The best villas on the Amalfi Coast: from romantic medieval watchtowers to sleek contemporary retreats
From its charming colourful towns to its unrivalled vistas, few places in Europe are as sought after, especially in summer, than Italy's Amalfi Coast. From following citrus imbued pathways leading to stunning viewpoints to hiking the scenic Path of the Gods and savouring the original Spaghetti alla Nerano, this winding coastline is the ultimate spot to embrace a summer of la dolce vita. Many of the hotels along the Amalfi Coast are considered some of the best in the world. Likewise, for privacy and a taste of the authentic, the villas on the Amalfi Coast are equally some of the dreamiest addresses in all of Europe. From the heights of Ravello to the heart of Positano, here are twelve Amalfi Cost villas, covering all budgets, to rent for your next coastline getaway.
We've selected these listings based on Superhost status, ratings, amenities, location, decor, editor stays, and previous guest reviews.
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Villa Amalfi, Massa Lubrense
A blend of old and new architecture, plus a strong art collection, makes this hideaway perched above the coast rather special. Clean lines, soaring ceilings and sunlit spaces frame dazzling Mediterranean views – the stone-lined pool seems to hover above the sea. Follow the steps down and they lead straight to your own private beach. The home is surrounded by green parkland, with two roomy terraces, including one on the rooftop for morning espressos with a side of incredible views. There’s ample space for up to 10 guests across four creatively-styled rooms, with simple interiors that let the slew of sculptures and paintings throughout do the talking. Families, groups or couples seeking space, style and a taste of La Dolce Vita, take note.
Sleeps: 10
Price: From around £1,222 per night
Watching Amalfi, Salerno
Perched on a dramatic jagged-edged cliff edge above the scenic Gulf of Salerno, what was once a romantic medieval watchtower is now a characterful coastal retreat for 12. The rooms are spread across four charming annexes – that is to say, you’ll not be sharing bathrooms or getting under each other’s feet. Pretty landscaped gardens, a panoramic swimming pool and sweeping sea views make for a cinematic backdrop to your big group gathering, while interiors blend historic stonework with modern, elegant furnishings throughout. Check in with your concierge when it’s time to head out – everything from boat rentals and helicopter transfers to private chefs, yoga and massages is possible to book. Parents will appreciate the option for additional children’s amenities if needed, too.
Sleeps: 12
Price: From around £14,718 for seven nights
Oliver's TravelsVilla Califano, Sorrento
Here’s the chance to hole up in a glamorous Sorrento landmark. This noble residence was purchased by Count de Mario Caracciolo in 1970 and transformed into a living gallery of paintings, sculptures and antiques. It has five elegant double bedrooms, an annexe apartment and a sweep of stately living and dining rooms perfect for gathering a group of up to fourteen of your favourite people. Potter throughout its palatial 450 square metre-interior and you’ll find a music room, study, rustic kitchen and a fully-equipped gym, plus a private pool set in lush gardens ripe for lazy afternoons at leisure. The owner lives next door and has a wealth of knowledge about the area, and you’re just moments from beaches, restaurants and Sorrento’s pretty historic centre. It’s also a perfect starting point for exploring all the nearby delights – the towns of Ischia, Pompeii and Positano, plus Capri and the Amalfi Coast are all easily reachable from here by car.
Sleeps: 14
Price: From around £15,500 for seven nights
The Positano Pearl, Positano
Once an intricate monastery, this one-of-a-kind home has made the most of its wonderful architectural bones after a smart renovation into an ornate villa. Inside is all patterned tiles and frescoed ceilings, with romantic Baroque interiors and plenty of original features nodding to its storied past, while newer luxuries, including a heated indoor pool, jacuzzi and pizza oven, ensure all modern comforts are present. A house manager and private chef are on hand throughout your stay, and weary travellers will appreciate the lavish dinner ready and waiting on your arrival. Just ask the chef if you'd like a complimentary cooking class. When it’s time to explore, Positano’s winding streets, golden beaches and refined selection of shops and restaurants are all within walking distance and, it’s good news for pet-owners too, as you can even bring the dog.
Sleeps: Nine
Price: From around £9,937 for three nights
The Poet’s Stone, Positano
A patchwork of texture, colour and pattern twinned with unrivaled views over Positano makes a stay here a true treat for the senses. The owners were keen to create a boutique hotel feel, and with a private chef, a wealth of concierge services, and gorgeous historical touches throughout, we’d say this has been thoroughly achieved. Each room has a unique design – look carefully to spot the antiques hidden throughout the space – but the real gem is the outdoor terrace, with its pretty green and yellow tiles and glorious views down to the ocean. It’s just a 12-minute scenic stroll down the hill to reach the bay, too.
