Villa Oleandra: George Clooney’s Home on Lake Como
Villa Oleandra, George Clooney’s Lake Como home, is one of the most talked-about villas on the lake, and almost nobody has ever really seen it. It sits in Laglio, a tiny Italian village of just 800 people, right on the water’s edge, behind gates and private gardens. From the road you can barely see a thing. From the lake, on the other hand, you can take it all in: an 18th-century villa that opens straight onto the water.
Before we get to Villa Oleandra, though, let’s bust a myth about George Clooney.
The Myth of George Clooney’s Wedding on Lake Como
If you think George Clooney got married at Villa Oleandra, think again. He and Amal Alamuddin did tie the knot in Italy, but in Venice, on 27 September 2014, with guests arriving by boat along the Grand Canal to the Aman hotel. Lake Como, in this story, is simply the home the couple comes back to.
Did you know? No ceremony here, but plenty of guests: friends said to have stayed at Villa Oleandra include Brad Pitt, Michael Douglas, Cindy Crawford and Barack Obama.
Why Did George Clooney Choose Lake Como?
Clooney bought Villa Oleandra in 2002, and for a Hollywood actor it was far from an obvious choice: a village of a few hundred people on a lake a long way from any film set. Rather than explain the “why”, he talks about what this place has given him. For him, Italy was a way to unwind, as he put it himself:
“I realized how beautiful life was in Italy and how it really helped calm me and not feel so pressured.”
The connection has never faded. In December 2020, as a live guest on Fabio Fazio’s talk show, he said: “For the first time in twenty years, I haven’t seen Lake Como,” because Covid had kept him away.
Como is the heart of the lake, and it’s easy to see why anyone who comes once keeps coming back.
Villa Oleandra: What We Know (and What We Don’t)
The villa dates from the 18th century and, before Clooney, belonged to the Heinz family. It looks straight out onto the water and has a private dock. Over the years, he has also added other buildings nearby.
The rest is rightly private. You won’t find addresses, schedules or details about the lives of the people who live there in this article: Laglio is a quiet village, and nobody benefits from a siege of curious visitors. That’s why the lake is the best vantage point: you see the villa from a respectful distance, without disturbing anyone.
One last thing. Rumors of a sale have gone around, and Clooney has denied them in a statement (“it’s not true”). As far as we know, the villa still belongs to the Clooneys.
More Secret Villas You Can Only See from the Lake
Villa Oleandra isn’t the only villa you can only really appreciate from the water. Along the shores there are plenty more, hidden behind walls and cypress trees, and a boat tour is the only way to admire them. We’ve gathered some in our guide to the secret villas of Lake Como. These villas weren’t built to be admired: they were built to be private, discreet retreats. The lake seems to keep their secrets.
Take Villa Pizzo in Cernobbio, with its distinctive dusty pink facade and yellow trim, which you can see in full only from the lake, and the villas of Moltrasio. In an hour on the water, you change era, style and owner every ten minutes.
How to See Villa Oleandra: A Private Boat Tour with a Captain
Peeking at Clooney’s villa is one of the things to do on Lake Como (discreetly, of course). On our private classic wooden boat tour, your captain takes you up the western shore, past Cernobbio and Moltrasio, all the way to Laglio. There you can admire Villa Oleandra and take photos from the water, always from a respectful distance. After that, it’s up to you: carry on toward the center of the lake, stop for lunch in a small village or admire more villas. You set the route and the pace.
LCE tip: The best time is late afternoon, when the light on the facade is softer. You don’t need to get too close: you can see it perfectly well from the lake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Villa Oleandra?
In Laglio, on the western shore of Lake Como, north of Cernobbio.
Can you visit George Clooney’s Lake Como villa?
No, it’s private property. You can see it from the lake on a boat tour.
Where did George Clooney get married?
In Venice, on 27 September 2014, not on Lake Como.
Did Clooney sell the villa?
No: he denied the rumors of a sale.
