Julia Stiles: 'The hostel was swarming with cockroaches and may have been a brothel'

My family are creatures of habit when it comes to travel

Mom has a good friend who lives in Puerto Rico and we’d go there every annual vacation. Once we were staying at her house for Christmas and they have a tradition there called parrandas, almost like Christmas carolling but a lot more festive and with food. I remember the music just being so beautiful.

Soho in New York has changed a lot since the days when I grew up there

The whole city is like a moving, living, breathing organism, always changing with the influx of people. I realised recently that I never developed a hobby because I grew up in New York: all you have to do is walk out your door and something interesting will happen, so I never had to entertain myself. 

We filmed in Buenos Aires in Argentina for season three of Riviera

It reminded me so much of New York. There are all these beautiful graffiti murals, broken cobblestone streets and big loft apartments.

The people of Buenos Aires are so welcoming and full of life

It’s just so vibrant and the food is amazing. The cast would go out for dinner together and then to a speakeasy – a bar that’s unmarked and you have to be told about it and then find it via a secret passageway. 

I'm definitely a water baby, I’ve decided

If I can find sunlight and salt water, I’m happy. One of my favourite holidays was in the Rosario Islands of Colombia with my now husband [Preston J Cook, a camera assistant] and his family over Christmas 2015. We got engaged on Christmas Eve, so the place has special memories for me.

It's not where you are but who you're with that makes for a good vacation

I’ve travelled to so many parts of the world and worked in so many interesting places, but often on my own. I remember once walking along the beautiful streets of Prague, calling a friend and lamenting that I had no one to share it with.

In 2010 I went to Cuba when my sister was studying there

I was staying at the Hotel Nacional in Havana but it was crowded and there was a film festival going on. Rather than network, I decided to run in the opposite direction. I booked into a casa particular, a family home run like a B&B. It was a more authentic experience and I got to practise Spanish and get to know people.

I toured Costa Rica with a girlfriend when I was in college

We didn’t have any money, so to get across the country we spent six hours on a bus so crowded we had to sit in the aisle. We stayed one night in San José, booking the cheapest hotel we could find. It was swarming with cockroaches and may have been a brothel – but it’s all experience, right? 

My problem is that I find planes really fun and can never sleep on them

I love sitting back and watching a movie and somebody bringing me food. Overnight flights are the worst for me because I end up staying awake the whole time, really excited about where I’m going.

I love the Ham Yard hotel in London; the design is so charming and fun

When I did a play in the West End, and one of the Bourne movies, one of my favourite memories is of walking along the South Bank, seeing the Thames, Tate Modern and the National Theatre. I love it.

Part of the attraction of filming Riviera was the chance to live there for a while

There’s a quote about the South of France: “It’s a sunny place for shady people.” So the idea that you have this beautiful, glamorous, exotic setting, but underneath it all there’s a grinding reality – I knew that would make a good TV show. I feel fortunate to have spent so much time in France, making connections and establishing the kind of daily routine that makes you feel like you’re not a tourist.

We shot at a villa in Antibes for season two

It overlooked a rocky coast with a path going down to the water. I couldn’t wait until we wrapped at the end of the day because I’d rip off my costume, put on a bathing suit and go swimming just as the sun was going down.

My son got his passport at six weeks old and has more stamps in it than most of us

I’ve become pretty good at rearranging furniture in hotels so it’s safe for him, but he’s very adaptable. It’s great to have him around while filming Riviera – the Mediterranean is perfect for kids because the tides aren’t too strong and the waves are pretty mellow.

I leave room in my suitcase for souvenirs such as artisanal leather goods from Argentina

The costume designer on Riviera once gave me a beautiful leather overnight bag. I also took home a few ponchos, woven belts and sun hats.

I only took one suitcase when I went to France to film Riviera

There was one for me and one for the toddler to last the four seasons – and I pat myself on the back for that. I try to take clothes that all match, a few skincare items, a small set of speakers and a pair of shoes I don’t mind getting destroyed. I don’t really wear accessories. I’m pretty minimalist. 

Interview by Vicki Power

Season three of Sky original Riviera is coming to Sky Atlantic and Now TV on Oct 15