Sea view villas and apartments

A view of the sea from your terrace

A sea view brings something to every part of the day: breakfast with the light on the water, fishing boats heading out of the harbour, and the sun dropping towards the horizon as dinner is served. This collection brings together villas and apartments with a view of the sea, whether from a hillside terrace, a clifftop garden or a home above a busy harbour.

It suits couples, families and friends who want coastal scenery but do not need to be on the beach itself. Higher positions are often quieter than the seafront and catch a cooling breeze on hot summer evenings.

Things to ask about

Ask where the view is seen from: every room, the main terrace or the pool. A sea view often means a hillside position, so check how you reach the sea, whether by a short drive, a bus or a long flight of steps.

Think about which way the view faces. The west coast, along the Tyrrhenian Sea, sees the sun set over the water, while the Adriatic coast faces east and is better for sunrises. Many hillside homes are reached by narrow, winding roads, so a smaller hire car can make life easier.

Late spring and September are good times for sea views, with clear light and fewer people on the coast roads than in August.

Coasts with a view

On the Amalfi Coast, houses climb the cliffs above Positano and Praiano, Ravello looks down over the Gulf of Salerno, and the Path of the Gods walk gives some of the finest views in Italy. The Italian Riviera has the colourful villages of the Cinque Terre, the harbours of Portofino and Camogli, and terraced hillsides of vines and olives.

In Sicily, Taormina looks out over the Ionian Sea towards Mount Etna, while Cefalù sits between a rocky headland and a long sandy beach on the north coast.

Browse the villas listed below to find a holiday home with the sea in view.