My Life In Travel: Tom Conti, actor

'The west coast of Scotland takes my breath away'

(Getty Images)

First holiday memory?

Dublin. I think we sailed to Belfast and then took a train, and I remember they served porridge and cream in the dining car. This must have been just at the end of the war and cream wasn't available on the British mainland, so it was the first time I had porridge with cream. I also remember a trip to the Isle of Man where my father had been interned during the war. Why he wanted to go back I don't know, maybe to confirm that he survived it. We arrived very early and there wasn't a room available at the hotel so we fell asleep in armchairs in the lounge.

Best holiday?

I'm a resident of the US, so going there isn't really a holiday, but one of my favourite cities is New York. It's the best, most fun city in the world and to walk around is always fascinating. I like New Yorkers – they're intelligent and mad.

Favourite place in the British Isles?

There's a bit of the west coast of Scotland that always takes my breath away. It's wild and quite high up, beyond Ullapool; the coastal road is amazing.

What have you learnt from your travels?

Never go on a plane if you can avoid it. There were times when I travelled – and flew – a lot for work. However, one of the most pleasurable things is flying First Class on British Airways on a long-haul flight. I'm about to go on tour around the UK but in the car, which can also have its difficulties.

Ideal travelling companion?

The screenwriter Frederic Raphael is wonderful company. He is engaging, witty, informative and one of the most entertaining people I know. I'm just about to do a play of his on the radio.

Beach bum, culture vulture or adrenalin junkie?

None of the above. I used to say my favourite holiday was skiing, as you know exactly what you're going to do every day. I can't be bothered going round cathedrals and art galleries, but I enjoy wandering around cities, going into cafes and looking at the local life. It's sad that all the shops are the same though.

Greatest travel luxury?

An iPod. I always travel with music and used to carry huge cassettes, then CDs around, so it's magic having it all in one tiny device now.

Holiday reading?

One thing I do like about travelling, particularly long plane journeys, is that I'm trapped for hours and can enjoy a pile of books. Someone once told me men over 40 stop reading novels and I realised that I had, so I've started reading them again.

Where has seduced you?

Paris is seductive and places in Italy, too. Siena, Umbria and certain mountain villages are just lovely.

Worst travel experience?

My most frightening travel experience was when I was 10 on my first visit to Italy. We were in Milan train station on our way to Rome and my father had told me all about this amazing station, Milano Centrale, which was like a cathedral. The train stopped for what was supposed to be an hour and a half and we all got off. My parents decided to get back on, but I wanted to wander around a bit longer. They told me to make sure I got back on in good time. I returned half an hour before it was due to depart to see the train vanishing out of the station. I waited and after 20 minutes my father came running across the concourse. I had never been so terrified. It turned out the train had simply been moved from one platform to another.

Worst hotel?

We went to the wedding of the actor Griffin Dunne in New York State and booked a hotel. It looked like an old country house hotel on the internet but we got there and it was the Bates Motel from Psycho. It was ghastly – filthy, with cracks in the sink, it was absolutely awful. We packed to go to the wedding and didn't go back.

Best hotel?

I've stayed so many times at the Beverly Wilshire in Los Angeles that it's a bit like going home. It used to be much nicer but it's got more showy and marbled – slightly less human these days. There was a great coffee shop called the Pink Turtle which has now gone. The Pavillon de la Reine in Paris is lovely. It's small, rather nice and its location on the Place des Vosges is lovely.

Best meal abroad?

Italy is the best place to eat, hands down. New York is pretty good, too. You rarely get a bad meal there.

First thing you do when you arrive somewhere new?

Walk around. It's much less complicated now; you used to have to book the right currency and get everything organised but now you can just put a piece of plastic into a wall. In that sense, progress is good.

Dream trip?

Driving across the US from somewhere like Chicago, going slightly north through Wyoming and Montana across to the West coast.

Where next?

On tour via Brighton, Glasgow and Bromley.

Tom Conti stars in 'A Closed Book', released on DVD on 22 February