Celebs Go Dating star and therapist Anna Williamson chats to the Mirror about all things travel – her favourite holiday, best travelling memory and even why solo-travelling can be ’empowering’

Channel 4’s Celebs Go Dating star Anna Williamson loves slipping away on a solo holiday, claiming that going it alone is “one of the most empowering things to do”.

Shooting to fame at a young age, Anna has had her fair share of travelling experiences over the years. Whether it is jetting away with her partner, friends, family or solo, the TV star enjoys it all. She chatted to the Mirror about her best and worst memories from the road.

“I love taking my mum away and having a little city break for some quality time together and drinking wine, I adore going away with my husband and having some time to ourselves to be a couple, and I also adore going by myself whenever I can,” she said.

READ MORE: ‘Touristy’ UK landmark named one of world’s ‘most disappointing’ attractions

As fun as it is to head away with a loved one, Anna really enjoys setting out solo. “I highly value quiet time by myself to embrace my autonomy and find my equilibrium, and I find it one of the most empowering things to do.”

When it comes to Anna’s out-and-out favourite ever trip, nothing quite compares with her honeymoon in Bali with fitness coach husband Alex Di Pasquale. “We stayed at the Oberoi Hotel in Seminyak and Lombok and it was just stunning from start to finish,” she recalls.

“The culture and the cuisine, it was just so special. I also adored St Lucia and I took my mum there a few years ago for a holiday and we had the most wonderful time with the most breathtaking beaches and scenery. I particularly liked St Lucia best out of all the Caribbean islands as it is so lush and green.”

It takes about eight-and-a-half hours to fly from London to St Lucia, where tourists enjoy volcanic beaches, serene diving opportunities and luxury resorts. There are also multiple trails through the rainforest, which lead to 15 metre waterfalls.

Not all holidays have been as smooth sailing and idyllic for Anna. “I went to Marmaris in Turkey years ago. The hotel was heaving and there were building works going on that we didn’t know about in advance, and I found the beach very dirty,” Anna explained.

“It wasn’t a terrible holiday, but it certainly wasn’t the best. I would like to experience Turkey again actually, to change my opinion, I know lots of people love it there.”

Anna’s husband is Sicilian, and his roots have clearly influenced her. When asked what country she’d recommend others visit, the answer is Italy.

“I absolutely adore Italy,” Anna shared. “We obviously go to Sicily a lot which is absolutely stunning, and is now even more attractive to tourists due to the Netflix series White Lotus which was filmed in my husband’s hometown, Cefalu. It’s such a rustic and traditional island and everywhere you go there’s a stunning Instagram-worthy location, restaurant and view.

“We also love other parts of Italy and like to explore. It helps our children stay close to their Italian heritage and improve their language skills. We loved Borgo Egnazia in Puglia. It’s the most incredible rustic hotel/village; it is next level, and we’ve never found a location that can beat it for sheer excellence in facilities, style, and class.

“We would love to go back, although it is very pricey nowadays thanks to the Beckhams holidaying there! We also love Ostuni on the south coast. We rented a villa there last year and it’s the most beautiful quaint and buzzing town with delicious views and restaurants.”

Among all the different places Anna has visited, her most cherished travelling memory is from when she was 19-years-old. “I travelled for three weeks around Brazil with my boyfriend at the time and his sister and her boyfriend – who was Brazilian. It was the most incredible experience.

“We went from São Paulo to Rio de Janeiro and stopped at some of the most stunning places along the way doing it all traveller style in a rental car and buses. Bahia is one of the most stunning locations ever, which I believe is in the top 10 beaches in the world! Let me tell you, picking your own coconut off the beach and eating it looking out at that view is one to bank as your happy place… Which I have!

“I do remember, though, we had a rental car, and we broke down one night on a remote road. We ended up getting picked up by a random relay truck we had to flag down to take us to the nearest service station… And let’s just say Brazil did not have the best road infrastructure. We were literally flying over potholes hanging on for dear lives! It’s something now, as a grown-up, I shudder to think how we actually survived that!”

For each of us, travelling offers something different. We all travel for varying reasons. Anna says that she has been lucky enough to experience the world “a couple of times over”.

“Through my work over the years in TV, I have travelled from Australia, to China, to America, to the Middle East and Africa, and I am very passionate about exploring different cultures, being curious and educating myself about how other people live and embracing it all,” she shared.

“I am very passionate about my children experiencing the world as well, to understand the importance of culture and having rich life experiences, seeing and enjoying things they could never experience staying in one place. Travelling enables us to open our minds and find new passions we may have never considered, and I think if anybody can do it, they should do it.”

Anna co-hosts the podcast LuAnna, with her friend Luisa Zissman where they “chat, rant and bant” on the topical stories of the week.