Gwyneth Paltrow on Rituals and Calm for Travelers

At a time when travelling feels more and more like a marathon of stimuli, queues and relentless notifications, Gwyneth Paltrow proposes a different, almost meditative way of being in the world. Actress, entrepreneur and founder of Goop, she has turned her experiences into rituals of presence. In her latest collaboration, the installation The Forest Within, staged at Genesis House in New York’s Meatpacking District, Paltrow offers a kind of urban sensory refuge, blending nature, technology and wellness in an immersive experience.

Editor’s note: this piece was first published in May 2025; the installation has since closed.

A Forest in the City

More than an exercise in style, the installation reflects a contemporary restlessness. “We are at a cultural inflection point, with too much information all the time. Our nervous systems were not made for this,” she said at the opening. The project, adorned with peonies, LED-lit stones and the scent of rain on earth, invites visitors to pause, to be silent and to reconnect with themselves. A guided meditation in her voice leads guests into this inner dive. “Even in New York, it is possible to find a space of quiet,” she adds.

Going with the Flow

This search for balance is not limited to artistic projects. It also shapes how she explores the world. For Paltrow, the key is to accept unpredictability. “I go into a trip with the mindset that maybe nothing will go as planned, and that’s fine. Let’s try to go with the flow,” she says. It is a philosophy tested in less-than-idyllic situations, such as the time she was stuck on the Eurostar for six hours with her young children. “You can go crazy or you can choose to stay calm. Losing my head there would not have helped anyone.”

Grounding Rituals

Her way of handling transit includes what she calls grounding rituals. The most important? Walking. “I always prefer to walk. Once, in France, a guide told me: ‘Walking unites body and soul.’ I found that so true,” she recalls. Walking, for her, is more than getting from one place to another: it is the chance to get lost in order to find yourself. That is how, on an unplanned stroll through Rome with her husband, Brad Falchuk, she ended up discovering medieval ruins hidden beneath modern facades. “It was one of those finds that feel like gifts from chance,” she says, smiling.

Another essential is constant hydration, along with a decision to avoid gastronomic excess in the first hours in a new time zone. “I leave exploring local wines and food until I am already adjusted to the place’s time,” she explains.

Sanctuaries and Wish Lists

But when she speaks of places she considers true sanctuaries, her tone changes. Italy holds a special place in her imagination. “We spend our summers in Umbria. It is rustic, wild and deeply peaceful,” she says. The connection with nature there is almost spiritual. “There is something untamed about it, with olive trees and animals loose in the fields. I feel wonderfully insignificant in that setting.”

The actress clearly distinguishes the kinds of nature that move her. “The forest is gentle, silent, welcoming. The California coast, on the other hand, is almost hostile: the waves are strong, the sea is cold, and there is a raw beauty in all of it. I like that inhospitable strength.”

Despite the résumé of an experienced traveller, Paltrow still keeps destinations on her wish list. “I’ve never been to Korea and I’m dying to go. I love Korean food,” she confesses. “And I only know Tokyo. I really want to explore the islands of Japan.”

The Forest Within was an attempt to translate this essence, and an invitation for each person to create their own refuge. “All you need is a corner of nature, a song, a poem or even lying on the grass. It costs nothing and can change everything.”

All you need is a corner of nature, a song, a poem or even lying on the grass. It costs nothing and can change everything.

Gwyneth Paltrow

Travelling with Children

When it comes to including children on these journeys, she offers practical advice shaped by her own childhood. “I always took my kids with me, without much fuss. My father used to say: ‘You’re on the time you’re on.’ We would be falling asleep, and he would decide to take us to the Pompidou. That stayed with me.”

For Gwyneth Paltrow, travel is less about the destination and more about a state of mind: being open to the unexpected, walking without a route, taking in local culture in moderation and, above all, choosing calm. As she puts it, chaos is inevitable, but serenity is a decision.

WAYFARER