Actor and Singer Vanessa Williams on her Most Adventurous Experiences Around the World

As told to Farida ZeynalovaTue, August 18, 2026 at 9:00 AM UTC

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Vanessa Williams has been playing Miranda Priestley inThe Devil Wears Prada musical in London. Alexis Saint Pete

This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).

Farida Zeynalova: What’s your first travel memory?

Vanessa Williams: Coming to England in 1968, when I was five years old. My uncle was in the Air Force and stationed in Ripon, up in Yorkshire. I remember green grass, playing hide and seek with my cousins and having lots of fun. That was the first time I got on a plane — back then, people made an effort and looked glamorous when getting on the Pan Am transatlantic flight. It was all very exciting and important.

FZ: What’s the first thing you do in a new destination?

VW: I always try to go horse-riding because it allows me to see the landscape differently. When I was doing a musical in Rotterdam, I found a beautiful stable outside the city. We rode through an enormous, gorgeous pine forest and came up to a crest with a beach beneath. We lined up side by side and cantered on it. I did the same with a gaucho in El Calafate, Argentina, riding off-road before finishing the day with fresh bread and beer. None of that would’ve happened if I hadn’t asked, “Where can I ride?” You go into a terrain you never would as a tourist.

FZ: Where’s the one place you could go back to again and again?

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VW: Egypt. I’ve been at least 10 times. There’s a peacefulness to travelling up the Nile — it takes you back to how you imagine biblical times. Then you hear a wedding in a town square, with all the joy and hustle and bustle of that, before having cocktails with friends. It feels so exotic yet so comfortable. The other would be the Tahitian islands, for the combination of beaches and mountains. I first went in the 1990s, and there’s nothing like pulling in and seeing the massive mountains with their mist and mystery. The sand is like sugar, the water is crystal clear and it’s got a really relaxed vibe.

FZ: What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve done?

VW: Paragliding in Ölüdeniz, Türkiye. You drive up to the top of a mountain and you hope that your co-pilot is certified because they have your life in their hands. Then you’re soaring and gliding in the air before landing on the beach. I did it while shootingThe Odyssey back in 1996. On our days off, we kept seeing people land on the beach and we thought, “We want to do that.” The fact that you’re one of two people with just a parachute was a bit terrifying, but landing safely on the beach felt wonderful.

FZ: What’s been your most memorable group trip?

VW: I’m part of a group of women who’ve been travelling together for about 20 years, to Egypt, Argentina, Cuba, Italy. Cuba was fascinating. Our visa was sponsored by art professor Mary Drobny, who took us to artists’ houses where there was lots of drumming, singing and dancing. We went to paladars, too, which are houses that serve food — it was a chance to go into someone’s home and be fed and entertained. I also saw the resilience of making beauty out of no means. It was eye-opening. And dancing with gorgeous guys who know how to salsa is always good.

FZ: You’ve been in London while playing Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada musical. What do you like most about the city?

VW: I was supposed to live here for my year abroad while I was at Syracuse University but never got the chance, so it’s always been on my bucket list. What I love most is the history; you can walk down a random street and come upon something that’s from the 1500s. I also love the pomp and circumstance. I’ve been to Wimbledon three times, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show twice, and I also did the Royal Variety Performance, where I met King Charles. Living here, among the hustle and bustle, is one thing, but experiencing these annual events that people dress up for has a certain cachet. On my day off, my spot is Broadwick Soho. There’s a beautiful bar called Flute on the seventh floor. It’s layer upon layer of Murano glass, patterned wallpaper, upholstered chairs and smoked mirrors. It’s cosy, sexy and private.

Published in the October 2026 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK).To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here (available in select countries only).

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