As Owner and Managing Director of the company I have a passion for travel and of course Sardinia. I have been working in the travel industry for over 40 years, at first in the Alps and the Med and now in our head office. When you work in travel, every day is different with new challenges and adventures arising all the time.
I love the Gallura region in north east Sardinia with its granite rock formations and the wonderful small coves but most of all the crystal clear waters. My family and I have holidayed at Villa L’Arco for many years, we all love getting away from it all yet embracing the local lifestyle!
After founding Just Sardinia with my husband Huw in 2000, I found myself naturally marketing the company through my love and in depth knowledge of the island. This stemmed from living in Sardinia for a couple of years and wanting to expand the English market to Sardinia which we have successfully done with hotels, villas, apartments and rural retreats throughout the island and finding new properties every year!
I am involved in researching and writing new accommodations, and keeping our websites updated with new information. I also promote our products through PR and develop our brands which include Just Sicily and Just Corsica.
Huw and I have 3 boys and we all love Sardinia as our preferred holiday destination. Huw and I visit Sardinia every year in April, July and October and love each season for different reasons. Spring in Sardinia is refreshing and it is always exciting meeting up with our friends there after the winter. Sardinia is always in full swing in July and we spend most days out on the water visiting different beaches and islands. Our favourite restaurant is on the beach at Porto Pozzo, family run with a delicious daily menu and fish of the day. October is lovely to experience late summer sunshine and have the place to ourselves after the summer rush. We combine visiting Corsica by ferry with stunning scenery, and it is just a short flight to Sicily which is great for self guided tours with so much to offer visitors.
In 2005, I moved to Corsica after having first visited the island in 1998 on holiday with my, then, fiancée. After having spent all my previous professional life in the property industry, I made a total career change and took a job as a representative of a UK tour operator, progressing through the following years to become that company’s island manager in 2010. In 2013 I met Huw and Alison and was offered an opportunity to help them create and develop the Just Corsica brand and, subsequently, the Just Sicily brand and my current role is the Overseas General Manager for the company, continuing to oversee and manage the evolution of all three of our products.
Over the last 10 years, I have had the opportunity to visit and get to know Sardinia and Sicily on many occasions and, whilst all have their own, distinct charm and allure, Corsica remains my favourite of the three ‘main’ islands we feature. However, I have a particular passion for the island of Elba which is an enchanting combination of the beauty and serenity of Corsica and the architecture and vibrancy of Tuscany but with the common, Napoleonic heritage. Whilst not the easiest destination to travel to from the UK, getting to Elba is well worth the effort and to stay at the superb Hotel Hermitage is an absolute pleasure!
My life at Just Sardinia started as a temporary summer job, it’s been a long summer since 2004 - I’m still here and very much part of the furniture!
Having spent time in Reservations and Operations over the years I’ve finally settled on Administration Manager and I’m responsible ensuring that all our customers get a great service after they have booked, it’s a challenging role but very satisfying.
My husband and I always try and take at least a week’s holiday in Sardinia every year and I love swimming (sorry paddling) in the crystal clear waters. Alghero is one of my favourite places to stay with the option to walk in to town and try all the local restaurants. Our best holiday ever was at the Hotel Capo d’Orso where we completely chilled out and enjoyed the amazing food and wine on offer.
Having recently returned from stunning trips to Corsica and Sicily I am looking forward to expanding our products as well as returning to Sardinia soon.
I started off at Just Sardinia, working on the SRS booking reservation system which was MS Access based, as a temporary job. That was over 20 years ago now😱. As I was working on survey ships throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East this made updating the system more fun with updates being sent as email attachments 🤣.
After a period the SRS was replaced with a new booking system which meant I then took over the website and IT side of things.
I eventually became a full time staff member and also took on the task of creating the brochures, oh I miss the 18 hour days as we approached brochure deadline 😱.
I have been to Sardinia a few times and visited a number of hotels, villas and apartments to take some photos and get an idea of the island. I have even cycled to the Island twice and back once 🚵, cycling the length of France and Corsica on the way😱.
I visited Palermo in Sicily to set up our new office there, didn't really get to see much and would like to visit on holiday soon.
I joined Just Sardinia as Financial Controller in 2015 after spending nearly thirty years in similar positions in the Catering and Hospitality sector.
As a long-time admirer of the Italian culture and way of life and regular visitor to the mainland, I am now enjoying discovering the beauty and laid back charm of Sardinia and have recently enjoyed a holiday in beautiful Corsica.
I am from Italy and, more specifically, from Sicily. I started to work at Just Sardinia in April 2015, thinking that it would have been just a summer internship but now I know that those first 6 months were just the beginning. I started working in the Administration department before moving in to the Reservations department in September, ready to help and inspire you in choosing a holiday to Sardinia.
