Superyachts of the rich and famous moored against the backdrop of picture-perfect St Tropez, France
Whether it’s the mystery of the Maldives or the technology of Tokyo, we all enjoy a break away from our usual 9-5, and the famous folk are no different when it comes to jetting around the world.
Here are some of the hotspots if you hope to get lucky and spot one of your favourite famous faces while on holiday. And you don’t have to go as far as you may think – there are luxurious holiday destinations as close by as France and the Balearics.
Maldives
KT Tunstall escaped to the Maldives when needing to get away from the pressure of entertainment, while last August Michael Phelps flew over to the Maldives following his performances at the olympics.
Our very own UK artist Tinie Tempah has visited a couple of times, while Beyonce Knowles has been to the beautiful chain of atolls. If you plan on having a holiday to the Maldives, make sure you take your opportunity to scuba dive amongst some of the most colourful and beautiful fish in the world.
Necker Island
The island, owned by Richard Branson, has been known to attract the cream of the A-list crop, such as Kate Winslet and David Hasselhoff. The private island resort in the British Virgin Islands is home to more than 140 species of animals, a dramatic amount for a land stretching to only 74 acres.
Recently, One Direction star Harry Styles blessed the island with his presence, to add to the ever growing list of superstars visiting the Island. This is one exclusive resort where you are very unlikely to be able to visit – unless you are a friend of the rich and famous, or rich and famous yourself. There are dozens of other paradisical Caribbean islands to visit, however.
Barbados
This beautiful Caribbean island has become synonymous with images of white sand and clear blue sea with a Pina Colada in hand. The celebrity sightings seem to be endless, with stars such as Mariah Carey, Mel C, Simon Cowell and Oprah Winfrey all recently visiting Barbados.
OC star Rachel Bilson has made it a regular visiting spot, while Queen Latifah can be seen spending her summer on the Island. If you plan on spotting any of these celebrities, the west coast attracts them all, with the Sandy Lane hotel hosting some of the most illustrious stars. It cannot go without mentioning that Barbados is also the homeland of Rihanna, and you could indulge in local tipple rum if you visit.
Portugal
At the western tip of Europe, Portugal has a rich cultural heritage with everything from surfing resorts with gigantic waves to some of the best golfing ranges in Europe. Cliff Richard owns a winery in Guia, while Ronan Keating owns a mansion in the Algarve.
Last summer Pixie Lott embraced the heat of the sun on the beaches of Portugal, which also saw JLS singer Marvin Humes with his new wife Rochelle, from the Saturdays. The Algarve is definitely the number one place in Portugal to spot a celebrity, while the picturesque beaches will leave a smile on your face.
Ibiza
Known as Europe’s party central, the strikingly beautiful Bealearic island of Ibiza is also a World Heritage Site. Kate Moss and Jade Jagger have been known as regular visitors over the last decade to the party island, while Naomi Campbell joins the list of models jetting off to Ibiza.
You are most likely to see musicians who are either touring or coming for a wild weekend, such as Mark Ronson, P Diddy, Kylie Minogue, Shakira and superstars Katie Price, Paris Hilton and Gisele. The Las Salinas beach is where celebrities have been known to flock to, while you can also visit Talamanca beach if you feel like a more quiet beach experience.
South of France
It’s a playground of the rich and famous, with prices to match, but you can still find some good deals to places on the Cote d’Azur, notably to the seaside city of Nice. From there it’s an easy day trip to the spots popular with the stars.
St Tropez is famously expensive and attracts actors, models and rock stars including Kate Moss, Elton John, Jennifer Aniston and just about anyone who is anyone. Celebrity couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie live in Chateau Miraval, and another, Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis, live in Plan-de-la-Tour with their children. Bono owns a house in Eze sur Mer and Bill Gates paid a whopping £76 million for a property in the area, so it can be as expensive as you make it to live there, but affordable to visit for a holiday.
The Cannes film festival brings even more celebs to the beachfront location, when the Hollywood Walk of Fame is temporarily transported to France’s capital of glamour during the second half of May when the temperatures are just starting to hot up a bit – perhaps not enough for sunbathing but definitely warm enough for some sunny star-spotting.
If you have seen anyone famous while on holiday, let us know in the comments below.
