Villa Emma Hamilton, Historic villa in Naples, Italy

Villa Emma Hamilton is a historic villa in Posillipo, Naples, built on a tuff spur above the Bagno Elena, the ancient beach of Donn'Anna. Its piano nobile has a semicircular terrace facing the Gulf of Naples, flanked by two side terraces once turned into pergola gardens or decorated with vases. A gallery cut into the rock spur, later closed and used as a boat shed, led toward Palazzo Donn'Anna. Part of the villa was destroyed by the construction of Via Posillipo.

The villa was originally a casino facing Palazzo Donn'Anna, marked as "Cas. del Mappinola" on the Carafa di Noja map. William Hamilton acquired it around 1784–85, and after his second wife Emma Lyon arrived in 1786 it was called Villa Emma. Part of the building was later destroyed by the construction of Via Posillipo.

The villa takes its name from Emma Lyon, who married William Hamilton in 1786 and was known as Lady Emma Hamilton. The building was called "villa Emma" after her arrival, as recorded in the history of the property.

The villa stands on a tuff spur above the Bagno Elena, the old Donn'Anna beach, and part of it was cut away when Via Posillipo was built, so the surviving rooms and the semicircular terrace of the piano nobile are reached from the road side. A gallery cut into the rock spur once led toward Palazzo Donn'Anna; it was later closed and turned into a boat shed.

A gallery cut into the tuff spur beneath the villa once led to Palazzo Donn'Anna; it was later closed and converted into a boat shed. The building began as a casino marked "Cas. del Mappinola" on the Carafa di Noja map before William Hamilton acquired it around 1784-85.