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A journey amidst the pharmacies that touch Florence with the fragrance of yesteryear

In Florence, you’ll find historic pharmacies that maintain their original appearance, places where you can breathe in the city’s magical and historic air.

Unknown to many, Florence features a large array of historic pharmacies within its artistic and cultural heritage. These age-old shops vaunt an atmosphere that takes you to another era.
Considered stylish historic gems of the city, the pharmacies feature refined furnishings and beautiful architectural finishes, elements that are comparable to those of the surrounding buildings and museums. 
Florence boasts a long history with perfumes and spices; if you’re craving a taste, don’t miss this itinerary. Besides the beauty and elegance of these striking spots, you’ll also discover unique and original products truly unlike anything else. 



Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella

Located on via della Scala (n. 16), the Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella is the oldest and most famous pharmacy in Florence. The pharmacy’s origins trace to 1612 to the Santa Maria Novella spice shop run by Dominican friars, to whom it owes its name. Inside, you’ll find a frescoed vaulted ceiling and Baroque-style décor.
Here, you can buy handcrafted perfumes and other body-care products carefully wrapped in refined packaging. 


Farmacia Santissima Annunziata

In the beautiful via dei Servi (n. 80r), the elegant street connecting Piazza del Duomo to Piazza Santissima Annunziata, you’ll find the Santissima Annunziata pharmacy. It was originally built and run by the San Niccolò Monastery Benedictine nuns: a real age-old treasure dating to 1561. Here, you’ll also find Baroque-style décor and unique personal hygiene and skincare products, including a variety of handcrafted perfumes. 


Antica Farmacia Müstermann

Handcrafted perfumes are the specialty of yet another historic Florentine shop. You’ll find this treasure in Piazza Carlo Goldoni (2/r) near Ponte alla Carraia.
Münstermann owes its name to its German founder, and despite being located in a centuries-old pharmacy, this shop dates to the end of the 19th century. This pharmacy was the first place to sell homeopathic medicine; the original formulae are still sold today.


Farmacia Molteni, also known as the Spezieria del Canto del Diamante

The Molteni pharmacy is known for being one of the many places adored by Dante.
The Supreme Poet apparently visited this age-old apothecary quite often, then known as the Spezieria del Canto al Diamante. Little remains of the original shop, among which we find the main entrance door. Inside, you’ll find refined furnishings and décor that date to the second half of the 19th century. The pharmacy is also known for being one of the first shops to produce hypodermic sterile phials and can be found on via de’ Calzaiuoli (n. 7).