When deadlines loom and the temperature cools, you know you’re in November. While booking a flight to somewhere random and running away from everything is oh-so palatable, it’s hard to do. Best way to escape the stress of life? Travel podcasts.

‘The Travel Podcast’ by Travel Podcast Society

My personal favourite is ÔÇÿThe Travel Podcast‘ by the Travel Podcast Society. It provides both reviews and explorations of various places worldwide, discusses different modes of travelling such as cruises and air travel, while also having environmental undertones and constantly encouraging green travel. The hosts themselves are fun, friendly and informative, and it feels like you’re listening in on a conversation between two beloved friends. You’ll find yourself often laughing, while hurriedly trying to jot down notes on random places around the world you wish to go to. It was clearly created by travellers, for travellers, and it is an exceptional listen that will warm your bones and your heart.

‘Travel Diaries’ by Holly Rubenstein

The second podcast I recommend is ÔÇÿTravel Diaries‘ by Holly Rubenstein. First of all, Rubinstein is great. She’s young, she’s fun, and she knows what she’s talking about. She is one of the most down-to-earth podcast hosts I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. I’m acting like she’s a friend of mine, and to some extent, I would count her as a friend! She tells me where to go, where to avoid, and what to do – I trust her judgement, as do 35,000 other people around the world. Not only does she discuss place recommendations but also accommodation recommendations – as someone who is actually fussy about where they stay, Rubenstein holds the answers to any question you may have. And I mean any. She also writes blogs and regularly contributes to many British newspapers, so if you’re not a massive podcast fan, you can still indulge in her content!

So, dear reader, whether you are planning a holiday, a foregin escapade, or just simply want to escape your cold room and uni work, please do have a listen to the above podcasts, and remember it will not be too long until you are yourself basking in sunrays, toasting yourself with a cold drink in hand, and the cold winter months will be just a distant memory, miles and miles away.

words by Alice Lumley

‘GLOBETHOTTER’ by Cassy Martinez

I think it’s really important to not gate-keep great travel resources, especially when it comes to fun podcasts that highlight the most magical (or damn-right romantic) parts of travel. Cassy Martinez’s podcast, ÔÇÿGLOBETHOTTER‘, puts the “lover, in travel lover”, while light-heartedly telling coming-of-age stories from around the world. The podcast explores the more fun side of hostel life through juicy travel romance stories with “amazing adventurers who kiss and tell”. This podcast promotes the cheeky, confident attitudes that get you through the hard times of travel, like when your train from Berlin to D├╝sseldorf gets cancelled, leaving you stranded in Berlin in a 40-degree-celsius heatwave (true story! German transport infrastructure is overrated).

Let’s be honest, who doesn’t dream of running off to a different country with their new boo that they just met in Croatia? This spicy podcast motivated my own solo travels through Europe ÔÇô I flew out to Budapest and got cheap trains and Flixbuses back through six countries that I had never been to before. Beyond dating and risqu├® stories, the GLOBETHOTTER podcast embodies the romantic, idyllic side of being the main character while travelling. Before my own trip, I was a bundle of nerves until I listened to the light-heartedness of this podcast and romanticised my way through.

Martinez helps you add humour to the not-so-romantic parts of travel by telling realistic travel stories in a juicy way. This is especially helpful to the broke student who dreams of travelling but is limited to Ôé¼20 a night hostels and long bus journeys. GLOBETHOTTER adds a little bit of spice to your journeys and confidence to your soul when you most need it. 

words by Jasmine Dodd