Officina Profumo — Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella

Florence

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Officina Profumo — Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella

Is the cologne a French invention? No, it is Italian. More precisely, it was invented in Tuscany and only later Caterina de Medici exported it to France. Hence, you cannot miss a visit to one of the age-old perfumeries of Florence. Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella is the most ancient perfumery and herbalist shop in Italy. Most of the products are made after ancient receipts inherited by the monastic tradition. Here, you will find perfumes, cosmetics and candles.

Shopping

Florence's two central streets — via Tornabuoni and via della Vigna Nuova — are the best places to head to when it comes to the most exclusive boutiques, leather goods, and stylish shoes. Here you can find internationally known Italian fashion brands such as Roberto Cavalli, Gucci, Salvatore Ferragamo, and Ermanno Scervino. Besides shops, Florence is rich in open-air markets. If you want to buy leather goods or clothes, go to the market of San Lorenzo in the Old Town or to the Market of the Porcellino, sheltered under the sixteenth-century Loggia del Porcellino.