Eva Herzigova's Ultimate Travel List

After her first visit to Saudi, with friend (and List’s launch issue interviewee) Helena Christensen, Eva Herzigova – Czech original supermodel, actress, and programme ambassador for AlUla Creates – described her experience as “eye-opening.”

We sat down with the icon to chat about travel.

From favourite spots in the Kingdom to her love for sailing, championing creative fields to what moves her most about AlUla, Herzigova shares her travel stories and must-haves with us.

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I've had Saudi friends for many years and the progress regarding women's rights has been quite eye-opening. Just being able to visit this magnificent part of the world, to see the advancement happening with my own eyes – such as women no longer being obliged to wear abayas, for example – and be part of creating a platform for a young generation is an exciting endeavour. I’m keen to focus on AlUla Creates programmes right now, making sure we do the best job finding and supporting new talent in the film, fashion, and creative industries.

The stunning beauty of ancient AlUla will always stay with me: the rosy colours of the rock formations, the history that is more than 200,000 years old, the tombs, the vast amount of palm groves, the kindness, and the “joie de vivre” of the community. I would love to spend more time exploring the area. I feel like I’ve only just touched the surface of this incredible environment, and I can’t wait to see what hidden gems it has to offer the world.

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I would definitely recommend that anyone coming to AlUla also visit the ancient tombs and the seaside of Jeddah. They should enjoy food that has been cooked for over eight hours in a pit under the sand – and fresh fruit juices that taste like heaven, like my favourite Ajwa dates. Of the three kinds of dates from this region that I’ve tried, Medjool, Sukri, and Ajwa, the last is my favourite. A little darker in colour and not as sweet as the others, but very nutritious.

Craftsmanship plays a huge role in Saudi heritage, and I'd love to discover more of that aspect on my next visit. Arwa [Alammari – the Saudi fashion designer who created Herzigova’s dress for the Vanity Fair Oscar’s party in March 2023] is very precise about her details and the execution of her designs – you can tell she is a sophisticated lady who has travelled the world. She is lovely, and I’m glad we had the chance to work together and get to know each other.

The development of AlUla is absolutely mind-blowing; it’s inspiring to see sophisticated socioeconomic opportunities within the creative industries being integrated into it in a sustainable way. Since the birth of my first son in 2007, community and finding alternative energy have been increasingly close to my heart. This led me to help with a development of wind farms back in the Czech Republic, so becoming familiar with AlUla’s plans for sustainable and renewable energy is something very important to me.

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I love to travel by train or go to places that are not too far away. I live in Italy right now, so I am lucky. There is so much beauty just around the corner, like Venice, Florence... Switzerland; I mean the list is so long!

When in France, I will always go for a sole meunière – nowhere else knows how to do it better. I also love Japanese cuisine; there is this one seaweed dish I’m crazy about called hijiki.

My favourite time is when everyone is away, and I'm home alone. Like during summer when the city [Turin] is empty, and I get to those forgotten boxes full of memories and just enjoy going through it all very slowly. And when we’re together? I’m going to Bhutan with the family soon, which I’m really excited about!

My favourite hotel in the world is The Carlyle in New York City. It’s by Central Park and the rooms feel like they’re your own place.

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I could never travel without my pillow. It took me 20 years to find the right one and it was worth the effort as it makes all the difference.

I get bored going to the same place. I do love sailing though, as it gives me the energy of change and a new horizon every day, and I love the breeze in my hair.

My best childhood travel memory was in north-east Germany. I just like that landscape. It’s a bit rough and cold – and I probably liked the fact that we were all together.

One of my first jobs was in the Seychelles and it pops into my head as my all-time best travel memory. I guess it really stands out as it was so exotic compared to everything else I had ever seen before.

Most hotels in general are not very eco-friendly, so to try and make my travels eco- friendlier, for me it’s about pulling up the sails.