Rome’s best perfume shops, from historic houses to niche labels
Looking for a souvenir of Rome that isn’t a Colosseum magnet or a sexy priest calendar? Smell is one of our most evocative senses, capable of transporting us back to a particular time and place. A unique perfume can capture the spirit of Italy’s capital in a way few other souvenirs can, and give you a scent that takes you straight back to Rome.
Dotted around the city, you’ll find perfumeries offering everything from centuries-old Italian fragrance traditions to contemporary Roman scents and emerging brands you may not have heard of. Whether you want something quintessentially Roman or fancy discovering your next signature scent, there’s plenty to explore.
Campomarzio70
Enter Campomarzio70 and the first thing you’ll notice is its eclectic style. It’s a multi-brand artistic and niche perfumery, so you’ll find fragrances from a variety of brands under one roof. Now in its fourth generation, the family-run business gives each store its own character, with the interiors designed to reflect the feeling of the place. In the Campo Marzio shop, Fornasetti pieces add to the art and design-led atmosphere.
Here, discovering perfume is treated more like discovering art: the company describes fragrance in terms of emotion, memory and encounter. Alongside its selection of unique perfumes, you’ll find design objects and other products.
It’s a good choice if you’re less interested in finding a particular perfume and more interested in seeing what you might uncover.
Address: Via di Campo Marzio, 70 (Centro Storico)
Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-8pm, Sun 11am-7.30pm
Price: From €100
Tax-free: Yes (min. spend €70.01, bring your passport)
Shipping: Worldwide, excluding Russia and parts of Australia and South America, via shop.campomarzio70.it
Bertozzini dal 1913 Profumeria Artistica Roma
Founded in 1913 and now in its third generation, Bertozzini dal 1913 Profumeria Artistica Roma began shifting away from traditional commercial perfumery around 24 years ago, moving towards more specialised and artistic fragrances. The shop now stocks more than 55 brands, around 60% of which are Italian, and prides itself on discovering new names early.
The staff take a personal approach to recommendations, considering not just what fragrances you already like but how and where you plan to wear them. A daytime fragrance might call for something different from an evening scent, while the climate you live in and how much time you spend indoors or outdoors can also influence their suggestions. With fragrances starting from around €20, it’s also a relatively accessible introduction to the world of artistic perfumery.
Address: Via Cola di Rienzo, 192 (Prati)
Hours: Mon-Fri 10.30am-7.30pm, Sat 10.30am-8pm, Sun 3pm-8pm
Price: From €20 for 10ml
Tax-free: Yes (min. spend €70.01, bring your passport)
Shipping: Worldwide via bertozzinidal1913.it
Essenzialmente Laura
If you’re looking for Rome in a bottle, look no further. Perfumer Laura Bosetti Tonatto has been creating perfumes since 1986, combining fragrance with art, culture, science and history. Her collection now includes more than 70 fragrances, ranging from citrus and floral to amber-oriental and leathery and more.
Her connection between scent and place is particularly strong in her Rome-inspired collections. MVSEI VATICANI Essential takes its inspiration from different areas of the Vatican Museums, including the Gallery of Maps, the Vatican Gardens and the Ethnological section of the museum. There’s also Incenso delle Chiese di Roma, a fragrance inspired by the incense of Rome’s churches, while Mizar, one of the collection’s best-sellers, evokes an evening stroll through Rome.
For an especially Roman souvenir, look out for the 40th-anniversary gift set, which contains eight 10ml fragrances inspired by some of Tonatto’s favourite places in Rome.
Addresses: Via dei Coronari, 57 (Navona) · Via di Campo Marzio, 35 (Centro Storico) · Piazza Santa Maria Maggiore, 28 (Esquilino)
Hours: Daily 11am-7pm
Price: From €75 for 50ml
Tax-free: No
Shipping: Worldwide via essenzialmentelaura.it
Profumum Roma
Since 1996, Profumum Roma has been creating fragrances using a balance of natural and derivative raw materials. Its best-seller, Acqua di Sale, combines seaweed, myrtle and cedarwood – conjuring the feeling of standing by the sea.
The laboratory-like display at the back of the store is a beautiful nod to the brand’s approach to fragrance-making. The brand has around 40 perfumes in its collection, each inspired by a place, memory or raw material. It’s a good stop if you want to discover one of the city’s own contemporary fragrance houses.
Addresses: Via della Colonna Antonina, 27 (Via del Corso) · Via di Ripetta, 248 (Centro Storico) · Piazza Mazzini, 4 (Prati)
Hours: Daily 10am-7pm
Price: From €70 for 18ml
Tax-free: Yes (min. spend €70.01, bring your passport)
Shipping: Worldwide via profumum.com
Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella
When it comes to understanding the heritage of Italian perfumery, few places in Rome tell the story better than Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella. Its story began in 1221, when Dominican friars arrived in Florence and began cultivating herbs and plants for their medicinal preparations. The original pharmacy opened to the public in 1612, making it one of the world’s oldest pharmacies, and the Roman shop continues to pay homage to those apothecary roots.
Look out for the Acqua di S.M. Novella, a fragrance commissioned for Caterina de’ Medici in 1533. Even the packaging feels like a piece of history: its book-like boxes and ornate labels echo the brand’s centuries-old apothecary heritage, with many of the label designs still used today dating back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. If you want to dig deeper, multilingual pamphlets in the shop offer more insight into the brand’s history.
Addresses: Corso del Rinascimento, 47 (Navona) · Via del Babuino, 106 (Spagna) · Via delle Carrozze, 87 (Centro Storico)
Hours: Daily 10am-7.30pm
Price: €165 for 50ml
Tax-free: Yes (min. spend €70.01, bring your passport)
Shipping: Online via smnovella.com
Olfattorio Bar à Parfums
A red LED sign reading “Bar à Parfums” adorns the back wall of this perfumery, making its purpose clear from the moment you walk in. Olfattorio Bar à Parfums stocks fragrances from a variety of brands and price points, with free consultations available if you need help finding something that suits you. The staff might start with a brand you already like, a particular flower or note, a fragrance family or even a popular or viral fragrance, before introducing you to scents that match your preferences.
A consultation lasts around 30 minutes and is completely free, making it an easy way to explore new fragrances if you’re not sure where to start. It’s particularly useful if you’re overwhelmed by the choice or want to move beyond the perfumes you already know.
Addresses: Via Vittoria, 65 (Centro Storico) · Via del Babuino, 162 (Spagna)
Hours: Daily 10.30am-7.30pm
Price: From €55 for 30ml
Tax-free: Yes (min. spend €70.01, bring your passport)
Shipping: Italy only, with same-day delivery in Rome, via olfattorio.it
If you’re looking to take a bit of Rome home with you, it may just be a spritz away.
