Last year saw one of best seasons for us at Corsican Places and Sardinian Places with more people travelling to these wonderful Mediterranean islands than ever before, and with the impending launch in June of the Tour de France 2013 from Porto Vecchio, we are confident this trend is set to continue.
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Explore & experience
Corsica and Sardinia have maintained their timeless qualities with an upmarket, exclusive feel. Their distinct characters and rich cultural heritage have long provided wide-ranging appeal, however the emerging trend for a more active holiday and a wider experience strengthens the importance of being able to offer customers a flexible product.
With the first three stages of the 100th Tour de France kicking off from Corsica for the first time, there has been particular interest in active and adventure holidays. There?s plenty to explore by road, rail, boat or foot and great expeditions for families. Corsica?s gently shelving sandy beaches and clear waters are perfect for young families and for older children, activities such as canyoning, rock climbing, hiking, mountain biking, horse riding and many watersports are popular. There are also plenty of prehistoric sites to discover and boat trips to offshore islands. The same can be said for Sardinia where there has been an emerging trend for touring holidays and increased demand for twin-centre holidays, combining the two islands.
Location, location
For clients who are looking for independence and prefer to spend their holiday exploring rather than staying in one location, there are a wide variety of properties to choose from and it is important to choose the right style, character and location to suit the customer?s requirements. Many offer flexible stays and work well with tailor-made options.
Sardinia?s three main resort areas are strikingly different; The Costa Smeralda comprises dramatic granite outcrops, high glamour and dazzling beaches ? a yachting paradise and playground of the rich and famous. Alghero is surrounded by lush green countryside and great beaches, has a lovely atmosphere with exquisite Catalan architecture and an amazing array of restaurants. The southern part of the island is also renowned for its beaches and rightly so. It also affords access to the mountains and the ancient culture which is the true heart of the island.
Corsica is an island with many faces with a great diversity of landscapes - from snow-capped mountains to white sand beaches, pine forests and rustic medieval villages which characterise the four main regions - la Balagne, St Florent and the North East, the Valinco Gulf and the West Coast along with the L?Extr?me Sud.
Local cuisine
For authentic Corsican or Sardinian cooking and a great night out, suggest your clients try one of the agriturismo restaurants. These farm-based restaurants are well worth a visit for a genuine taste of local food and hospitality. Look out for wild boar hams and salami or roast suckling pig ? spit roasted to perfection over an open fire. Also, the local wines are superb and the local digestivos, mirto and lemon liqueurs, are just perfect to finish off your meal.
Flexibility & choice
Flexibility and choice of product, coupled with a first rate service are behind our core strengths. For both brands it is the small character apartments and villas plus affordable boutique hotels which are performing extremely well. And, with a great choice of flights into all four of Corsica?s airports covering the whole of the island as well as the wide choice of flights to Sardinia departing from eight UK airports, there?s great flexibility.
For more information see www.corsica.co.uk and www.sardinianplaces.co.uk
