Townhouse vs Villa
Townhouse and villa are two different types of abode. A townhouse is a terraced residential building whereas a villa consists of a large central building with all amenities surrounded by warehouses, stables and the like according to the Roman construction of a villa.
One of the important differences between a townhouse and a villa is that a townhouse is used to represent a contemporary housing in the terraced style. A villa need not be in the terraced style. Most famous villas built in the Roman style were not in the terraced fashion.
A villa is normally surrounded by beautiful gardens and landscapes whereas a townhouse is generally not surrounded by gardens or breathtaking landscapes. A villa is normally seen in areas that are not crowded. Townhouses on the other hand are seen in crowded areas.
One of the key features of villa is that it is designed to be self sufficient. A townhouse is designed on the other hand to hold several families. In countries like Australia and South Africa, townhouses are generally built in complexes. In such cases you would find swimming pools, gyms, parks and playground areas in the townhouse complexes.
A villa was originally built for the upper class whereas townhouses are not built mainly for the upper class. A villa was originally a Roman country house whereas townhouses were previously the residences of the peers and the members of the aristocracy and hence were built in the capital cities.
The Roman villa for example was the main residence of many wealthy citizens and they were built primarily outside the city as large living areas. Townhouses on the other hand were built well within the cities and not outside the cities. It is interesting to note that both villas and townhouses are examples of old construction styles for that matter.