Laura Whitmore: 'I spent so much time in the markets and with the locals in Marrakech'

From road-tripping across America in a Mustang to cycling through Copenhagen and returning home, travel has long been woven into Laura Whitmore's life

Laura Whitmore: "My mother’s a traveller, I’m a bit of a traveller. I spend very little time in one place, even with work. I’m based in London, but I like going to different places."

Irish presenter Laura Whitmore's career, from television in her MTV days to far-flung adventures pre-pandemic, has been peripatetic. Based in London but proudly rooted in Wicklow, she describes herself as a traveller at heart, spending little time in one place and often discovering Irish connections wherever she goes. From road-tripping across America in a Mustang to cycling through Copenhagen and returning home, travel has long been woven into her life.

Favourite childhood holiday memory?

Some of my favourite childhood memories and holidays are going down to my cousins in Wexford. Probably the biggest one was when I was around 12 or so, to Disneyland Florida. 

It was my first time going to America! It was a huge trip, we hadn't been on a big one like that, ever before! I went with my mam. Thinking back on that is so magical and it still sticks with me years later. I have even been back for a friends wedding since, and still felt just as magical. 

Most memorable trip 
I did a road trip across America (pre-lockdown, 2019, perfect timing). We didn’t know the world was about to stop. We hired a Mustang convertible, started in San Francisco, drove across America with very little plan, and ended in Boston, where I used to live and study. 

I did a semester there in my uni days. We then drove everywhere in between. From Glacier’s Point and Yosemite to Reno and Wyoming, and right through middle America, which is interesting to experience. 

Laura Whitmore: "There were lots of surprises because we weren’t very organised… We’d sit in places we wanted to stop along the way that we’d never been to before."

I kind of feel it was one of those things that you do once in your life. I’m very happy that we did it in 2019 because then there was just no chance of travelling afterwards for a long time.

There were lots of surprises because we weren’t very organised… We’d sit in places we wanted to stop along the way that we’d never been to before. I’ve been to the States quite a lot, but that trip was different. We went horse riding in Wyoming, and stayed in Salt Lake City very briefly. We ended up in Boston, a city I hold close to my heart. There were definitely some dramas along the way where we realised, “Oh, we haven’t picked anywhere to stay tonight", but it was pretty epic, and we saw incredible landscapes.

It was really interesting because growing up on an island like Ireland, I’m not used to that vastness and so many states next to each other being so different. When you go from somewhere like San Francisco to somewhere like Wyoming, it’s very different lifestyles and very different people!

Most surprising destination
I love Copenhagen. I went there on a work trip years ago with the BBC, doing Eurovision and was commentating on it with Scott Mills and Graham Norton. It was so much fun. I’ve gone back there so many times since. The fashion is brilliant. 

Laura Whitmore: "I’ve gone back to Copenhagen so many times since. The fashion is brilliant."

Now I go back just to visit the city as I think it’s really interesting. You can cycle everywhere. We’ve been to an amazing restaurant called The Alchemist, which is one of the most insane restaurants and dining experiences I’ve ever had in my entire life.

Favourite city
I have to say Dublin. Probably more so because I don’t live there now. I do have a place I go back to a lot, but I just think it’s the coolest city. Maybe I love it more because I don’t live there. 

River Liffey in Dublin.

Maybe I look at it through rose-tinted glasses… I grew up just outside Dublin in Wicklow, which I love, and I love the beauty of being by the sea. My friend in London calls me The Wicklow Wanderer because I travel so much. I also love New York. I go there about once a year through work, and I’ve got friends who live there.

Favourite hotel

We did The Peninsula in Tokyo last year, which was really fun. The Peninsula is gorgeous, and the one in Tokyo is pretty epic. We were there just before Christmas, so it was all lit up and beautiful with a stunning spa too. 

The Peninsula in Tokyo.

There’s also a sustainable hotel in Copenhagen called Manon Les Suits, where we stayed, which was really relaxing and very boutique. The inside felt like the outside. I’ve also stayed in a lot of Hilton hotels as they are everywhere. The Conrad, which is part of the group in New York, is pretty epic, a favourite and also Fauchon in Kyoto, which has a stunning rooftop restaurant.

Most memorable food experience 

In Bali, I went to a restaurant called Mosaic. I was there with a work colleague from MTV, and everything was made from fresh produce; the food had all been grown locally. And also, the Alchemist in Copenhagen I mentioned earlier was pretty intense. Head chef Rasmus greeted all the diners, and I think we were there for over five hours. It’s a real spatial experience fusing food and art. We cycled there but had to take a cab back to the hotel with the bikes, as we drank and ate more than expected!

Favourite thing to do while travelling 

I’m not very good at sitting still, so I’m not really a beach bum. I love going to places where you can see lots of things. At the beginning of this year, I was in Marrakech on a work trip and I spent so much time in the markets and with the locals. I love finding out the history of where I am.

My bucket list trip 

Japan has always been on my bucket list, and we did it last year, but only for a week, sadly, so I definitely want to go back. Tokyo had been on the list for about ten years. We went to Tokyo and Kyoto, but we only had a week, so I definitely want to go back and do more. 

Laura Whitmore: "Japan has always been on my bucket list, and we did it last year, but only for a week, sadly."

I need to plan the next trip. It’s tricky at the moment, but it will happen. I’ve always wanted to go to India. I’m yet to visit. The closest I’ve ever got was Nepal, so that’s on my list.

My mother’s a traveller, I’m a bit of a traveller. I spend very little time in one place, even with work. I’m based in London, but I like going to different places. I feel like travelling is in our blood. I nearly meet more Irish people outside of Ireland. It’s nice to spread the Irishness!