The Art of Belonging Everywhere
Priyanka Chopra Jonas leads a life perpetually in motion, jetting between Los Angeles and Mumbai, London and Lisbon, Miami and the Bahamas. She travels as she did in childhood: lightly, curiously, and deliberately. Her small brass mandir finds a place in her carry-on, nestled beside a script and a spare pair of heels.
By Deepali Nandwani
Long before the red carpets and private jets, home was a moving target. Born in Jamshedpur, raised between Ladakh’s high silence and Bareilly’s dusty cantonments, actor and globetrotter Priyanka Chopra Jonas shifted cities the way other children changed classrooms.
Some children collect stamps; Priyanka Chopra Jonas collected memories of cities. Jamshedpur’s steel shimmer, Ladakh’s thin air, the red dust of Bareilly cantonment, Delhi’s winter fog, Ambala’s railway whistles: before most teenagers have settled on a favourite song, she had lived a dozen lives. Each army posting rewrote the map of home. Her father, Dr Ashok Chopra, turned upheaval into possibility with one gentle rule: "Wherever we go next, no one knows your story yet. You can write a new chapter."
Today, she globetrots for work, the love of travel, and family.
In Lisbon, Priyanka Chopra Jonas finds a rare quiet—just enough stillness before the next departure.
The travelling mandir
Even now, when the suitcase opens in Los Angeles, London or Lisbon, the first thing out is rarely a gown. "It is a palm-sized portable temple—brass, compact, complete with tiny bells and a diya," she says. "Wherever I land, I light incense, ring the bell once, and say a short prayer." Hotel rooms turn into sanctuaries for the length of a shoot or a holiday. Roots, packed neatly beside the moisturiser.
Los Angeles to Mumbai via Dubai, or Los Angeles to London—she treats long-haul like a ritual. "Airport lounge, glass of wine, change into cashmere comfies the moment the seatbelt sign goes off. Moisturise, socks, movie, sleep, wake 45 minutes before landing, espresso, back into real clothes…it is all part of my ritual." Her carry-on essentials include a script she is reading, a book, two pairs of shoes (one comfortable, one event-worthy), and the little mandir that weighs almost nothing yet anchors everything.
Priyanka Chopra Jonas collects memories wherever she goes.
Wherever we go next, no one knows your story yet. You can write a new chapter.
Priyanka Chopra-Jonas
Cities Priyanka Chopra Jonas returns to, again and again.
Paris
The hotel Le Royal Monceau – Raffles remains constant. "Paris is a dream, a delight for every aesthete," she says. At the hotel, a Philippe Starck classic, she remembers the art concierge who feels like a friend, and the balcony where she drinks her espresso and watches the city wake up. "Breakfast downstairs, a slow walk on cobblestones, and the city’s particular brand of romance that never ages."
Miami
South Beach after wrap—barefoot, loud music, the Atlantic warm enough to forgive everything. "Miami as a sunny, fun escape—perfect for rejuvenation, family, and high-energy events," says Chopra-Jonas. The Faena, with its crimson and gold drama, is where she resets between press junkets. Created by Argentine billionaire and cultural entrepreneur Alan Faena in partnership with billionaire Len Blavatnik, and designed by filmmaker Baz Luhrmann and costume/production designer Catherine Martin (the team behind The Great Gatsby and Moulin Rouge!), the hotel is opulent, dramatic, and artistic. It is often described as ‘bohemian luxury’ or ‘South American glamour meets Miami decadence.’ Think deep reds, gold accents, animal prints, murals, and cathedral-like spaces.
London
Halfway between Mumbai and Los Angeles, London is a family-friendly destination. Wimbledon in Ralph Lauren, long lunches at 34 Mayfair with the entire Jonas clan, and The Langham when she wants classic calm. "I have a deep connection with London, having lived there for periods during Quantico promotions in 2016 and as the British Fashion Council's Ambassador for Positive Change in 2020–2021. I frequently visit for work, family, theatre, and fashion events. London is breathtaking, a place with great energy, beautiful rain, a nightlife, and vibrant culture."
Goa
Chopra Jonas has a longstanding love affair with Goa, India's coastal paradise. Her latest trip in mid-November was a deliberate pause for rejuvenation before promoting her big-screen comeback in SS Rajamouli's Varanasi (co-starring Mahesh Babu and Prithviraj Sukumaran) at the Globetrotter event in Hyderabad. She says, "It was a few healing days in one of my most favourite places in the world," emphasising Goa's ability to "be whatever you need her to be."
She stayed at the luxurious Taj Exotica Resort & Spa in south Goa and Palacio Aguada in north Goa, where she went for private beach strolls and took in stunning ocean views; played carrom with close friends Tamanna Dutt and her husband Sudeep Dutt; and prepped for the movie launch. Neville Proença’s Pousada by the Beach is personal history. Chopra Jonas first went with her husband, Nick, in 2018; seven years later, she returned for the serradura, bebinca, and alle belle served by the same owner who remembered her order. The restaurant’s Goan-Portuguese charm (fresh seafood, sunset views) aligned with her love for authentic, soulful experiences—echoing why she returns to Goa for its "kindness in its very culture".
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Cabo San Lucas, often simply called ‘Cabo,’ is a vibrant resort city at the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California Peninsula in the state of Baja California Sur. She spent one of the New Year’s at Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal, from where she put out images of cliffs dropping into the Pacific, and her daughter, Malti, in a tiny captain’s hat steering a yacht. Soul food, she called it. "The city's magic lies in its rugged cliffs, pristine white-sand beaches, and crystal-clear waters teeming with marine life," she says. "We have been frequently escaping to it since our 2018 wedding. Cabo's energy is unmatched—waves crashing, hearts full."
The Bahamas
She celebrated her 43rd birthday at The Ocean Club, Four Seasons—three generations on one island, with turquoise water so clear it felt like a photo shoot. "We spent the days snorkelling, swinging over shallows, collecting nothing but sunlight." Chopra Jonas first travelled to the Bahamas for her honeymoon. “Nick (Jonas, her husband) surprised me with the whole thing—it was thoughtful and spontaneous. The Bahamas felt like a secret world where we could exhale after the wedding whirlwind. The beaches are ethereal and they mirrored my love for water.”
Eating across the world
One night, Chopra Jonas may crave Benarasi tamatar chaat from a Mumbai street cart, and the next, perfect pasta at Ristorante Pierluigi, an old-world seafood restaurant in Rome. Established in 1938, it's a historic gem in the heart of the Eternal City's Centro Storico, housed in a Renaissance-era palace on Piazza de' Ricci. It is known for its fresh seafood, sophisticated Italian cuisine, and celebrity clientele. "Rome is a feast for the senses, and eating at Pierluigi is an iconic dinner."
In Vancouver, she stops over at Sula for butter chicken that tastes like childhood. Named after the Sula wine region in India (evoking a sense of vibrant heritage), it specialises in traditional northern and southern Indian cuisine with a modern twist, using in-house ground spices, fresh herbs, and family recipes.
In Montreal, Chopra Jonas discovered a food scene that genuinely surprises her. "Singapore is the most underrated holiday city in Asia—from hawker stalls to Raffles high tea in the same weekend, it is a treat to the senses." Her comfort trinity remains uncomplicated: pizza, cheeseburgers, and hot wings.
What travel keeps teaching her
"Differences are real," she says, "but when you travel, you remember we’re all human." Empathy, creativity, humility—she collects them the way others collect fridge magnets. Every border crossed is a reminder that curiosity is the most renewable resource she owns. Ask her where she wants to go next, and the answer is instant: “Anywhere. Honestly, Hawaii keeps getting postponed.”