Six of the best places to spot celebrities on holiday
Superyachts of the rich and famous moored against the backdrop of picture-perfect St Tropez, France
Whether it’s the mystery of the Maldives or the technology of Tokyo, we all enjoy a break away from our usual 9-5, and the famous folk are no different when it comes to jetting around the world.
Here are some of the hotspots if you hope to get lucky and spot one of your favourite famous faces while on holiday. And you don’t have to go as far as you may think – there are luxurious holiday destinations as close by as France and the Balearics.
Maldives
KT Tunstall escaped to the Maldives when needing to get away from the pressure of entertainment, while last August Michael Phelps flew over to the Maldives following his performances at the olympics.
Our very own UK artist Tinie Tempah has visited a couple of times, while Beyonce Knowles has been to the beautiful chain of atolls. If you plan on having a holiday to the Maldives, make sure you take your opportunity to scuba dive amongst some of the most colourful and beautiful fish in the world.
Necker Island
The island, owned by Richard Branson, has been known to attract the cream of the A-list crop, such as Kate Winslet and David Hasselhoff. The private island resort in the British Virgin Islands is home to more than 140 species of animals, a dramatic amount for a land stretching to only 74 acres.
Recently, One Direction star Harry Styles blessed the island with his presence, to add to the ever growing list of superstars visiting the Island. This is one exclusive resort where you are very unlikely to be able to visit – unless you are a friend of the rich and famous, or rich and famous yourself. There are dozens of other paradisical Caribbean islands to visit, however.
Barbados
This beautiful Caribbean island has become synonymous with images of white sand and clear blue sea with a Pina Colada in hand. The celebrity sightings seem to be endless, with stars such as Mariah Carey, Mel C, Simon Cowell and Oprah Winfrey all recently visiting Barbados.
OC star Rachel Bilson has made it a regular visiting spot, while Queen Latifah can be seen spending her summer on the Island. If you plan on spotting any of these celebrities, the west coast attracts them all, with the Sandy Lane hotel hosting some of the most illustrious stars. It cannot go without mentioning that Barbados is also the homeland of Rihanna, and you could indulge in local tipple rum if you visit.
Portugal
At the western tip of Europe, Portugal has a rich cultural heritage with everything from surfing resorts with gigantic waves to some of the best golfing ranges in Europe. Cliff Richard owns a winery in Guia, while Ronan Keating owns a mansion in the Algarve.
Last summer Pixie Lott embraced the heat of the sun on the beaches of Portugal, which also saw JLS singer Marvin Humes with his new wife Rochelle, from the Saturdays. The Algarve is definitely the number one place in Portugal to spot a celebrity, while the picturesque beaches will leave a smile on your face.
Ibiza
Known as Europe’s party central, the strikingly beautiful Bealearic island of Ibiza is also a World Heritage Site. Kate Moss and Jade Jagger have been known as regular visitors over the last decade to the party island, while Naomi Campbell joins the list of models jetting off to Ibiza.
You are most likely to see musicians who are either touring or coming for a wild weekend, such as Mark Ronson, P Diddy, Kylie Minogue, Shakira and superstars Katie Price, Paris Hilton and Gisele. The Las Salinas beach is where celebrities have been known to flock to, while you can also visit Talamanca beach if you feel like a more quiet beach experience.
South of France
It’s a playground of the rich and famous, with prices to match, but you can still find some good deals to places on the Cote d’Azur, notably to the seaside city of Nice. From there it’s an easy day trip to the spots popular with the stars.
St Tropez is famously expensive and attracts actors, models and rock stars including Kate Moss, Elton John, Jennifer Aniston and just about anyone who is anyone. Celebrity couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie live in Chateau Miraval, and another, Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis, live in Plan-de-la-Tour with their children. Bono owns a house in Eze sur Mer and Bill Gates paid a whopping £76 million for a property in the area, so it can be as expensive as you make it to live there, but affordable to visit for a holiday.
The Cannes film festival brings even more celebs to the beachfront location, when the Hollywood Walk of Fame is temporarily transported to France’s capital of glamour during the second half of May when the temperatures are just starting to hot up a bit – perhaps not enough for sunbathing but definitely warm enough for some sunny star-spotting.
If you have seen anyone famous while on holiday, let us know in the comments below.
Tom Bourlet
Tom is a Social Media, SEO & PPC Analyst for Directline Holidays, a travel writer for Spaghetti Traveller and a freelancer. Tom has travelled all across Europe and USA, while he plans on travelling through Asia next.