Florence Pugh names Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh her 'eighth wonder of the world'

Florence Pugh has given Edinburgh a rather grand new title. The British actor, speaking to Condé Nast Traveler's Globetrotter series, nominated Arthur's Seat — the ancient volcano that looms over the Scottish capital — as her "eighth wonder of the world."

Pugh says the ritual of the climb is a big part of the appeal. "I love how you get to look at it from all around the city and then when you climb up there, you just get the most fantastic sense of…" she told the outlet. "I've always done it when I'm knackered, and I know that when I've made it to the top, I can breathe and I can have my snacks and I can look at the view, and then I can go down and find a good pint somewhere."

For Pugh, the real reward is the finish line. "It's definitely a very successful feeling when you get to the top," she said. The interview was timed to the release of East of Eden, the Netflix series based on the Steinbeck classic, in which Pugh stars as Cathy Ames opposite Christopher Abbott.

A Greece devotee at heart

While Arthur's Seat gets her wonder vote, Pugh's actual holiday loyalties lie elsewhere. Asked to pick between sightseeing and a sun lounger, she didn't hesitate: "I love to lie down and feel peaceful and read and just let the sun kiss my skin and swim in the sea and eat amazing food."

Her low-key beach spot of choice is Greece, a country whose food she rates above all others. "I think Greek cuisine is the best cuisine because it just nails every single element perfectly. Protein, perfect. Vegetables, perfect. Homegrown goods, perfect. Tzatziki, perfect. It's perfect!"

Her favorite existing wonder is also Greek: the Acropolis. Pugh shot there at night for The Little Drummer Girl and remembers it as a surreal, exclusive experience. "We were alone, just the crew and the cast," she said, recalling the lights on the pillars and a dance scene directed by Park Chan-wook. "It was the only night shoot that I hadn't cared what time it was, just because it was so dreamy to be there."

As for what ruins a trip, Pugh has one very specific pet peeve: people who don't understand the physics of sun cream and sand. "When you put sun cream on, do not sit in the sand and then be surprised that there's sand stuck to your body," she said. "That just really grinds my gears."