Jody Adams, one of Boston’s best-known chefs, was the face of Cambridge’s Rialto for more than 20 years. The popular Italian restaurant closed in June, and the same month Adams, along with two partners, opened a Mediterranean restaurant in the Back Bay called Porto. When she’s not busy working at Porto and other restaurants in which she is a partner, Adams, 59, likes to relax in Barnstable — or take an adventure vacation. We caught up with the James Beard award-winning restaurateur, who is from Providence and lives in Dorchester with her husband, Ken Rivard — with whom she has two children, Oliver, 27, and Roxanne, 20 — to talk about all things travel.

Favorite vacation spot? For pure vacation — that is, no expectation of accomplishing anything noteworthy – it has to be Barnstable, Cape Cod. When I cross the Sagamore Bridge, my heart, mind, body, and soul relax. I read, ride my bike, cook, swim, and hang out with family and my oldest friends. For an adventure vacation, my favorite spot is whatever is on the horizon. It’s impossible to choose. I’ve had an amazing experience traveling with my family and in a truck through Haiti; fantastic bike trips through Italy; a culinary safari in Tanzania with Thomson Safaris; [been] shown Thessaloniki through the eyes of my partner Eric and his family; and the luxury of just hanging out in Paris and Menerbes in the South of France with my best friend in the world. My next trip is a cycling trip with Duvine [Cycling + Adventure Co.] to Costa Brava in June 2017.

Favorite food or drink while vacationing? The freshest food and drink from wherever I am. Usually that means simply prepared by someone I have gotten to know. For instance, grilled fish, olive tapenade, crusty bread, oozing cheeses, and tomato salad with a crisp rose in the South of France; grilled octopus with lemon, olive oil, and oregano in Greece; pasta and red wine in Italy; and, in Haiti, pork griot, djon djon rice, black bean sauce, and pikliz with Barbancourt rum in fresh passion fruit juice.

Where would you like to travel to but haven’t? India. There’s a beauty and a grace in the way they live — from the way they dress to the food . . . and I know it’s wildly complex with distinct regions. It’s one continent I’ve never been to, and it’s a mystery I’m eager to explore.

One item you can’t leave home without when traveling? iPhone. I use it for everything from camera to notebook [and] Bananagrams, [which is] a great game that you can play with anyone, anywhere.

Aisle or window? Aisle. I don’t like to disturb people when I need to get up. I like to stretch every now and then. I can sleep through anything on the plane.

Favorite childhood travel memory? We traveled quite a bit when I was a child – from camping across the country and back in a VW bus, to driving throughout Europe. But my favorite memory was the trip to England my freshman year of high school. My father was an academic and had two sabbatical years in his career: One when I was in first grade and one when I was in ninth grade. Both times, we traveled to and from England on an ocean liner. My memories of the first trip are vague, but the second one, on the QE2, are vivid. My sisters and I had the run of the ship. There were meals served around the clock, movies were shown several times a day, there was always dancing in the evenings, and we often snuck our way into first class. It was a fantastic playground for teenagers.

Guilty pleasure when traveling? Naps!

Best travel tip? Hydration on an airplane is critical, so I’ve taken a lesson from my Pan Mass Challenge training and hydrate with Skratch, a hydration drink, the day before and all through the flight. Also, make it a priority to get to know people in the place you are staying. If you are good at it, you’ll be invited into their home for a meal. That is the best experience ever.

JULIET PENNINGTON