Where are you going on vacation this summer? Any exotic locales? Maybe an exciting city trip? A mountain retreat? A sandy beach? To your office?
Wherever you plan to go, even if you stay on your own balcony, there is a perfect scent for every destination. Let’s take a look…
Italy – Land Of Plenty:
Italy is a land of plenty (I’m not talking about the economy here). Plenty of beautiful landscapes, plenty of delicious food, plenty of lovely and open people, plenty of hospitality and generosity of spirit. I love the shores of Lake Como (you are not the only one, George!), the rolling hills of Tuscany, the endless beaches of the Adriatic sea and the ancient fortified cities. The Prada outlets, the leisurely pace and the pasta. The huge churches, the ice cream and the tiny profumerias hidden away in small viales.
But what does Italy smell like?
Carthusia Via Camerelle is a fresh and green summer scent, sprightly, lively, refreshing and exuberant, it is the light side of Italy. The flowery summer dresses, the carefree attitude, the ride on the back of a bright blue Vespa in narrow, cobbled stone streets, holding on tight to the handsome Italian who doesn’t understand a word you say, but somehow that doesn’t matter…
Xerjoff Lira is a warm and sweet floral gourmand, soft, rich, gorgeous and enveloping. Expensive. It is Italy at night. Warm, balmy summer nights, a sumptuous meal lies behind you, Lira is desert. A stroll on the beach, the sun has long set, but the sand is still warm, it is the time for long talks, for sharing dreams and hopes for the future.
For an olfactory roundtrip of Italy try Dawn Spencer Hurwitz’s Italian Splendor Collection.
Florida – Sunshine State:
I have spent a few vacations in Florida, and we are looking forward to go next summer with our boys. I can’t wait to show them a part of “my America” for the first time.
Florida smells of oranges and orange blossoms. No surprise there. For me Florida smells like Atelier Cologne Orange Sanguine, Serge Lutens Fleurs D’Oranger, L’Artisan Parfumeur Fleur d’Oranger, Parfum d’Empire Azemour les Orangers, Le Labo Tubereuse 40, Penhaligon’s Orange Blossom and Xerjoff Oesel.
But there is another thing Florida is famous for – its amusement parks. I am a total sucker for Universal Studio and Disney World and they have a perfume too: By Kilian Love or its economy version Reminiscence Mi Fa.
Brazil – Dance The Night Away:
I have not yet been to Brazil, but there is a perfume I would take with me when I would go – Penhaligon’s Amaranthine. Somehow I associate this naughty, but really nice floral by Bertrand Duchaufour with the hot and sensually charged atmosphere of the carnival in Rio de Janeiro. I only know the clichés, not the real country, so I hope you chime in with your experiences of country, people and perfumes.
Another association with Brazil is coffee of course. So Bond N°9 New Haarlem and Parfumerie Générale Aomassai seem to fit well.
Tunisia, Morocco – The North African Desert:
The desert. Endless dunes. A few days in the desert open my heart, my thoughts, my horizons. The multitude of nothingness, the sameness, the openness, the sheer expanse of borderless land surrounding me, touches me deeply. I love the desert in the American west for the same reasons. I feel small. The scale of things is being re-evaluated, my place and importance in the world get a necessary correction. I see the bigger picture, can let go of unimportant details I’m deeply entangled with, where I struggle, where I have lost sight of myself.
Andy Tauer’s L’Air du Désert Marocain speaks clearly of those endless skies and limitless rolling dunes. So do Serge Lutens Chergui, Parfumerie Générale Bois Blond and Guerlain Songe du Bois d’Eté.
What are your dream destinations and how would you scent them?
Check out the following blogs for their suggestions: Eyeliner on a Cat :: Persolaise :: Fragrant Moments
Olfactoria's Travels 
I like most of your destinations and perfumes (not sure about Florida: it’s almost the same distance as from me to Hawaii so I’d probably choose the latter and will take Bronze Goddess with me – we did great together on the previous trip).
