Nannai means grandmother in the local dialect. For us it represents a home, tradition and peace, and is a tribute to the strong woman of the village. It’s that feeling of comfort found in homemade pasta, a warm woodstove, cold beer, and evenings spent playing Risk in pyjamas. This is why we started Nannai, and it’s still what we are all about. XX years on, two of the original six founders have since moved on to start another enterprise. But we have two new owners. and the good times continue to roll.
A great teacher, partner, and character with many faces — surfer, mountain man, father, city guy. You’ll always know him when he climbs, dancing up the wall like it’s a 5a. Now based on the mainland, he remains an anchor in Ulassai, securing routes and community ties. Sometimes grumpy, but truly a good egg.
From a Canadian engineering job to Sardinia’s wild crags—Liz ditched the 9–5, met a crew of mountain men and never looked back. Fearless on the wall, she pushes her limits with every climb. Along the way, she cast her spell on Michele, a fine local man, who never stood a chance.
Paolo’s sweet and reasonable half, Sofie gives her all to the community, blending education, nature, and yoga with the climbing lifestyle. She named our establishment ‘Grandmother’ in Sardinian, honoring elders and family spirit. When not teaching yoga on Nannai’s rooftop, she’s wrangling her two children and husband.
Paolo grew up climbing with Matteo between Finale Ligure and Ceuse, becoming a true rock warrior. After a year at Josito Camp in Turkey, he found Sofie and true love. He now raises Matteo and Anna like little gypsy-pirates. Heavily focused on community, he’s always expanding the Nannai family and can sometimes be found roasting a pig in a nearby village.
Franky’s loyal dog, Indi’s puppet and the team’s strongest climber— Ruben rarely falls twice. Author of the local guidebook and tireless bolter, he has helped make Ulassai a safe and easily accessible climbing area. Calm and humble, only Pietro Deidda’s endless dinner invites can shake his balance. Today he is mostly likely to be found at the Dirtbag Climbing Shop.
The team’s true sending machine, Frankie balances friends, Indi, bolting and training while flying through projects. With English grit she pushes to the last hold, often giving Ruben a scare. Passionate about the environment, she keeps the crags spotless. Find her at the Dirtbag Climbing Shop.
She arrived at Nannai during a global pandemic, ready to embrace her new passion: climbing. Ulassai and Nannai were love at first sight, and from that moment her only dream was to live there. Five years later, she made it—together with her wonderful husband and incredible Hayat.
With his wild red hair and big beard, Mael doesn’t look half-Italian. He found climbing in his late 20s, fell in love with the sport (and the lifestyle), and even met his wife on the rocks in Turkey. A creative cook, he’s a nature lover, hiker, and wild mind-mapper obsessed with group dynamics.
