George Clooney's Lake Como villa he seldom visits is now worth 10x more

George Clooney and Amal Clooney attend
George Clooney and Amal Clooney attend "The Tender Bar" Premiere during the 65th BFI London Film Festival at The Royal Festival Hall on October 10, 2021 in London, England (Jeff Spicer,Getty)

George and Amal Clooney are fortunate enough to own multiple properties across Europe and the States, but the couple's homes range in value and style, and it seems they have their favourites!

For many years, the Hollywood actor was synonymous with Lake Como, a luxurious area in northern Italy adored by the wealthy elite, where he purchased a stunning villa complex for $10 million back in 2002.

George, 63, who wed Amal, 46, seven years ago, bought the beautiful home located right on the lakes and has spoken in the past about his adoration for his time there and his love of Italian culture.

George Clooney and Amal Clooney attend the "Ticket To Paradise" World Premiere at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on September 07, 2022 in London, England
George Clooney and Amal Clooney wed in 2017 (Lia Toby)

The couple have spent many summers there lapping up the Italian sun.

The villa has, unsurprisingly, gained enormous value over the years not least because of George's presence there.

But the Ocean's 11 actor's clever property trick has boosted the value of the home tenfold.

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How the Clooneys boosted the value of their Lake Como home

According to the Wall Street Journal, the actor's villa has increased from around $10 million to just over $100 million. He did this by also purchasing the adjacent property, turning his home into an entire Como complex worthy of an A-lister.

The home is called Villa Oleandra and it sits on Laglio in the Lake Como region. The sprawling 25-room property boasts an outdoor pool, tennis courts, and even a large garage for all of George's vintage motorbikes.

View of George Clooney's Italian house, Villa Oleandra, situated on Lake Como's south-western shores, in Laglio, just 5 Kms from Cernobbio
View of George Clooney's Italian house, Villa Oleandra, situated on Lake Como's south-western shores, in Laglio, just 5 Kms from Cernobbio (GIUSEPPE CACACE)

Last year, George found himself at the centre of media reports suggesting he had listed his enormous Italian villa on the market.

However, in a statement to People via his representatives, the star insisted this wasn't the case. George declared: "The first I heard of it was when Page Six published the story," adding: "Everyone picked it up. It's not true."

And it's not surprising George wants to stay as he's been vocal in the past about his adoration for the home and area.

"What changed my life in a very pleasant and unexpected way was buying the villa in Laglio," the father-of-two said back in 2010 during a press conference promoting his thriller The American.

George and Amal's Lake Como property
George and Amal's Lake Como property has increased in value tenfold (Getty)

He added: "I thought maybe I would spend a few weeks vacationing. But then I realized how beautiful life was in Italy and how it really helped calm me and not feel so pressured."

It also holds a special place in the Hollywood legend's heart as it's where he met his wife, Amal. While hosting a dinner party, a mutual friend brought along Amal and the two hit it off immediately.

They would later marry at a ceremony in Venice in 2017.

Why George Clooney rarely uses Lake Como villa these days

Although Italy and their Como villa are deeply special to the couple, Amal and George, who are now parents to seven-year-old twins, Ella and Alexander, spend much of their time in Provence, France, where they purchased a luxury chateau in 2021.

The chateau itself is nothing short of tremendous. Named Domaine Le Canadel, George and Amal snapped up the property for a cool $8.3 million. There are generously sized lawns, a full-size pool, a tennis court, a lake, and an olive grove – not to mention the vineyard which is 25 acres alone.

View of a little narrow street in the town of Brignoles in Provence, south of France
The Clooneys also bought property in Brignoles, France (Alain de Maximy/imageBROKER/Shutterstock)

The main house is grand with multiple bedrooms, bathrooms and reception rooms, plus an outhouse and garages for their vehicles.

The couple are said to be big fans of the quiet life they lead in France and are even keen on getting involved with the locals.

George and Amal Clooney pictured with Brignoles' mayor Didier Brémond
The Clooneys pictured with Brignoles' mayor, Didier Brémond after settling in Provence (Facebook)

After the famous couple moved there, George met with the local mayor and voiced his interest in helping a farm-to-table venture. Mayor Didier Brémond told Paris Match that the Hollywood megastar was keen to aid the project financially.

"George Clooney told me he wanted to help Brignoles, a bit like he did for Le Val during the flooding in 2021 by offering a cheque of 20,000 euros," he explained to the paper.

"I talked to him about my idea of a farm where we'd produce fruit and vegetables for schools in the commune. He accepted immediately."