What do Will Smith, Salma Hayek, Matt Smith, David Guetta, Zac Efron, Kendall Jenner, and Leonardo DiCaprio all have in common?
Apart from all being big names in the global entertainment industry, they’ve also recently visited the world’s top celebrity destination, Ibiza, with the Spanish island recently topping the list of celebrity-seducing holiday destinations.
But it isn’t just Ibiza, celebrities are jetting off to a curated list of hotspots around the globe, driven by a need for seclusion, world-class hospitality, and the kind of prestige that money alone can’t buy.
Here’s why Ibiza and the other top-ranking locales are topping celebrity travel lists in 2025–so that you can plan your A-lister escape too.
What Makes a Destination ‘Celebrity-Worthy’ in 2025?
Ahh, how the other half live. When you’re a major star, there are a couple of key factors that will determine where you choose for your next sun-kissed escape. After all, becoming a travel destination is one thing, but becoming a household name for the glitterati is another.
To really appeal to Hollywood’s most beautiful and influential, a destination needs to offer plenty of privacy, from remote villas far from prying eyes to gated resorts where mum is always the word on the staff’s lips.
Who wants to be holidaying with paparazzi always watching? But that’s not the only driver behind a top celebrity destination.
What Do Celebrities Really Look For?
Luxury accoutrements, fine dining, upscale accommodation, world-class vistas, and of course, a certain undeniable Instagrammable quality, are all factors that determine where the world’s leading celebrities take their R&R.
Being remote also means that not only will the destination need to be able to accommodate private jets (or at least helicopter transfers from major airports) but also have everything a star or starlet could want close at hand, from world-class wellness enclaves that specialise in turning back the clock to dedicated concierge services that slip you into the hottest clubs unfettered.
And, unless you’re the kind of big screen power broker that creates trends wherever you go, a celebrity holiday destination needs to be already turning heads and catching eyeballs with its beauty and glamour – which is why so many of the leading contenders have been welcoming celebs for decades.
Emerging reports based on celebrity sightings in the world’s most indulgent locales between 2023 and 2025, coupled with social media metrics, including IG hashtag counts; paparazzi reports, and Google analytics, have identified the leading celebrity vacation destinations from across the globe, idyllic settings that have seduced A-listers with their combination of luxury hotels and resorts, world-class dining, and social media value – after all, celebs like to stay on trend too!
While the survey results include some well-known and much-loved destinations, some unlikely contenders might surprise you. These holiday spots combine all the best elements of the perfect escape, making them ideal destinations to visit yourself.
Ibiza, Spain
Regularly appealing to the likes of Kendall Jenner, Naomi Campbell, footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, and Hollywood party boy Leonardo DiCaprio, Ibiza, one of Spain’s Balearic islands, has long been the hottest celebrity destination in the Mediterranean and taken the top spot for 2025 celebrity holiday haunts.
The island paradise has earned over 20 million Instagram hashtags thanks to its huge number of luxury resorts and indulgent villas (averaging US$695 a night) and its many acclaimed fine-dining restaurants, which are as heavy on the wallet as they are on the celeb-spotting.
Most notable for its international clubbing scene, which spans conventional club nights and festivals to luxurious beach clubs where you’ll rub shoulders with the great and good, Ibiza has everything a set-weary star needs – think international DJs, wellness retreats, crystal clear waters, and endless sunshine.
Tulum, Mexico
If you’re keen to follow in the footsteps of Rachel Zoe, Austin Butler, Dua Lipa, Chloe Sims, Lottie Moss, and Joan Smalls, then Tulum, Mexico’s own little slice of coastal paradise, just might be for you.
This East Coast haven, which comes in second on the list, has enjoyed international appeal (although it’s especially popular with Americans) since the 1970s thanks to its idyllic coastline, inspired resorts and private villas (many of which have been designed to melt into the natural palm-encrusted landscape), strong focus on holistic living, and its fascinating, boho-chic dining scene, all of which have helped Tulum ratchet up 9.4 million Instagram tags and counting.