Sleeps: 20
Price: From around £9,448 per night, with a seven-night minimum
Gianluigi PalombaClassical villa, Positano
It’s a proper home-from-home feeling the moment you step across the threshold of this impeccably designed Italian villa, as host Donatella busies herself showing you around. And it’s a romantic feel, with two ornate double bedrooms and a wealth of Amalfi’s signature vibrant tiles throughout each room. The kitchen is especially lovely, with floral-patterned worktops and dreamy views over glittering blue waters. Head out to the patio to witness them in their full glory – the sunsets from this spot are fantastic. The location couldn’t be better either, smack bang in the middle of pretty Positano, just a hop and a skip from the town’s excellent selection of restaurants, shops and cafes.
Sleeps: Four
Price: From around £504 per night, with a two-night minimum
Casino di Mare, Santa Maria di Castellabate
We could focus on how this 18th-century home has space for 16 adults, five spacious bedrooms, a roomy lounge or the super-cute minty green kitchen with endless views over bright lemon groves. But we can’t imagine you’ll be spending much time inside. Instead, you’ll want to take up in the garden among the citrus trees, with rolling countryside views from every angle, and the knowledge you’ll reach the sea after a mere 50 metres amble down a track. A stay here is about living la dolce vita – book in hand, under the sun.
Sleeps: 16
Price: From around £216 per night, with a two-night minimum
Torre Amalfi, Amalfi
Swap a week in a villa for something a little different, like a stay in a genuine Saracen tower. This imposing medieval structure has been carefully renovated into a glorious guest home, with cosy rustic interiors, a mezzanine bedroom that maximises on the towering ceilings, local stone floors and whitewash walls that pay homage to the area’s vernacular. There’s a kitchen at your disposal, or you can hire a private chef, who’ll come ready with limoncello for aperitifs and further recommendations for the best restaurants around. The tower is perched on a hilltop within a stunning national park, surrounded by olive groves, lemon trees, thick woodland, a kaleidoscope of flowers and stunning views over all of Capri.
Sleeps: Four
Price: From around £1,256 per night, with a seven-night minimum
Villa Marina Capri, Capri
A 15-minute walk from Capri’s Piazzetta leads you to this fantastic villa set amid the scenic cliffs. Its views are standout, facing the iconic Faraglioni rocks, perking up from the sapphire-tinted sea. Within the chalk-white walls is a kaleidoscope of ceramic tiles that add a cheerful characteristic to the villa’s interiors. There’s room for eight to comfortably spread out across two double and two twin bedrooms, each with their own ensuite. The terrace takes centre stage with a pretty swimming pool hidden between Mediterranean plants and trees for privacy (beach towels are provided). From here, a narrow pathway leads you to a second outdoor area where you can soak up the panorama whilst lazing on the sun beds or savouring a home-cooked meal at the partially-shaded table.
Sleeps: Eight
Price: From around £2,495 a night
Francesco & Roberta Rastrelli / Blue Passion 2017Villa Limonaia, Maiori
Villa Limonaia is carved into the rocky promontory between Maiori and Erchie, an area of the Amalfi Coast that flies relatively under the radar from the tourist crowd. This part of the coastline is filled with splendid, secluded little beaches worth exploring, such as Spiaggia del Cauco (bathed in sunlight until noon) and Lo Sgarrupo, both reachable via a taxi boat. However, luxury also comes in the form of a private beach, to which you will have access while sojourning at Villa Limonaia, a small rocky plateau on the waters’ edge from which you can dive directly into the gentle waves of the Mediterranean. If you’d rather a leisurely dip, there’s also a beautiful saltwater pool located on the outdoor terrace. This villa comprises seven tastefully furnished double bedrooms and bathrooms and a spacious air-conditioned living and dining room. There are two kitchens – one indoor and one outdoor with a barbecue grill – where your private chef will be cooking up your favourite meals including daily breakfasts. Villa Limonaia is best lived outdoors, under the leafy covered veranda, where you can take a seat in one of the small nooks and enjoy life on the coast, watching boats sail past. Breakfasts, lunches and dinners can be enjoyed under the pergola; it doesn’t get much more Mediterranean than this.
