Allora, Amalfi?

Tuscany isn't just vineyards and villages. Welcome to Italy's newish riviera.

- BY MARY HOLLAND

Imagine this: dramatic cliffs rising from the ocean, yachts dotting sapphire bays, quaint villages precariously carved into sheer rock faces, and chic beach clubs fringing stretches of sand. Where is all this? Along Tuscany's 250-mile coastline. Is it new? Not exactly. Hamptons-like towns such as Forte dei Marmi and Porto Ercole have drawn in-the-know Italian and British travelers for decades. “The 1960s was the golden period of Forte dei Marmi,” says Fulvio De Bonis, founder and CEO of Rome-based tour operator Imago Artis. “There was an economic boom, with many VIPs and artists spending their holidays here.” But some non-Italians, Americans especially, thought it rustic or underdeveloped. We're letting you in on a secret: With a ripple of recent openings, there's a new wave coming.