According to the Otherworld study, Tulum is home to over 1,500 luxury accommodation options (averaging an affordable US$251 per night) – we love new design-driven XELA – as well as more than its fair share tequila-laced fine-dining establishments (77), ensuring it appeals to spiritual seekers, surf chasers and neo-travellers looking to shun the established brands instead of more holistic (and sometimes hedonistic) experiences under the Mexican sun.
Amalfi Coast, Italy
As iconic a destination as you’ll find anywhere in the world (and one of my personal favourites), the Amalfi Coast of Italy, coming in at the third spot, has long enjoyed its star appeal, so it’s no surprise that you’ll find Katy Perry and her beau Orlando Bloom, Sofia Vergara, Neil Patrick Harris, Emily Ratajkowski and Alex Rodriguez are regular Amalfiphiles.
The coast, which stretches along the southern edge of the Sorrentine Peninsula in Campania, is best known for its pastel-hued villages, many of which cling to steep mountain flanks, and its hidden coves, which give access to the azure seas of the Mediterranean, earning the destination just over two million IG tags.
A must on any star-studded Italian itinerary, Amalfi is best known for its captivating coastal vistas, its lofty yet private retreats (in fact the whole coast is home to 1,527 properties averaging a heady US$1,680 per night), and its sublime restaurants, which range from stellar fine-dining venues where the chef’s celebrity status mirrors that of the clientele, to hole-in-the-wall spots that A-listers visit discretely year after year.
Consequently, Amalfi will appeal to yacht charterers, road trippers, culture creatures, and anyone who loves iconic vistas and a nice glass of local limoncello.
Dominican Republic
Perhaps not a destination you’d expect to make the top five celebrity vacation spots for 2025 but the Dominican Republic has fought adversity (including some devastating hurricanes) to make the fourth spot on the list, thanks in part to visits by Le DiCaprio (boy does he get around!), Jennifer Lopez, Julio Iglesias, Vin Diesel, and Shakira.
Sharing half of the island of Hispaniola (the other half is Haiti), the Dominican Republic is a Caribbean sanctuary of white power sand beaches, dense jungle, and the highest peak in the region. It has also enjoyed being off the mass tourism beaten path, ensuring that it appeals to celebs looking for all the beauty of the likes of Jamaica and St Lucia without the paparazzi.
You’ll love the DR for its relatively affordable luxury (the tiny nation is home to over 3,261 accommodation options averaging a very affordable US$359 per night), many of which are secreted on private beaches or deep in the verdant interior.
While the island nation may not be making waves on the fine-dining scene just yet (there are only 47 high-end dining options to choose from, most of which are in resorts), the Dominican Republic will ensure thanks to its laid-back ambiance, strong sustainability credentials, its world-class beaches and marine environment, and its proximity to major cities on the east coast of the US.
Gstaad, Switzerland
Another celebrity holiday haunt you might be less familiar with, Gstaad (pronounced “Shstad”) in Switzerland has welcomed Salma Hayek, Nina Dobrev, Roger Federer, Audrey Hepburn, William Holden, Sophia Loren, and Natalie Portman, among many others, with its old world elegance and intimacy (it’s also home to some of the world’s leading boarding schools).
Located in the Swiss Alps, this unassuming little city has long been a favourite with billionaires and entertainment illuminati thanks to its spectacular landscapes, world-class skiing, and cosy-chic ambiance (making it my favourite mountain retreat), which have led to this Alpine playground being tagged 376,000 times on Instagram.
In Gstaad, you’ll have a far more curated selection of luxury accommodations to choose from (many of the town’s high-profile and celebrity visitors stay at private chalets, many owned by industry friends, including Anne Hathaway, Bernie Ecclestone, Johnny Hallyday, and honorary citizen Julie Andrews) and you’ll pay an average of US$752 a night, but for that, you’ll be able to sojourn in the pedestrianised boulevards and rub shoulders with the elite off-piste.
