Tokyo is one of my favourite places in the world. I remember arriving and thinking that I was on another planet. It was like stepping into the future. I was with the Royal Ballet on tour to perform in Romeo & Juliet. I felt very small because the buildings are absolutely enormous. Japanese people are so kind and respectful. The shopping is amazing plus the food is wonderful. I don’t like fish but they do delicious wagyu beef. Every single meal is an experience. Our last day was my 18th birthday — we boarded the plane home and gained nine hours thanks to the time difference between Japan and the UK, which meant I had the longest birthday ever.
I’ve also been to Brisbane twice on tour with the Royal Ballet. When there, I make it my main mission to see the koalas at the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. I have held koalas twice. I get so excited. They are the sweetest creatures in the world. There are kangaroos hanging around too, and you can stroke them. Brisbane is very relaxed. It definitely feels like you are on the other side of the world. There’s a different vibe from the craziness of London. Much calmer.
We get one week off in the middle of the season. Once I went to Kerala. When you arrive you look at all the westerners with their hippy clothes and kind of laugh at them. But then on day two you are totally ready to be one of those people. The sense of calm and wellbeing I felt there makes life back home look so ridiculous and unnecessary. I did a trip around the backwaters, and saw people washing their clothes in the river, while the children played in the water. The way of life in India is so eye-opening.
Another time, my boyfriend [Cesar Corrales, a principal of the Royal Ballet] and I went snorkelling off Diaporos Island in northern Greece. I am a very bad swimmer but, of course, with snorkelling I could float on the surface. I was blown away by the sea life, including a turtle and octopus. It was glorious. I get tips from a great series of guidebooks called LOST iN. They give brilliant recommendations by locals about places you wouldn’t know as a tourist.
The last holiday we took was to Barcelona. For me the city is perfect. It’s super quick to get to, the weather is fantastic and you know what to expect. There’s an up-and-coming area called Poblenou, where we stayed. It’s much calmer than Barceloneta, which is very touristy. But when we eat, we head back into the city to Carrer dels Carders — a really good street with lots of great places. I also enjoy visiting Tibidabo in the hills, which is reached by tram. At the top there is a church with a smaller version of Christ the Redeemer. There’s also a funfair. It’s an odd place but amazing.
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Back in the UK, I grew up in Sussex and love going to Brighton for the weekend. It’s close and calm yet buzzy. Wandering around the Royal Pavilion is my favourite thing to do, particularly Queen Victoria’s bedroom — her bed has lots of different mattresses, it’s very high, a bit like in The Princess and the Pea. Pubs are also a big part of life in Sussex. I really like the Henty Arms, in Worthing, where I used to work. It has such a great community.
I would love to get to know Scotland better. I went to the tiny isle of Iona for my grandfather’s 80th birthday. It’s a very special place. People always describe the atmosphere there as holy and mysterious — you can’t really put your finger on it. You can walk around the entire island. I don’t like walking so my family had to bribe me.
My dream one day would be to take a year off and just travel. I would like to see a lot more places in South America and Mexico. I would like to go to Melbourne and Sydney too. I would rather go to hot countries. I love exploring places but obviously it’s only fun if you’ve got the time to do it.
Francesca Hayward, 30, is a principal of the Royal Ballet and lives in London. She performs in The Sleeping Beauty on January 18 and February 10 and 25 at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London (roh.org.uk)
