Marlo Thomas Reveals the Trip Where She Fell in Love With Husband Phil Donahue — and Shares the Secret to Never Fighting While Traveling

Thomas told T+L all about how travel has been a major part of the famed couple's love story.

Although falling in love in Italy may seem like something out of a TV show, for legendary actress Marlo Thomas it resulted in a travel partner for life. Forty-three years later, she and her husband, iconic talk show host Phil Donahue, have kept the feelings of that memorable trip alive through their travels together ever since.

“We went to Rome, and Florence, and Sorrento, and Capri, and we took a train from Florence to Paris,” Thomas told Travel + Leisure of the time she "really fell in love" with Donahue, who she had been with for just six months at the time. “That was fun: we had a bottle of wine and some bread and cheese. It was like a poem.”

The couple has led very busy lives — as Thomas has had an iconic television career and Donahue hosted his famed show — so the two prioritized travel and taking chances to bond without any of life’s outside distractions getting in the way.

“We decided when we were about to have our first wedding anniversary… that instead of spending money on jewelry… we would take our money and do a trip. So every year on our anniversary, we go somewhere,” Thomas told T+L. “Sometimes it's been to places like China and Japan or Italy or France or Spain, and sometimes we've only had a couple of days so we've gone to Bermuda. But the idea is just to get away together.”

Thomas and Donahue married in 1980 and honeymooned in the Greek islands. Since then, they have walked the Great Wall of China together, and relaxed on the gorgeous beaches of Barbados.

“When you're alone with the person that you love, it's romantic because you're just focused on each other and there's time to waste,” she added. “And it's amazing what happens when you have all the time in the world.”

Marlo Thomas

Which of your former co-stars would make a great traveling companion?

Ted Bessell, for sure. Ted Bessell who played Donald [in That Girl] — oh, I loved him. And we did travel together: we once went to Jamaica together and it was great, great fun. I loved him, he was a darling man.

Which is your favorite item in your William Sonoma collection?

The whole tortoise collection — the glasses especially, because the light in the glass with the tortoise is quite beautiful.

Is there anywhere that you're dreaming of going right now?

I want to go on a safari, I've never been on one. And the other place is Sicily.

What is one thing you will never travel without?

Phil.

Who is the planner on your trips? You or Phil?

We both kind of get into it. First of all, we talk about where do we want to go and then we'll get a book or brochures from the travel agent about places in that area.

After years of traveling together, Thomas said being able to compromise is the secret to a successful trip, and marriage.

“We really haven't gotten into a fight on a trip, I don't think,” she said. “My feeling has always been if this means more to him than it does to me, I'll do it. If he really has this big craving to go have lobster or something and I don't feel like setting my hair, I'll do it. And I think he's kind of that way, too. Sometimes I’ll want to do something and he’ll say to me, ‘is this really important to you?’ And I'll say ‘yeah, I really want it.’ [He’ll say] ‘all right, we'll go.’”

Another perk of travel is collecting beloved pieces from around the world, and Thomas loves to hunt for the most unique gifts. She’s even turned some of her favorite finds into a collection for Williams Sonoma: The wooden bowls were inspired by combing through London’s Portobello Road market, for example, and the square plates were inspired by porcelain Thomas discovered on a first wedding anniversary to Japan.

“It's been fun to take all these different pieces from my travels and turn them into something that I can share with other people,” Thomas said. “Because when people come to my house, they always say, ‘oh my gosh, where did you buy this?’ And I'll say, ‘Ravello, Portobello Road, Japan, and Greece,’ and that's kind of an insufficient answer if you'd like to have something.”

In time for the holidays, Thomas has launched a new tortoiseshell collection, which she said is perfect for an evening party. The timing is perfect since Thomas is the ultimate holiday host.

“I do it all: everybody comes to us for Thanksgiving, everybody comes to us for Christmas, I give a Fourth of July party, I give a Labor Day party,” she said. “So that's probably why I have this Williams Sonoma collection because I really love to entertain and I am always looking for just the perfect plate or tray or pitcher or something that will make it easier for me and my guests.”

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