History
800 Years of Florentine Pharmacy
Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA
Founded in 1221 by Dominican friars who cultivated a medicinal herb garden in the monastery behind Santa Maria Novella church. They began distilling herbal remedies and perfumes from the garden's plants — first for the monastery's use, then for sale to the public. By the 16th century, Caterina de' Medici brought their products to the French court when she married the future Henri II, introducing French perfumery to Italian standards and effectively founding the modern perfume industry.
The building is extraordinary: frescoed ceilings, ancient wood counters, apothecary jars from the 17th century still displayed in their original cases. The shop operates exactly as it has for centuries — no bright signage, no fast-fashion packaging, no loyalty card. Just products that have been made by the same recipes for hundreds of years.
What to Buy
Things Worth Carrying Home
- Acqua di Colonia (Florida Water): Their signature since 1533 — citrus, lavender, and rosemary. Light, classic, unisex
- Rose water: Distilled from Provençal roses. A toner, skin refresher, and cooking ingredient in one
- Melograno (Pomegranate): Their most popular modern fragrance — fresh and distinctive
- Pot pourri: Their blends have been made from the same recipe since the 17th century
- Elixir di China: A digestivo made from Peruvian bark (quinine) — the original Italian digestive bitters, predating Campari by 200 years
- Crema di Santa Maria Novella: A face cream made from ingredients used since the Renaissance — almond, glycerin, rosewater
Practical Details