Posted: Sep 15, 2015
Take a sneak peek inside Andy Warhol's Seventies seaside getaway, Johnny Depp's French estate or Jeff Bridges’ fairy-tale mansion in California.
When you step inside these mansions you can tell that you are following in the footsteps of the great and good. Glitz and success are reflected in every surface and maybe, if you’re lucky, it could rub off on you. Make a grand entrance with these celebrity homes.
1. Plan de la Tour, Provence, France £16.5m (€23m)
Live the dream by buying Johnny Depp's French estate. It’s a whole hamlet of a dozen houses restored by Johnny and his former wife Vanessa Paradis and the sale price includes the furnishings. Set in the quiet hills inland from St Tropez, this idyllic spot is surrounded by 37 acres of thyme-scented olive groves and crumbling stone terraces. There’s no escaping Jack Sparrow, though, as one of the rooms in the main house has a pirate theme.
2. Castellina, Tuscany, Italy £5.15m (€7.1m)
Truly steeped in history, this Italian hilltop estate was once home to the magnificent Michelangelo. He bought it after his explosion of brilliance in the Sistine Chapel and perhaps the azure skies and peaceful vistas soothed his old age. The tower house remained in his family for more than 300 years and the current owner has the original deeds, which will be sold with the property.
3. Montecito, Santa Barbara, California USA £18.7m ($29.5m)
A fairytale mansion approached over a stream, Jeff Bridges’ five-bedroom California pad would be equally at home in Tuscany. The exquisite gardens are draped with roses, lavender and bougainvillea framing sweeping ocean views. As the owner is an award winning actor with a passion for music, it’s no surprise to find a separate building that houses a home theatre and music studio. There are also two guest houses.
4. El Paraiso, Marbella, Spain £4.1m (€5.6m)
This picture perfect Spanish villa was bought by pop star, Prince. It was his wedding gift to his first wife, Mayte Garcia. As you would expect, it is opulent and flamboyant, although somewhat toned down by the current owner. It has six bedrooms, high ceilings and a very grand entrance hall.
The gardens extend to 1.5 acres of lawns and cypress trees, and there are covered terraces from which to enjoy the view – even in the purple rain.
5. Grand Canal San Marco, Venice, Italy £4.3m (€5.9m)
Ernest Hemingway and Sophia Loren have both been guests at this classic Venetian apartment. Hemingway was so regular that he even had his own armchair, included in the sale, which sits in the same place. Three reception rooms look over the waterway and there are five bedrooms, plus a sunny internal courtyard. Additionally, there is a private mooring and a water gate, so you can exit straight onto the canal.
6. Tavern Island, Connecticut, USA £7m ($11m)
Your own private kingdom within an hour of New York City, Tavern Island comes with a large period residence, a caretaker’s cottage, a boathouse, a teahouse and a mainland pad with plenty of parking. There’s also a building plot included in the price. The island used to be owned by Billy Rose, the showman. His parties were legendary and they bubbled over with celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe and Barbra Streisand.
7. Chilmark, Massachusetts, USA £14.4m ($22.5m)
If it’s good enough for the president of the USA … Obama and his family holidayed here in 2013. Overlooking the Atlantic coast of Martha’s Vineyard, this designer’s dream embraces the ocean views with its huge windows extended to the heavens with numerous skylights. There are 9.5 acres of wooden hillside leading down to a private beach and boat dock, with a heated infinity pool and half-size basketball court for the more energetic.
8. Quinta do Lago, Portugal from £3.06m (€4.19m)
The Keys is a development of 72 properties at the Quinta do Lago estate in the Algarve’s Golden Triangle. Six villa types are available – all reflecting the glamour and glitz of American inter-war architecture, from the Roaring Twenties to the 1940s. Ant and Dec have bought matching properties here, next door to each other. The development is described as six star and is built around a man-made lake, with some of the properties set on islands. It is due to be completed next summer and the site will have a concierge service, an ocean-front beach club, sports facilities and a secure holiday club for children.
9. Greenwich Village, New York £2.8m ($4.5m)
You can sit pretty in this smart city pad, knowing that it used to belong to Julia Roberts. There’s a large sunny terrace and an open plan living area. The location is extremely popular and much sought-after part of New York. Now all you need is Richard Gere to sign the cheque.
10. Montauk, New York, USA £54m ($85m)
Andy Warhol's 1970s seaside getaway is a 30-acre estate at the far eastern end of Long Island. There’s are six tasteful, but homely New England-style cottages, plus a grander house with extensive equestrian facilities. Famous friends such as Mick Jagger, John Lennon, Jackie Onassis and Elizabeth Taylor, flocked to enjoy the privacy and spectacular views while Warhol owned it.
