmed and exhausted before you've even touched the ground? Same here. In fact, sometimes it feels like we get so distracted by everything we're supposed to experience that we often end up missing out on the best thing about travel: actually getting to know a place. For this week’s episode we’re joined by Erika Owen, author of 'The Art of Flaneuring: How to Wander with Intention and Discover a Better Life, and sex and wellness writer—and Women Who Travel contributor—Laura Delarato to talk about how we all need to just slow down a bit when we’re traveling. The key takeaways? It's fine to give yourself permission to do less, Iceland is a flaneur's dream destination, and travel should be an opportunity to remove the noise in your life, not add to it.
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Oct 8, 2019 • 29min
How We Make the Most of Family Vacations
Family travel comes in all shapes and sizes these days: Women Who Travel contributor Priya Krishna takes an annual trip with 20 of her extended family members; editor Megan Spurrell travels each July 4 with her sisters and mom; and editor Corina Quinn heads south, to coastal South Carolina, where her slew of nieces and nephews will be endlessly entertained. Truly experts when it comes to making everyone happy on long stretches of close family time, we asked these three how they survive—and even thrive—on their annual multi-gen trips. The key takeaways? Everyone needs alone time. Finding one spot to post up for the week or so you're spending together is much less stressful than moving between hotels. And trip planning is always easiest when there are fewer cooks in the kitchen (it's also a good time to hire a private chef). Listen in to this week's episode for more of their tricks. Find a full transcription of the episode and more here: https://www.cntraveler.com/story/how-we-learned-to-love-traveling-with-our-families-women-who-travel-podcast
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Oct 1, 2019 • 25min
Meet the Women Behind Two of Portland's Buzziest Restaurants
Full warning: a train comes barreling through the live recording of our podcast at the Feast Portland food festival earlier this month. But it hardly stopped us from chatting with Megan Sanchez, chef and co-owner of Güero, and Nong Poonsukwattana, owner and chef at Nong's Khao Man Gai—two of our favorite women in food right now. The two chefs, who both started with food carts next to each other in Portland, each bring their very different life experiences to the table. Megan's parents' Mexican and Egyptian heritage plays a major role in her menu (nothing brings mezze to mind like a slew of salsa pots, right?). And Nong, who moved to the U.S. in the early 2000s from Bangkok, specializes in the Thai dish she wishes she could have eaten growing up in Thailand: khao man gai, poached chicken served in its broth. Listen in as we talk about what authenticity really means, where they find inspiration in travel, and about women supporting women. (And just ignored aforementioned the train.)Read a full transcription of the episode and more here:
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Sep 24, 2019 • 37min
I Traveled Around the World Because of a DNA Test
There are plenty of ways to see the world: through its food, through nature, or even just by slipping on a pair of sneakers and taking a walk. But for Mickela Mallozzi, a professional dancer and host of the award-winning PBS travel show Bare Feet With Mickela Mallozzi, there is no better way to connect with a new place—and its people—than by dancing, whether it be with the Gnawa tribe in Morocco or the Georgian National Ballet. This episode, we sit down with Mickela to find out how she got the idea for her show in the first place, where it's taken her since, and what to expect from her upcoming season, which sees her tracing her DNA across the globe.ICYMI: Women Who Travel's 2020 trip lineup is here! We're still headed to Colombia and Mexico, but are also introducing Cuba as a brand new destination. Interested? You can find all the information you need at elcamino.travel/women-who-travel.Find more info and a full transcription of the episode here: https://www.cntraveler.com/story/i-traveled-around-the-world-because-of-a-dna-test
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Sep 17, 2019 • 29min
What It’s Like Eating at America’s Best New Restaurants for a Living
