Tuscany vs. the Amalfi Coast: Which Is Right for Your Villa Trip?

Tuscany and the Amalfi Coast are often the first two places people consider for an Italian villa. Both are beautiful. They're also very different, and the right choice depends on your group more than on the scenery.

The landscape

Tuscany is rolling countryside: vineyards, olive groves, hill towns and long views. The Amalfi Coast is cliffs and sea, with villages stacked on steep hillsides above the water.

Space and villa size

Tuscany has far more large villas. Farmhouses with six or eight bedrooms and estates with several houses are relatively easy to find. On the Amalfi Coast, the terrain limits size; larger villas exist, but they're scarce and book early.

Pools

Most Tuscan villas have pools, often generous ones. On the Amalfi Coast, a private pool is more of a luxury, but where they exist, they tend to come with extraordinary views.

Access and mobility

This is where the two differ most. Tuscan villas are generally reached by car and are mostly on one or two levels. Amalfi villas often involve many steps, sometimes hundreds. For grandparents, young children or anyone with limited mobility, this matters.

Getting around

In Tuscany you'll want a car. On the Amalfi Coast, a car is often more trouble than it's worth: drivers, ferries and boats are the way to go.

The pace of a day

• Tuscany: market in the morning, lunch in a hill town, afternoon at the pool, dinner on the terrace.
• Amalfi: coffee with a view, boat to a beach club, a walk through Positano, dinner overlooking the sea.

Who each suits

Tuscany is better for large groups, families with young children, multi-generational trips and food-and-wine travelers. The Amalfi Coast is better for couples, honeymoons and small groups who want the sea.

Or do both

With ten days or more, many travelers split the trip: a week in Tuscany, then a few nights on the coast. Rome sits neatly between the two.