Spezieria Erboristeria Palazzo Vecchio

Parfums, Hautpflegeprodukte und das ein oder andere Mittelchen, um der Gesundheit etwas Gutes zu tun, made in Italy nach alten Rezepten toskanischer Nonnen und Mönche werden in der Spezieria Erboristeria unweit der Piazza della Signora feilgehalten. Ob wirklich Nonnen und Mönche ihre Zeit in die Kreation so vieler verschiedener Parfums und Raumdüfte investiert haben … wer weiß … welche Biene sollte wohl angelockt werden ;OD?
… aber dieses eine Parfum … Rosa di Damasco! Das lockt wirklich jede Biene an! Der Name ist kein leeres Versprechen! Einmal auf den Sprühknopf gedrückt und jede Frau duftet wie eine frisch erblühte rosa Rose, in deren vollen Blüte die Nase versinkt und sich nicht mehr lösen kann!
Ein 50 ml-​Flakon kostet 30 € und die Duftpalette der Parfums reicht von Citrus & Fruchtig über Blumig bis hin zu Holzig & Orientalisch. Um der Nase das Erschnuppern zu erleichtern, stehen Dosen mit Kaffeebohnen zum Neutralisieren bereit und die sehr freundlichen Damen sprechen gerne Empfehlungen aus und erfragen die Duftvorlieben ihrer Kundinnen, um optimal beraten zu können.
Ein rundum duftes Einkaufserlebnis in Florenz! Nur ein Sternchen ist verduftet, da trotz der Deklarierung «Eau de Parfum» der Duft zu schnell verfliegt.

I first discovered this fragrance called Vaniglia del Madagascar at Barney’s in Los Angeles and bought it immediately. Four bottles and about a million inquiries from strangers as to the fragrance later, I went onto the Barney’s website to order again and saw that it wasn’t carried any longer. I then called their corporate office and asked where their Vaniglia from Firenze went and they had no answers (noticed they carry again, so I guess they got their shipping or whatever figured out). I started googling and found that the alchemist and his shop are located in the middle of Florence and it just so happened that I was going to Italy, and I added Florence to the list of train stops. I spent a morning searching the winding Florence streets for this shop which was well worth it.
While I was initially disappointed because I did have visions of crushed flower petals, and powders and smoking glassware with distillation kits filling a smoky backroom. I was still very happy to find my favorite fragrance and that pretty handwritten label on about a hundred different fragrances and oils. I basically told my boyfriend to find something to do for the next hour, because I was going to need some time.
While I was there buying everything that I could find in Vaniglia (much less expensive than Barney’s) the alchemist came out and I told him how much I like his fragrance and how everyone asks me about it and that he does the chemistry I would love to be doing. He didn’t speak a lot of English with me but he understood me and definitely understood that I love his product because he wrapped up a beautiful bottle of a new fragrance and tucked it in my bag as a gift. That one is amazing too. I may not live here, but I can guarantee I’ll be back.