Sleeps: 14
Price: From £15,700 per week
Angela SpositoVilla with Terrace, Positano
This delightful, central villa offers a small family or two couples the ultimate pied-à-terre for the ultimate coastal getaway. Imbued in natural light, large windows blur the boundaries between indoors and out, connecting you to the beautiful surroundings via a charming little terrace where there’s just enough space for a dining table, a stone plunge pool, two sun beds and an outdoor sofa nestled under the fuchsia coloured bougainvillea. Alongside your basic amenities, the kitchen comes with three coffee machines whether you prefer your mocha, Nespresso or drip coffee as well as a microwave and kettle (which is not a given in Italian homes). The coolest accessory, however, is the wine cooler to keep your bottles fresh for your sunset aperitif. Do note that one of the double bedrooms is separate from the living room via black-out curtains.
Sleeps: Four
Price: From around £524 per night, with a two-night minimum
Stairway to the Sea, Positano
As the name suggests, you’re only a few steps away from Positano’s main beach (which makes up for the lack of a swimming pool). However, it’s the views from the terrace of this property that are the ultimate drawcard. Adjacent to Le Sirenuse, Positano’s most celebrated hotel, this sea-view escape overlooks the dome of Santa Maria Assunta that sparkles in the sunlight (and just wait until the sun sets). And the best part is, you can enjoy this spectacle in complete privacy with your loved ones. The square terrace, paved in pretty coloured tiles, is equipped with cushioned sun loungers, elegant cast iron seating and a large dining table for convivial meals which, for an additional fee, can be fully catered for. Interiors are pretty with an abundance of white and teal reminiscent of Italian beach houses. The villa comfortably sleeps eight but can cater for ten with the addition of two sofa beds, so it's perfect for a large family or group of friends.
Sleeps: 10
Price: From around £2,290 a night, with a seven-night minimum
Villa Orizzonte, Praiano
This breezy summer house is perched on the sloping cliffs between Praiano and Positano, a stellar position that offers a serene escape to the popular coast minus the busy crowds. From the private parking you’ll have to descend a few steps to reach the front door – don’t worry as there will be someone to help carry your bags. Lush surroundings take centre stage as you stroll around the well-kept patio that looks over the uninterrupted views of the sea below; sun loungers and hammocks are placed to face the views as is the large Vietri ceramic dining table, shaded under a bamboo pergola for alfresco dining. The indoors is pleasantly modest, with small details that enrich the simple furnishings like the delicate hand-painted ceiling in the three double bedrooms or the vaulted ceilings in the living room, originally designed for efficient ventilation. The kitchen is spacious and, with the additional outdoor barbecue, you’ll have plenty of options for dishing up succulent meals for your family.
Sleeps: Six
Price: From around £764 euros per night, with a seven-night minimum-amalfi-jan24-pr-global.jpg)
Villa Rondinaia, Ravello
This is one of the most picturesque estates along the coast, attracting VIP visitors such as Gore Vidal, Princess Margaret, Hillary Clinton and Andy Warhol in the past. Perched upon the hills of Ravello, Villa Rondinaia offers uninterrupted views across the coastline. A serene haven immersed in over 25,000 square metres of lush terraced gardens, this villa exudes grandeur with sumptuous interiors restored to respect original features; furnishings crafted by Italian artisans, gold-plated door knobs, Murano glass lamps and contemporary Italian artwork from the owner's private art collection. Catering for 12, the property houses six double bedrooms equipped with ensuite bathrooms. If you’re lucky to claim the master bedroom, you’ll have your own private Jacuzzi embedded into the rock. The outdoors is a labyrinth of plant-engulfed pathways, pine trees and citrus groves that pave the way to a sleek swimming pool.
Sleeps: 12
Price: From around £8,364 a night, with a seven-night minimum
Angela SpositoVilla Wanda, Conca Dei Marini
For an affordable private stay, this villa is situated between Amalfi and Positano. Inside, cosy interiors speak of rustic, country cottage with exposed wooden beams, terracotta floors and a smart fireplace (which is just for show) in the living room. Home cooks will love the sage green open plan kitchen for rustling up a delicious meal to enjoy on the terrace. The two-bedroom and two superbly designed bathroom set up is ideal for a family and, placed on street level, offers no difficulty for those with reduced mobility. From here, there are plenty of wonderful beaches that are a short drive away and, in just half an hour, you can reach the Sentiero degli Dei (the Path of the Gods), a 9km hike that takes you to Positano.
Sleeps: Four
Cost: From around £236 euros per night, with a three-night minimum
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