Villa Rufinella, Renaissance villa in Frascati, Italy.

Villa Rufinella is a Renaissance residence in Frascati built at one of the highest elevations among the Tuscolane villas, commanding views across the countryside. The property now operates as a conference hotel with guest rooms, an outdoor pool, and dining facilities while maintaining its historical character.

Alessandro Ruffini, bishop of Melfi, built the villa in 1578. In 1773 it passed to the Apostolic Camera, and the Jesuits commissioned Luigi Vanvitelli to give the building its present appearance. Pope Pius VII sold it in 1804 to Lucien Bonaparte, who began excavations at Tusculum; after 1848 it belonged to King Vittorio Emanuele II, who sold it to the Lancellotti family.

In 1834 the Roman poet Giuseppe Gioachino Belli stayed at the villa and wrote a sonnet in Roman dialect titled "La Rufinella", commemorating his visit. The name Rufinella comes from Alessandro Ruffini, the bishop of Melfi who built it in 1578.

The villa sits close to Frascati's historical center and is best accessed on foot from the town or by local transport. Visitors should be prepared for the elevated location, which means a steady climb from the lower areas of town.

In 1817 bandits from Antonio Gasbarrone's band, led by Tommaso Transerici, raided a party in the villa gardens to kidnap Prince Lucien Bonaparte, but seized the guest Charles de Chatillôn instead, who won his captors over by painting their portraits. Annoyed, the prince soon sold the villa.