Hawaii is literally a world away from me, but if I would/could go, Bronze Goddess would certainly be in my luggage.
This summer i’m going to Ibiza.not the party and disco side of the island,I’ll be staying in the north coast,especting to live to the hippy-relaxed-beachy mood of hidden shores,small chiringuitos for mojitos and tapas at sunset..my perfume?i’ll go with sel Marin by Heeley,an ozonic scent of sea salt
Oh that sounds lovely, Valentina!
Have a great vacation!
Oh what a lovely post, it makes me want to pack my suitcase and go! And placing Guerlain’s Songe du Bois d’Ete in a list with LADDM and Chergui is not helping my lemming!
My current dream destination is St. Petersburg, I’ve never been to Russia and I imagine snow and the ballet, plus whole days losing myself in the Hermitage. For this I imagine Caron’s Parfum Sacre; beautiful, cultured and elegant but with the strength to get you through the cold.
I am away next week on business, I’m going to Washington DC for the first time (inordinately excited!) but I have no idea how to scent it!
I loved St Petersburg, I was there in February in the dead of Winter and it was magical. You need at least a week for the Eremitage, it is endless, endlessly beautiful though. 🙂
A scent for Washington? Something that reminds you of tailored suits, powerful men and polite put-downs. 😉
Ooh, I picked Atelier Cologne Orange Sanguine too! Come to think of it, I don’t think there’s a situation in which Orange Sanguine would not be welcome. Your descriptions of Italy makes me want to be there so badly!
True. Orange Sanguine spreads happiness everywhere. 🙂
Only a few weeks and I’m in Italy, I’d love for you to join me!
I always enjoy reading our lists, and I especially enjoyed your photos today, Birgit. Thanks for the many, many scent recommendations. So much stuff to try 🙂 So many countries to see.
That is what keeps Travels through Perfumeland interesting – you are never done. (Although sometimes I wish I was, but only for a minute. 😉 )
What a lovely idea for a group blogging project! You have me dreaming of far flung dream desinations, places like Bora Bora and Fiji. I think I’d have to wear something like Frangipani by Ormonde Jayne.
Now off to google Lake Como for a more realistic holiday destination. If it’s good enough for you and George…
Como is so beautiful! I would go there every year, but it is not ideal with kids…
What perfume would you wear in Italy?
Well, I really liked the decant of Maison Martin Margiela Untitled L`Eau you sent me and dee sent me some Via Camerelle which is also fitting, as you say, so preferrably both of those. Just need a cheaper alternative to Lira for the evening!
Untitled L’Eau fits perfectly. I’m thinking about the economy Lira, I’ll get back to you when something comes to mind.
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What a fun read! In november I am travelling to India, Uttarakhand with my boyfriend. We hope we get to see some tigers and ride elephants in the national park they have there. What perfumes should i bring? I’m thinking of MFK Lumiere pour noir femme and maybe La parfum d Therese. Any suggestions? Just think of Indiana Jones and the temple of doom and you might get the vibe.
Neela Vermeire’s India trio would ve perfect of course! She offers a practical sample or mini set ideal for travel. (I’m not affiliated in any way, just a happy customer.) 🙂
Have a great time in India!
Great advice, thank you! I loved your pics for Italy! Lira is spot on! I visited Sicily last year and wore Nasomattos nuda. It smelled exactly like the jasmine bushes in bloom that was everywhere.
Nuda is very realistic indeed.
It must be wonderful to wear in that climate.
We’ll be going to Madeleine Island, one of the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior. As this will be a camping trip, my only ”perfume” will be Deep Wood Off bug spray! 😉 That and the pine breezes, campfire, and bracing Lake Superior air/water.
Sounds very romantic (and rustic 😉 ).
No perfume at all, not even a small sample? SSS fragrances are ideal for the great outdoors.
