Undoubtedly, having a second residence to disconnect from the daily noise is one of the best options for anyone. Also for the divinities. If for some years now Ibiza and Formentera have become the retreat of the world's most famous and wealthiest like Jeff Bezos (61), Leonardo DiCaprio (50), Ed Sheeran (34), or Kendall Jenner (29), another Spanish area is becoming the golden destination for celebrities.
Richard Gere (76) has once again made his wife, Alejandra Silva (42), happy because the couple has just bought a 10 million euro mansion in Oleiros (A Coruña) right on the beachfront of Santa Cristina beach. The businesswoman is of Galician origin, and with this transaction, they wanted to be close to her family. The residence has 10 bedrooms and a private pool.
Alejandra's great-grandfather built seven houses very close to Bastiagueiro beach for the Oleiros community. Just like Antonio García did decades later, creator of La Moraleja, for his descendants, among whom is Ana García Obregón.
At the end of this spring, news broke that Julio Iglesias (81) wanted to honor the memory of his father Papuchi born in Ourense by buying a 13,000 square meter estate in the village of Villarino in the municipality of Piñor (Ourense), just ten kilometers from where he spent his childhood.
The main mansion of 1,500 square meters has several small buildings nearby and is surrounded by an extensive garden where, in addition to a pool, a huge artificial lake was built. Julio was supposed to visit Galicia this summer, but due to personal reasons, it was not possible. Rumor has it that everything is ready for him to come soon. Such is his love for the region that in 1972 he released the song "Un canto a Galicia."
Another Hollywood luminary who often goes unnoticed and also has a home in Galicia is Joseph Fiennes (55), star alongside Gwyneth Paltrow (52) inShakespeare in Love, who is married to former model María Dolores Diéguez. The couple bought a house in the parish of Pena Folenche, in the municipality of Trives (Ourense).
The Fiennes-Diéguez family renovated an old house in 2015 to accommodate their needs as they have two daughters, Eva (15) and Isabel (14). The actor does not like to be treated as a star and, in fact, has become one more in the town whenever he can spend the summer, participating in various social activities in the area, the family goes to the community pool, and they enjoy nature.
Although they do not own a property, the legendary Martin Sheen (85) has a deep admiration for Galicia as his father, Francisco Estévez, was born in the parish of Parderrubias, in the municipality of Salceda de Caselas (Pontevedra). The star of Apocalypse Now (1979) has visited this region of Spain countless times, and when he became a father and grandfather, he also toured the community with his descendants, including actor Charlie Sheen (60) and director Emilio Estévez, 63).
In fact, Emilio directed his father in The Way, which tells the story of an American pilgrim walking the revered Camino de Santiago. "I adore the independence that is felt in Galicia," he said in an interview.
Alessandro Lecquio (64) has a house in Nigrán (Pontevedra), his favorite destination to disconnect from his busy life on TV. In summer and during Easter, he can be seen enjoying Prado beach and the Rias Baixas, which he considers a miracle of nature. The choice of this area has been easy as the roots of his wife's family, María Palacios (47), are in Baiona (Pontevedra). Along with his daughter Ginevra Ena (8) - named after Queen Victoria Eugenia - they spend the happiest moments of their lives.
The unforgettable director José Luis Cuerda, who passed away in 2020 and was the author of El bosque animado (1987) and La Lengua de las mariposas (1999), fell in love with Galicia after producing the filmLos otros (2001) by Alejandro Amenábar (53). This led him to restore a 16th-century manor that he turned into Bodega Sanclodio, a reference in the Ribeiro Designation of Origin in our country, which, after his death, his daughters sold to Boega Matarromera.
Although born in England, Belinda Washington (62) also has her retreat in A Mariña Lucense, on the north coast of Galicia, where she invites her friends to enjoy sought-after landscapes such as the Beach of the Cathedrals and the impressive cliffs.
Another illustrious name is the British architect David Chipperfield (71), who has been living since the nineties in the parish of Corrubedo (A Coruña) with his wife Evelyn. Here, he also has a branch of his acclaimed studio with which he won the Pritzker Prize in 2023.