Travel

Available for over a year

Rachel Cooke (1969-2025) confesses to being disappointed on what she thought was going to be the trip of a lifetime, and wonders if that says more about her or about the holiday. In this essay, with the help of writers including Geoff Dyer and Susan Sontag, Rachel asks what it is that makes the perfect holiday and whether unglamorous locations might be the answer. This series of the Essay is being broadcast again to mark Rachel Cooke’s death in November 2025.