How long have you been a Travel Director?
11 years.
What region/s do you cover?
Italy, Croatia, Eastern Europe, the Baltic States, Russia.
Tell us a bit about yourself and your background...
I am 33 years old and live on the Slovenian Mediterranean coast (where I was born), right on the border of Italy. It is a bilingual area, a great mixture of Italian and Slavic cultures. I have studied business and before starting my career as a Travel Director I worked for my parents business in marketing and IT.
I have many different passions, the biggest one is photography, languages (I speak five of them fluently), reading books, healthy lifestyle, discovering new things and places, meeting new people, going on adventures on my motorcycle. I am married to a Travel Director, which makes life easier.
What do you love most about your job?
Really getting to know the many different places I visit in depth and from "behind the curtain", then sharing this with my guests. Meeting new people is just as exciting as discovering new places. I try to treat people as they are my family who have come to visit me
from overseas.
What's your best Hidden Treasure?
Mirogoj Cemetery, Zagreb, Croatia: the most beautiful cemetery I have ever seen, so serene and feels like walking through an
art gallery.
"Buza", Dubrovnik, Croatia: Buza in a dialect means a whole and indeed, there is a whole in the majestic Dubrovnik city walls and once you walk through, there are big rocks, the wall from the outside and a bar. The best place to take your partner for a glass of wine in the evening or go for a swim.
Art Nouveau, Riga, Latvia: The amazing Brivibas Street in Riga. Some of the finest Art Nouveau buildings in Europe.
Where do you most like to take guests?
San Gimignano, Tuscany. Although it is on the tourist track, it is the one city that amazes me each time I go there. The medieval streets, the towers, the surroundings, the atmosphere, my favourite gelato on Piazza Cisterna... simply magical!
What is your most memorable moment on the road?
I was with the group in Riga, Lativa, during the Hockey World Championships. We had to go out for dinner and as we left, the game just finished. The Lativans won, so there was this huge crowd and our bus was blocked. Our restaurant was located a few hundred meters through the park, so I decided to get off the bus with the group and simply walk there. Since I didn’t want to walk with my clip board high in the air, I decided to put one of our guests on my shoulders (she bought the Lativan hockey dress that day) and marched through the crowds, while everyone was cheering.
The one place you should take a photo?
Ravello, Italy: The iconic picture high above the Amalfi coast. In the foreground the cypress trees, double church dome and in the background the stunning Amalfi coast. Also the vineyards of Tuscany.
What are your travel 'must haves'?
Camera, laptop, flash drive.
What's your tip for feeling like a local when you travel?
Try new things, listen to the advice your Travel Director gives you about how the locals do things. For example, when in Italy, forget about take away coffee, sit down in a nice little square, have a cappuccino and watch the world go by. Don't be afraid to try new food. No problem, if you don't speak the local language, a smile will get you a long way. Explore the back streets, which are sometimes more interesting than the main sights.
Talking the lingo – what should every guest know?
Greece: Siga, siga (Slowly, slowly meaning don't stress, enjoy life)!
The best food you've ever tried during your travels?
Pasta in every way.
If you had to buy one souvenir what would it be?
The Matrioshkas in Russia. Your children or grand-children will love you for it.
What or who is your biggest inspiration?
Photography.
What is your best travel tip?
Keep an open mind.