Mykonos, Greece
A favourite playground among the Greek Islands, Mykonos has been the holiday locale for many A-listing celebrities, including Matt Damon and his good friend George Clooney, Demi Moore, Jessica Alba, Christian Bale, brothers Chris and Liam Hemsworth and Lindsay Lohan.
One of the reasons that this tiny Greek island is one of the top celebrity vacations is due to its balance of serenity and vitality. There’s a great nightlife scene during the summer season, with international DJs always headlining world-class events at the island’s big beach clubs, and yet it’s easy to escape the crowds to luxurious private resorts and villas that line the hills overlooking the Aegean Sea.
With 5.7 million IG tags, and almost 1,000 luxury accommodation options priced at an impressive US$2,604 a night on average (I just love the island’s many boutique hotels), Mykonos has luxury written all over it. Guests will be able to dance the night away in some of the Greek Isles’ top clubs, dine at over 65 fine-dining restaurants, island hop on yacht excursions, or simply soak up the Mediterranean sun on Mykonos’ top beaches.
If you like to look like a celebrity enjoying a delightfully indulgent escape or if you simply want to soak up the history and culture of Greece’s top adult playground, Mykonos just might be for you.
Lake Como, Italy
When we think of Italy’s Lake Como, it’s hard not to think about all the celebrity couples this idyllic lakeside destination attracts, from George Clooney (who has had a home, Villa Oleandra, on its shores for decades) and wife Amal, and power couples Emily Blunt and John Krasinski and Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, to Charlie Puth and Brooke Sansone, and even Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.
In fact, while Lake Como has been popular with royalty, nobility, and the wealthy for centuries, it’s thought that Clooney’s purchase of Villa Oleandra in 2002 was the catalyst for many of his celeb friends to visit, so it’s no wonder the region sports 2.2 million hashtags on Instagram and a hotel average room rate of US$1,779.
Lake Como will appeal to travellers looking for old-world opulence; it’s home to almost 80 fine-dining restaurants, coveted private villas on the water’s edge, luxurious resorts, and wellness retreats, and stunning little villages, making it a popular backdrop in films like Oceans 12 and Casino Royale.
Do as the celebs do and come here to switch off, take a Riva out on the lake, soak up the sunshine, and dine like a king – you never know who you might meet at the local markets.
Turks and Caicos Islands
A final destination that’s become a by-word for tropical luxury among the global A-listers, the Turks & Caicos Islands in the Caribbean have welcomed everyone from Kylie Jenner and Bruce Willis, to Juston and Hailey Bieber and Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas.
These islands, a British Overseas Territory located southeast of the Bahamas (another celebrity hotspot), combine stunning white sand beaches and turquoise waters with plenty of luxurious boutiques, resorts, and restaurants, ensuring that their seasonal appeal with the Hollywood elite – travel there for the private villas, intimate yacht mooring destinations, and vibrant nightlife – endures.
The Otherworld survey found the Turks & Caicos Islands have attracted 1.2 million IG hashtags, in part thanks to the nation’s high-profile (and oh-so-grammable) resorts, which fetch an average of US$1,043 a night.
Throw in a handful of truly world-class dining venues, snorkelling, scuba diving, sailing, and its proximity to the east coast of the US and you have a destination that will always appeal to celebrities looking to escape to a luxury weekend away or who want to strut their stuff in their tiniest bikini for the social and tabloid buzz.
Why These Top Celebrity Vacation Destinations Lead the Luxury Curve
Combining stunning natural environments with plenty of personalised services, ample privacy, world-class dining, indulgent resorts and villas, and plenty of content posting opportunities, it’s easy to see why destinations like Lake Como, Ibiza, Tulum, and Amalfi are on many celebrities’ destinations to visit for 2025.
However, the private jet set is spoiled for choice and emerging destinations like New Zealand’s South Island, Dubai, and the Maldives are increasingly being listed with traditional hotspots like Aspen, St Barts, and Monaco.
Where would you go – if you were a paparazzi-hounded A-lister or simply a luxury traveller looking for new horizons, and what would be the most important elements of a destination for you? We’d love to hear your thoughts.