When you all visit Florida, I will greet you and give you a bottle of my own “Naranja Feliz”- it’s my orange perfume that I made to remind myself of Florida during Alpine winters!
Oh that would be so lovely!!! 🙂
I love how you’re peppered your list with scents I know and have never thought of. I can’t go into any of NYC’s better fragrance destinations and find Parfumerie Generale. That is one brand I’d love to sink my nose into. By the way, I’d love to visit Brazil and Morocco as well. Awesome list.
Thank you, Barney!
It’s a shame that it is so hard to find PG in NY, the line is well worth exploring.
I’m in bed with sick stomach, so I’m rather happy to think of holidays, places I’ve never been at but would love to… Like Bhutan, a buddhist country in the Himalayas, full of treasures and unknown traditions and of course I’d take Dzonghka with me there, plus Coeur Vetiver Sacre. My husband and me we are avid tea drinkers and one of our dreams is a holiday on a tea estate, on the distant, hazy slopes of Nilgiri, Southern India, and I’d wear Roja Doves’s Ambre Oudh (well, there are few dreams in that one sentence…). Or I could go back to Australia, where I had the best holiday of my life – to have a golden week on the Gold Coast, with some careless, happy-happy scent, like Pomelo by Jo Loves 🙂
So sorry to hear you are not well! 😦
I love your travel ideas.
Ambre Aoud has a new fan apparently. I fear the worst for your wallet on the next London trip. 😉
My next vacation will be to Stone Harbor, New Jersey, which is one of the state’s most beautiful and non-commercial beaches. If I were going to scent it, I’d say Hermes Eau des Merveilles would be fitting, but I’ll probably be taking Honore des Pres Vamp a NY with me, as the tuberose in that is sultry and pretty without being overwhelming. It seems to go well with bathing suits and sundresses.
Loved your list! Aomassai is such a perfect choice for Brazil (or how I imagine Brazil, at least). 🙂
That beach sounds like something I would love! Must write down the name for future reference.
Vamp a NY has really grown on me…
I’m not travelling far this summer, only to my home-island of Gotland to visit the parents. Although that’s a lovely place to be in summer, Google pictures of Gotland or the town Visby and you’ll see!
The smell of the sea, limestone, juniper bushes, wild growing thyme and strawberries…
I’m going to bring Azemour with me for sure (it reminds me of the sea) and some Voyage D’Hermes, the rest still to be decided…
Gotland looks absolutely beautiful.
Have a great time, Eva!
This is the third time I’ve read this post today, I’ve really enjoyed your holiday scent picks!
I am desperate to go to Italy and if I ever do then Xerjoff would be on the top of my list 😀
Thank you! 🙂
I think you would love Xerjoff Elle and of course Irisss.
Do you plan to go to Italy soon?
Irisss is gorgeous, I could easily rock that in Italy, if it weren’t for the price of course.
We hope to go soon, maybe next year. Things are so up in the air at the moment so who knows. It’s my dream holiday destination though 😀
I hope you get to go soon! They have lovely niche perfume stores too. 😉 (Not that you’d need any more incentives.)
Haha, further encouragement is not required 😛
I fell in love with your post and am still dreaming of Italy after reading your article. I really liked your description of this country which is, by far, one of my favorite destinations.
I am used to going there at least once a year since I was a little girl (I am French so it is pratically next door), but as I am now living in Asia I miss it a lot!
Whenever I went to Italy, I always wore Fico di Amalfi or Arancia di Capri by Acqua di Parma (Blu Mediterraneo line) which give me the freshness with a side of sophistication that I need.
I have to discover Dawn Spencer Hurwitz’s Italian Splendor Collection that you recommend; it seems really exciting!
Hello Christa,
Italy is a wonderful place to be, and I can imagine how much you must miss it being so far away. I followed your link back to your blog and despite wishing that my French was better, I absolutely enjoy following your scented trail through Asia.
The DSH collection is well worth trying, very well made fragrances evoking many different, but quintessentially Italian moods.
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