Ever wonder what it would be like to just travel around the country and eat for a living? If so, you'll want to buddy up to this week's guest, Julia Kramer, Bon Appétit's deputy editor and lead for the magazine's Best New Restaurants in America list. Each spring, she travels to more than 200 restaurants, booking double dinners, brunches, lunches, and more to find the best of the best and chisel it all down into one definitive lineup: the Hot 10. A few months ago (when the list was still very much top secret) we sat down with Julia before she headed out on maternity leave to find out just what it takes to do her job—and, of course, where we should be traveling to eat. The result is an episode that has us ready to book flights to Dallas, Detroit, and more for some Malaysian nasi lemak, Laotian noodles, rhubarb danishes, and charcuterie boards. Needless to say, you'll be hungry by the time it's over.Reminder: If you’re in New York City and you want to taste some of the amazing dishes from the Hot 10 restaurants for yourself, Women Who Travel listeners can get 10 percent off tickets to Bon Appétit’s Hot Ten party on October 19 at BAhot10.com with code WWTHOT10.Find a full transcription of the episode and more show notes here: https://www.cntraveler.com/story/what-its-like-eating-at-americas-best-new-restaurants-for-a-living-women-who-travel-podcast
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Sep 10, 2019 • 39min
How to Actually Enjoy Your Next Work Trip
There are plenty of perks that come with frequent business travel. For one, you can rack up a ton of points and mile just by doing your job. Plus, you get to check out new cities, get to know locals, and explore—even if it's simply during a morning run or coffee break—somewhere new. But traveling for work can also take its toll, squashing your attempts at a routine and leaving you stuck in hotel rooms when you'd rather be in your own bed. To find the ideal balance, we asked two road warriors—Instagram's Kristie Dash and Gimlet Media's Christine Amorose Merrill—to talk through their strategies for fitting in a solo meal and making the most of their limited free time. Find the full show notes and a transcription of the episode here:
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Sep 3, 2019 • 42min
The Travels That Inspire Carla Lalli Music and Priya Krishna’s Cooking
This week's episode is a repeat from March 2019. Food has never been more tethered to travel. Instagram, Anthony Bourdain, and others have made the two things bound to each other. And so, we pulled in two of our favorite foodies—*Bon Appétit*'s food director Carla Music (of "Back to Back Chef" YouTube fame) and contributor Priya Krishna—to chat about why food always tastes better on vacation, what it takes to recreate our favorite dishes, and cover the trips that introduced us to new foods, from something as simple as fresh pita and hummus in Egypt to pillowy idlis in India. Find more information about Carla and Priya's new books in the episode's show notes, here:https://www.cntraveler.com/story/the-travels-that-inspire-our-cooking-women-who-travel-podcast
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Aug 26, 2019 • 23min
Maria Sharapova on Tennis, Travel, and Why She Likes to Get Lost on Vacation
Maria Sharapova loves Italy. She just got back from vacation in Italy. If you ask her where she wants to go on vacation next, it's Italy. (Ischia, Venice, Tuscany, and Sicily to be slightly more precise.) For the Olympic medalist and five time Grand Slam winner who travels more than 25 weeks out of the year, finding a place where you can just turn off is key—and quick three-day city breaks to Rome and Positano in between tournaments and training have done just that. This week, she's far from the Mediterranean, competing against Serena Williams in the first round of the U.S. Open in New York City—but before the Russian player hit the court, we sat down to chat about her love for the boot-shaped country, her favorite solo trips, and how she's made a home for herself in the U.S.Read the show notes and a full transcription of the episode here: https://www.cntraveler.com/story/maria-sharapova-women-who-travel-podcast
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Aug 20, 2019 • 34min
What I Learned From Full-Time Travel—And Why I Stopped
For Jada Yuan, it was the job opportunity of a lifetime: the chance to visit 52 places in 52 weeks as The New York Times's 52 Places traveler. For Renee Hahnel, known on Instagram as Renee Roaming, full-time travel was a photography gig that meant piling into a tiny 15-by-six-foot van and photographing 59 national parks over nearly seven months. The two travelers did what we'd all love to do: pack up and just go, traveling without stopping for months on end. This week, the two—Renee just back from another photography trip to Kenya and Jada on vacation in the French Riviera—called in to share how they got started traveling full time, what it was really like, and how they're settling back into "normal" life. Read the show notes and a full transcription of the episode here: https://www.cntraveler.com/story/what-i-learned-from-full-time-traveland-why-i-stopped-women-who-travel-podcast
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