Celebrity Travel: Go Away With Marta Milans

"I absolutely believe that moms are total superheroes," says Marta Milans, who portrays foster mom Rosa Vasquez in the feature film, "SHAZAM!" "My mom is definitely one of them, so it was easy for me to encapsulate her essence when playing the role of Mamma Rosa." A native of Spain, the actress has called New York City home for the past 16 years. Fans may stay updated on her work and travels via her Instagram page (https://www.instagram.com/martamilans/).

Q. What is your favorite vacation destination?

A. Ibiza. I grew up there. That is where my heart resides and where I always have to go back to find peace. Ibiza has the reputation for being a massive party destination, which is true, and can be so much fun! But it is really important for people going there for the first time to understand that there is much more depth and beauty to this magical island. I encourage anyone visiting to explore the beaches and countryside to which tourists might not otherwise go. My favorite time of the year in Ibiza is before the summer, before the crowds arrive and when the spring flowers are in full bloom. Go have a delicious paella lunch at Es Torrent, visit the beautiful Ibiza local architecture in every little town, go for a walk up to the church in San Miguel, fall in love with the sunset at Es Vedra and have a lovely dinner at Can Pau -- a typical Spanish Catalan restaurant that has been in business for several generations.

Q. What untapped destination should people know about?

A. Lamu, Kenya. It's a magical little island hidden off the coast of Kenya. It has one of the most unique sunsets I have ever seen.

Q. What was the first trip you took as a child?

A. As a child I was taken to the Alhambra Palace in Granada, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. More than it being known for its great architectural significance, it is also the crucible of Moorish culture, which influenced Spanish history for centuries. I loved it.

Q. What's the most important thing you've learned from your travels?

A. Travel has always been pivotal to my upbringing. Visiting places I have never been and meeting people from many different cultures and backgrounds is terrifically important to me. Traveling broadens my capacity to understand human nature and the beauty and richness of the world. Intolerance derives from a lack of understanding and travel can be a great way of overcoming this.

Q. If you could only pick one place to eat, would you choose a casual meal at a street cart or fine dining at a nice restaurant?

A. Any restaurant from the great Spanish chef Jose Andres here in the United States, especially because he was the first chef in the U.S. to carry my family's delicious Santa Gadea Organic Goat Cheese (www.santa-gadea.com) that my mom makes on our farm in Spain. You must try it!

Q. Where are your favorite weekend getaways?

A. Joshua Tree when in Los Angeles, Southampton when in New York and any place where you could get lost in the Highlands in Scotland.

Q. Do you speak any foreign languages?

A. I am currently working on Russian, my seventh language, which is becoming a daunting quest, but I am not giving up! All the other languages I speak -- English, Spanish, French, Italian, German and Portuguese -- came much more naturally to me.

Q. What are your five favorite cities?

A. Other than L.A., New York City, Ibiza, Amsterdam, Budapest, Madrid.

Q. Where would you like to go that you have never been to before?

A. There are so many places. Just to name a few, Japan, Rajasthan, Brazil, Russia and Argentina.

Q. When you go away, what are some of your must-have items?

A. My Bose music speaker so I can play my music wherever I go and my Montblanc fountain pen so that I can write postcards to my family and friends from wherever I am.

Q. What is your guilty pleasure when you're on the road?

A. Finding a place that serves amazing gelato. I always manage to find some wherever I go.

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(Jae-Ha Kim is a New York Times bestselling author and travel writer. You can respond to this column by visiting her website at www.jaehakim.com. You may also follow "Go Away With..." on Twitter at @GoAwayWithJae where Jae-Ha Kim welcomes your questions and comments.)