In this surprising island great food, excellent wine and stunning scenery are mixed together to create an unforgettable holiday. Based on these three features, my favourite hotels are the Villa del Golfo Lifestyle Resort, the perfect location for a relaxing and romantic holiday, a true gem close to Mannena beach and walking distance to Cannigione; Forte Village, full of activities and with one of the best Spas I have ever visited; and finally La Villa del Re, a very elegant hotel whose infinity pool faces the stunning Costa Rei beach.
Since my first visit to Sardinia I realised how this island can be completely different from my Sicily and is absolutely perfect for those wanting an ideal holiday by the beach, tasting delicious meals and drinking a great wine.
I’ve been involved in the travel industry for over 20 years and in the Reservations Department at Just Sardinia since 2007. I really value the in-depth knowledge of Sardinia that I’ve acquired over the years and enjoy sharing this with anyone that will listen.
My favourite area on the island is in the north east, around the archipelago of La Maddalena and the coast between Cannigione and Santa Teresa. The turquoise water and many unspoilt bays and coves here are stunning whether you explore by car or by boat. There are also plenty of small towns and villages to explore in the area - my favourites being La Maddalena and Santa Teresa di Gallura from where you can get the ferry to Corsica.
My favourite place to stay is Hotel Capo d’Orso Thalasso & Spa in Cala Capra, near Palau. It’s in the most beautiful spot blended into the coast and almost hidden from both land and sea with views towards the Maddalena islands. It has 2 beaches and several wooden bathing platforms to swim into the clear sea from as well as a mini marina to sail from to the Archipelago of La Maddalena. I also love Su Gologone Country Resort in the centre of the island which offers a perfect combination with Capo d’Orso to give a taste mountains and sea.
I love being in the sea in Sardinia: swimming, sailing or diving. When I’m not in the sea, I like exploring to find stunning scenery or interesting towns. I love long drawn-out meals in the warm evenings with lots of simple delicious food (juicy tomatoes / fresh fish / tasty cheeses and salami) and a glass or two of the local vino.
I joined the Just Sardinia reservations team in October 2022 after spending 10 years in the hospitality sector. Due to COVID-19, I left the UK and returned to my beloved Sicily. I am excited about my upcoming trip to Sardinia and the chance to explore more of this beautiful island.
Smart work has given me the opportunity to stay connected with the UK while living in Sicily. Although I have been with the company for less than a year, I can see how well it is managed and I look forward to my future with the team.
I joined Just Sardinia in November 2022 after moving to the Isle of Man and having to leave my previous job, I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to work from home and excited to be back in the reservations environment. I love helping clients plan their holidays and sharing my knowledge of these fantastic Islands. My whole working life has been spent in travel, initially as a travel agent, in both leisure and business travel, and more recently in the commercial department of a UK Tour Operator. I have been fortunate to visit both Sardinia and Corsica a few times on familiarisation trips and absolutely love both Islands, I am very much looking forward to exploring Sicily on my upcoming trip next month, I was last there on holiday in 2002 but I am sure it probably hasn’t changed that much, which is definitely part of the charm!
I love the Italian way of life and had a fantastic holiday in Rome last year, whilst I have not yet been lucky enough to holiday on Sardinia, or Corsica, I have high hopes that will all change over the next year or so!
I joined the Just Sardinia team in 2018 as an apprentice in the administration department. Having completed my apprenticeship with distinction, I am now a permanent member of staff working in both reservations and administration. One of my key roles is to look after our social media accounts which I have a passion for. I have a great interest in the industry and am developing my knowledge of our destinations.
I have visited the northeast of Sardinia and experienced the incredible food and beautiful Caribbean-like sea. I am looking forward to visiting Corsica and Sicily and experiencing the culture and history of these islands, oh and the stunning beaches!
I have been in the travel industry as a tour operator and travel agent now for just touching 50 years, so I have seen more islands than you can shake a stick at. As well as being a natural seller I have an eye for product, especially hotels, and detail. Having been responsible for specific areas like the Caribbean, Australasia, New Zealand and the South Pacific, plus Asia, I know how to match clients to the right island and the right hotel, apartment, villa or resort. My real experience is with high end holidays, yet realising what the word value means to different people
For me the appeal of Sardinia, Sicily and Corsica please me in different ways. I like the ruggedness of Corsica, the contrasts and elite Sardinia of course and the rustic nature and history of Sicily.
My real knowledge is deeply understanding how the travel industry works and how to serve the travel agent network around the country and am well known – whether that is a good or bad thing, they are the judge of that!
Our resort staff have been chosen for their wealth of local knowledge, expertise and love of the islands where they work and every year we get together for our annual training weekend when we can catch up with feedback from the summer and improve our service to our customers.
I joined the Administration team recently in July 2024. This is my first role in the travel industry, and I am looking forward to learning about the different cultures, lifestyles and of course visiting Sicily, Corsica, and Sardinia! I enjoy warm stunning beaches and excellent food, and I can’t wait to experience it all for the first time. I am excited to be working with such a dedicated and passionate team, and to see what the future holds. It’s an honour to be a part of making someone’s dream holiday come true!
