5 Posh Private Islands for Sale / By Rob Bear, Curbed

For $268 million you can buy the Li Galli Islands in Italy. Photo: Curbed.com

Despite the trying economic times, 2011 was a standout year for extravagant private island estates—some of them thrust to market thanks to the bankruptcy of their owners.
Topping our list of favorites is the outrageously expensive Italian archipelago known as the Li Galli Islands. Lying just off the Amalfi Coast of Italy, the $268 million property was built by choreographer Leonide Massine in 1924, passed to fellow Russian dancer Rudolf Nureyev, later modified by the great Le Corbusier, and hosted stars like Greta Garbo, Ingrid Bergman, Sofia Loren, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
The real history goes back a bit further, to Greek and Roman mythology. Situated between the Amalfi Coast and the emperor's getaway on Capri, the islands, then known as the Sirenusas, were said to be the home of the mythical sirens, the musical half-beast half-women who lured mariners onto the rocks with their songs. The modern name, Li Galli, meaning "The Roosters," references this mythical past, as the sirens are often depicted as part bird, part woman.
Not all of the five islands on this global list enjoy such a star-studded or mythical history, but we can guarantee slightly lower prices.
Cave Cay
Location: Bahamas
Listing price: $110 million

$110 million buys a lot, including a private airstrip. Photo: Curbed.com

For less than half the price of that Italian property, Cave Cay in the Bahamas offers up 250 acres of paradise and no fewer than 38 buildings. In the Bahamian archipelago of Exuma Cays, Cave Cay has 35 dock slips, a 2,800-foot private airstrip, water and power supplied by diesel generator, beaches, and grassy grounds.

Nautilus Island
Location: Brooksville, Maine
Listing price: $7.995 million

Nautilus Island's 37 acres are on sale. Photo: Curbed.com

For some old timey Americana, head to Maine's Nautilus Island. The 37-acre island was held by the British during the Revolution until a Paul Revere-led band of Marines took the isle. For sale: the whole 37-acre estate, replete with a six-bedroom main house (built in 1882 and since updated), a two-bedroom farmhouse, a guest house, a vineyard, a boathouse (retrofitted with a sweet-looking bar), a 300-foot dock, not to mention a 23-foot boat.

Location: Whitefish Lake, Montana
Listing price: $9 million

A rare island home in Montana. Photo: Ed Meek

Purchasing a home in the mountains or a private island is a dream of many Americans, but how many thought to wish for a private island in the mountains? This 10-acre island compound on Montana's Whitefish Lake manages to kill both birds, making its price tag just a little easier to swallow.

Location: Stamford, Connecticut
Listing price: $18.9 million

A causeway connects this mansion to the mainland. Photo: Houlihan Lawrence

Just an hour north of the Big Apple in Stamford, Conn., this luxe, 14,000-square-foot mansion sits atop a three-acre private island. For convenience, the property is connected to the mainland by a causeway. The compound consists of an 11-bedroom main house, a guest cottage, staff quarters, and a greenhouse.