Richard Gere Spends Holiday Exploring Near His New Home in Spain—After Quitting U.S. and $10.25 Million Mansion To Move to Europe

Hollywood legend Richard Gere has wasted no time in throwing himself into his new life in Spain, taking full advantage of the holiday season to explore the surrounding areas of the Madrid abode where he is now living with his wife and their two children.

The 75-year-old “Pretty Woman” star first announced his plans to quit the U.S. and relocate to Europe in April, explaining that he wanted to give his spouse, Alejandra Silva, a chance to spend more time with her family, many of whom live in Spain.

He made good on his promise just a few months later when he and Silva sold their Connecticut mansion for $10.75 million and packed their bags to move overseas—arriving in their new property at the start of December, just in time for Christmas.

Now, Silva has shared a very rare glimpse of her husband’s new life in Spain, showing a sweet clip of the doting father strolling through Cuenca, a historic walled town that sits high in the mountains, about 107 miles outside of Madrid.

In a video shared on her Instagram Stories, Silva revealed her husband walking hand-in-hand with one of their sons along a bridge, their family dog trailing behind them.

Despite the cloudy skies above the city, the views speak for themselves as Silva pans the camera to capture the beautiful architecture on display.

Cuenca boasts a storied history that began in the 12th century, when the area—once used as a fortress for Islamic forces—was conquered by the Castilians, who turned it into a royal town that was rich in culture, serving as the site of Spain’s first Gothic cathedral.

“The historic walled town stretches over 23 hectares, with an important monumental heritage and a consolidated cultural tradition,” the Unesco World Heritage Convention website says of the town.

“Built by the Islamic rulers in a defensive position at the outer fringes of the Caliphate of Córdoba, Cuenca is an unusually well-preserved medieval fortified city. The site is dominated by the upper town, developed on the site of Islamic fortress after its conquest by the Castilians in the 12th century.

“It then became a royal town and bishopric endowed with important buildings.”

Silva’s brief video of the family’s visit to the city marks only the second time that she has shared a look inside their new life in Spain. Previously, she posted a candid image of their two children, Jamie, 4, and Alexander, 5, decorating the Christmas tree in their new family home.

Behind the tree, empty shelves can be seen waiting for the family’s belongings to be fully unpacked, while two large Santa Claus statues are positioned in front of the double doors that lead to the living area.

Her post came almost one month to the day since it was revealed that she and Gere—whose latest TV project, “The Agency,” is currently airing on Showtime—had found a buyer for the Connecticut mansion that the actor purchased from musician Paul Simon in 2022.

The on-screen star bought the six-bedroom, 11-bathroom New Canaan home from the “Mrs. Robinson” crooner and his wife, Edie Brickell, in summer 2022. Gere originally planned to turn a large portion of its expansive grounds into a farm, according to details shared during a local planning and zoning commission meeting in 2023.

But in April, those plans were apparently put on hold when the actor told Vanity Fair Spain that he wanted to relocate his entire family to the European country.

“It is a beautiful place, the food is extraordinary, and the people exude sensitivity and generosity, as well as a strong will to laugh and enjoy,” he told the outlet. “I’m looking forward to going there.

“For Alejandra, it will be wonderful to be closer to her family, her lifelong friends, and her culture. She was very generous in giving me six years living in my world, so it is only fair that I give her at least another six living in hers.

“I love Spain and the ability of the Spanish people to live transmitting joy and happiness.”

Although Gere did not officially list his home, its original description hailed the property as an “incomparable retreat” and a “personal oasis” with “spectacular grounds.”

The main house on the 31-acre property was built in 1938 by architect Harold R. Sleeper, and it features five bedrooms, as well as grand formal rooms, “soaring ceilings,” and beautiful natural light.

On the home’s grounds, there are landscaped gardens, acres of lush natural scenery, and a swimming pool with an area for sunbathing.

There is also a 1,500-square-foot guesthouse on the property that offers a “quintessential escape to be as creative and self-indulgent or as engaging and social as you wish,” the listing notes.

Gere bought the property from Simon via an LLC, scoring the home for a sizable discount. The property had first been listed for a whopping $13.9 million by the singer-songwriter, who lived there with his spouse for 17 years. Gere paid just $10.8 million, records reveal.

Unfortunately for the actor, he took a loss on the home when he decided to sell it himself, settling for a price that is $50,000 less than what he paid two years ago.

According to his interview with Vanity Fair, the actor plans to keep at least one home in the U.S.—a property that he described as being located “in the countryside near New York,” although he did not specify where.