Villa La Favorita, Baroque villa in Porto Mantovano, Italy

Villa La Favorita is a grand Baroque palace in Porto Mantovano, just north of Mantua, built by ducal architect Nicolò Sebregondi between 1615 and 1624 for Duke Ferdinando Gonzaga. Today only a fragmentary shell of the structure survives, partially restored and used for hospitality purposes.

The villa was built between 1615 and 1624 under architect Nicolò Sebregondi's direction for Duke Ferdinando Gonzaga as a court residence. Construction took place during a period when the Gonzaga family was consolidating its power in the Mantua region.

The name La Favorita, "the favoured one", marks the villa as Duke Ferdinando Gonzaga's favourite residence, built to hold his art collection. The grounds are remembered for the Battaglia della Favorita of 16 January 1797, when Napoleon's French troops defeated the Austrian garrison of Mantua; a first clash had been fought nearby on 15 September 1796.

The property is currently undergoing partial restoration to preserve the structure, while part of the building operates as a hospitality venue for events and celebrations. Visitors should expect limited accessibility in certain areas and check in advance about which sections are open.

The villa emerges unexpectedly from agricultural fields, standing out with its rosy-tinted walls against the surrounding countryside. This distinctive coloring sets it apart from other buildings in the flat rural landscape.