As I return home from my month in Italy, I must say I am overwhelmed with so much to share. After all I was there for a month and saw many places that I love and return to each trip but was also afforded some time to check out new places that I either had referred to me or that I had seen many times but time had not permit my visiting.
So here is my strategy……..to share only those things that I think my readers would like to know…….to highlight some of my regular stand-bys that I will shine the spotlight on in more detail and some of the newest places and/or happenings that I found……hope you enjoy and will send feedback my way through your comments!
My first is a true masterpiece of Florence that appears on any list that all Florence lovers produce on the ‘must see’ of this magical city…..the infamous Officina-Farmacia di Santa Maria Novella. It offers best of both worlds…..an art-filled venue that is stocked with amazing beauty products.*
Adjacent to Piazza Santa Maria Novella is one of the oldest pharmacies in the world: Officiana Profumo – Farmaceutica di Sant Maria Novella which was established by Dominican monks shortly after their arrival in Florence in 1221. The friars began cultivating medicinal herbs in their gardens to prepare medications, balms and ointments for their convents small infirmary.
Following several decades of development, growth and Italian turmoil, the pharmacy became a state owned enterprise and was transfered to Cesare Stefani in 1866. He eventually bought the company name, goodwill and movable assets and four consecutive generations of the same family have since run Officina Farmaceutica. Today under the management of Eugenio Alphandery, tradition is perpetuated and renewed. The use of the highest quality natural raw materials are used and the artisanal procedures established by the Dominican fathers is still in use today. The Officina is particularly attentive to the herbalist’s art which has triumphed since the beginning, basing all of its preparations on herbs and natural lipids. None are tested on animals.
The following are some of the highights of the many trips we have made to this regular stop for bpptours……shoppers with me love touring the magnificent building and have purchased, as have I, many of these very special products…….
With Elizabeth Gucci.....Director of Officina Profumo--Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella
In closing, this Farmacia should be on anyone’s lists of must see in Florence, however it should be noted that due to its most recent popularity, Farmacia di Santa Maria Novella pop-up shops are being found in several major cities……New York Times has called out locations in Manhattan, we saw it available in a beautiful shop-in-store at Bon Marche in Paris and most exciting for many of us is that a large selection of these products can be found at Kuhl-Linscomb here in Houston, Texas. It was in fact, KL owner that put us in touch with the corporate offices in Firenze!