Favorite Celebrity Vacation Spots

Celeb Spot #1. Lake Como, Italy

Loved by: George Clooney.

Star’s net worth: $180 million.

Vacation home: Villa Oleandra, Laglio, Lake Como.

Nearest airport: Lugano Airport

Lake Como is Italy’s third-largest lake and one of the deepest in Europe, surrounded by lush forested hills, vineyards, and olive groves, as well as ancient Roman ruins and picturesque monasteries. The UNESCO site has been a popular retreat for the rich and famous since Roman times and today the area is full of grand villas, one of which belongs to movie star George Clooney. The Golden Globe and Academy Award winner bought the 18th century Villa Oleandra for $10 million back in 2001, a lavish property with tennis courts, pool, outdoor theatre, and sweeping lake views.

Since then the 30-room villa, located in rustic Laglio village on the western shore of the lake, has served as a filming location for the Ocean’s Eleven movies, which Clooney stars in. Although he’s best known for his roles in this blockbuster trilogy, Clooney first found fame in the 1990s in the TV show ER before moving on to Hollywood roles. In 2008, he was made a United Nations Messenger for Peace and has raised money and awareness for the 2010 Haiti earthquake and Darfur conflict.

Celebrity Vacation Destination #2. Rhode Island, USA

Loved by: Taylor Swift.

Star’s net worth: $250 million.

Vacation home: Seaside mansion in Watch Hill.

Nearest airport:  Westerly State Airport.

To get away from the limelight, singer-songwriter Taylor Swift heads to her $17 million seaside mansion in Watch Hill, Rhode Island. The 11,000 square-foot mansion was built in 1930 on five acres of land and sits at the highest point of the hill overlooking Little Narragansett Bay, the perfect location for A-list parties. Watch Hill is an affluent village in the town of Westerly which became known in the 19th and early 20th century as an exclusive coastal resort for wealthy families. Later, it became home to famous people like Henry Ford and Clark Gable.

Aged just 27, country music star Swift has sold over 40 million albums, making her one of the best-selling artists of all-time. Her career started in Nashville when she was just 14, where she became the youngest artist ever signed by Sony/ATV Music Publishing House. Since then, Swift has won over 70 awards including 10 Grammys, an Emmy and 11 Country Music Association Awards. In 2016, the singer topped the Forbes Celebrity 100 list and is known for donating to natural disaster relief in the USA.

Celebrity Getaway #3. Little Halls Pond Cay, Bahamas

Loved by: Johnny Depp.

Star’s net worth: $400 million.

Vacation home: Little Halls Pond Cay.

Nearest airport: Staniel Cay Airport.

While filming the Pirates of the Caribbean in 2004, movie star Johnny Depp discovered Little Halls Pond Cay, an idyllic 45-acre island in the Bahamas, which he bought for $3.6 million. Little Halls has six white-sand beaches, a sparkling lagoon, and is surrounded by topaz seas. With spectacular diving, snorkelling, balmy temperatures, and palm-fringed beaches, the Bahamas is a popular celebrity vacation spot. In fact, both Eddie Murphy and David Copperfield own island getaways very close to Little Halls Cay.

As 2016’s fifth highest-paid actor, Depp also owns vacation homes in Italy and France as well as his island retreat. The Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award winner started out as an 80s teen TV idol in the show 21 Jump Street, but it was Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands that catapulted him to fame. Since then, Depp has specialized in playing larger-than-life characters, including Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean.

Celebrity Spot #4. Maui, Hawaii, USA

Loved by: Oprah Winfrey.

Star’s net worth: $3 billion.

Vacation home: Maui Farm, Hawaii.

Nearest airport: Kahului Airport.

Hawaii’s second-largest island, Maui, is laced with pristine beaches and waters full of diverse marine life with a thick jungle interior dotted with waterfalls, volcanoes, and scenic highways. It’s not hard to see why Maui has become such a favorite celebrity haunt, with many stars buying up estates on the island. These include Clint Eastwood, Owen Wilson, and Oprah Winfrey, superstar television host and media mogul. Winfrey’s Maui ranch sits near Mount Haleakala, one of the world’s largest dormant volcanoes and boasts an organic farm and horse stables.

Winfrey tops the Forbes list of richest women and owns multiple properties in addition to her Maui farm, including a Californian ranch and ski chalet in Telluride. However, she also heads a charity and has given over $400 million to worthy causes, making her one of the 50 most generous Americans. Born in rural Mississippi to a single teenage Mum, Winfrey’s early life was steeped in poverty until she got her first break at a local radio station when she was at high school. Today, Winfrey is best known as the host of the Oprah Winfrey Show but she also publishes magazines, owns a radio channel, and has won awards as a film actress.

Celebrity Vacation Destination #5. Cote D’Azur, France

Loved by: Bono from U2.

Star’s net worth: $600 million.

Vacation home: Éze mansion.

Nearest airport:  Nice Cote D’Azur Airport.

The Cote D’Azur, also referred to as the French Riviera, has long been a playground for the rich and famous. In the 19th century, aristocrats like Queen Victoria vacationed there and later, artists and writers such as Pablo Picasso and Aldous Huxley visited. The area is now a popular vacation spot for celebrities like Elton John, Tina Turner and the Beckhams. This corner of France is known for hosting the Cannes Film Festival and for its golden beaches, marinas full of super-yachts, world-class golf clubs, and rich hubs like Monaco and Nice.

Bono, best known as the lead singer of Irish rock-band U2, has owned his $3.8 million mansion in Éze since 1993. He likes to throw parties at his home with neighbours Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie and Robert De Niro. The singer-songwriter has been named by Rolling Stone as one of the greatest singers of all time and has collaborated with stars like Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen, and Jay Z. Bono also received a knighthood and was named Time’s Person of the Year for his humanitarian work in Africa.

Celeb Getaway #6. The Hamptons, New York, USA

Loved by: Jennifer Lopez.

Star’s net worth: $320 million.

Vacation home: Water Mill mansion.

Nearest airport:  Francis S Gabreski Airport.

The exclusive Hamptons lie just a few hours from New York City in Long Island, which makes it the perfect getaway from high-pressured city life. In fact, affluent, well-connected people have flocked to this seaside resort since the 19th century, including families like the Fords and Eisenhowers. You’ll find some of the USA’s most expensive postcodes in the Hamptons as well as private beaches, clubs, and fancy golf courses. Current A-list residents include Steven Spielberg, Gwyneth Paltrow, Calvin Klein, and Jennifer Lopez, who owns an eight-bed mansion in the prestigious town of Water Mill.

Lopez’s $10 million property sits on a three-acre plot and includes a sauna, pool house, steam room, and home theater. The singer, actress, and fashion designer hails from the Bronx in New York City, just a few hours from the Hamptons. Lopez rose to fame as a professional dancer before moving onto acting and launching a successful singing career. She’s now rated by Time as one of the 25 most influential Hispanic Americans, with over 80 million record sales. Lopez rents out her Hamptons home every summer for $425,000.