Spain is our home and we want you to live it like one of us, savouring each moment.
Celebrate life surrounded by beauty, history, excellent gastronomy and true smiles.
We add a Rosa Lara touch to everything we do, before, during and after your trip.
Rosa Lara was born and raised in Montilla, a small town in the province of Córdoba. After getting her degree in languages at the University of Granada she worked for 14 years in international sales. During those years working for different companies, she had a recurrent dream: opening her own small boutique travel agency. She wanted to make travellers fall in love with Spain, offering bespoke experiences that will remain forever in their souls.
Rosa Lara was tired of seeing big groups of tourists being herded around under the merciless sun of Cordoba. It was about time authentic travellers, who appreciate quality time and true human connections, could have the opportunity to learn more about our culture and savour the magic taste of life in Spain. In 2013 Rosa Lara decided it was the right moment to follow her passion and Just Explore was born.
They say that home is where the heart is… and Rosa’s definitely belongs to Spain. She feels passion and love for what this magic country has to offer and she wants to share this contagious feeling with you. She loves meeting new people and getting to know them really well so she and her team can design the perfect trip for them. She believes that personal touch is what makes the difference.
Over the years we have built a handpicked network of charming hotels and restaurants, impeccable transport services, compelling activities and excellent local guides for the delight of our guests. We put our hearts and souls in planning and organising each and every journey to the tiniest detail. We want you to feel at home, comfortable and zen, so you can just relax and explore our interesting culture and stunning hidden gems.
Steve Croasdale originally comes from England and has a professional background in engineering. He’s worked for English, Dutch and American companies in the past and always enjoyed travelling and meeting interesting characters along the way.
He’s been living in Spain for over 10 years now and it was after a conversation between him, Rosa Lara and a glass of wine that Just Explore was born.
Steve Croasdale brings that ‘British’ touch to the company, he’s a stickler for detail and is always looking for new and interesting ways to thrill our clients.
He spends a lot of time along with Rosa Lara visiting new potential boutique hotels, restaurants and other suppliers. He also puts a lot of time and care searching for the best local guides who can really help our clients feel at home and educate them in a fun and relaxed way.
Although mainly involved in the back-office activities, Steve sometimes spends time with our guests, sharing a drink or a meal. For him this is the ideal time to get to know people, get their honest feedback and share his passion for all things Spanish.
Dalia was born in Algeria and then raised in the UAE before settling in Canada. She had the amazing opportunity of growing up in a multicultural environment which in turn, fostered a love for travelling and discovering different cultures.
After getting her Bachelor’s degree in Economics and working for a few years in the banking sector, she decided to go in a different direction and got a certification to teach English as a second language to allow her to travel the world. She picked Spain as her first destination since she always felt attracted by its beauty, interesting complex history and its melodic language.
When she arrived in Montilla, a pretty town in the heart of Andalusia, surrounded by rolling hills of ancient olive groves and lush vineyards, she knew that her “first destination” was going to be a lot more permanent than planned.
Working at Just Explore allows her to share her passion for Spain with fellow travellers. She works closely with Rosa Lara in the design and creation process of each of our handcrafted trips from start to finish.
Once in a while, she also accompanies some of our guests on their experiences, which is the perfect occasion for her to gather their feedback. This feedback always comes in handy when building new itineraries, with the added plus of having a drink in hand!
Miriam was born and raised in Montilla (Córdoba) and being a ‘Montillana’ she is very familiar with the olive oil and wine making industry this region is famous for.
Her interests include learning new things along with meeting new people, visiting new places and of course she loves travelling (first hobby you must have to join this team…)
Her studies took her to the nearby city of Cordoba where she obtained her degree in Tourism at the local University. Following her graduation, she spent 7 years working for a well-known Spanish hotel chain. Even though she enjoyed her daily tasks of hotel management and customer service, the pandemic put everything on hold, but it also opened a different door full of new opportunities within the tourism industry.
After meeting Rosa Lara in June 2021, she decided to join the Just Explore team taking care of administration and back-office duties. One of the most important tasks Miriam is responsible for now is building the unique and personal itineraries for our guests. This also helps her discover some of the hidden gems that she enjoys exploring with her family whenever she can…
Lourdes is also a “Montillana” (just like Miriam and Rosa) born and raised in this small city of Cordoba province. After gaining a degree in IT Lourdes went on to work for almost 15 years in export administration. That’s where she met Rosa and how they became close work colleagues for many years.
In June 2022, their paths crossed again, and soon after, Lourdes joined the administration team at Just Explore. Rosa often says, ‘being reunited with Lourdes after so long was totally fate’.
Having made the jump into the tourism industry, Lourdes thinks that travel is a great way to explore the world and enjoy life. She appreciates visiting new places and is amazed by magnificent architecture and natural wonders. The perfect vacation for her is to have the right balance of cultural activities, culinary experiences, and outdoors adventures, just like the many itineraries she helps create for our clients.
Lourdes is the latest addition to the growing family at Just Explore and like the rest of the team, another great asset…
We will show you the authentic Spain so you will not feel like just a tourist but part of all of us.
We only work with boutique hotels, restaurants and local guides who offer the highest quality standards.
Spain will be your home away from home.
You’ll feel we haven’t left anything out to make this adventure one of the best experiences of your life.
We deeply care about the wellbeing of the local community as well as the natural environment, that’s why we only work with businesses who also believe in a respectful tourism industry
