Perfume Masterclass in Florence: Make your Own Personal Fragrance

A perfume workshop in a Florentine apothecary is a fine way to spend two hours away from the usual parade of churches and museums. At Antica Erboristeria San Simone, you sit among old glassware, ampules, dried herbs, and fragrant ingredients while shaping a scent of your own.

I like the atmospheric 1700s setting and the fact that you take home something more personal than a souvenir magnet: a 30ml bottle of your blend, plus a signed certificate. I also like that the class works for couples, families, solo participants, and men as well as women.

The main caution is simple: this is a guided blending session, not a full professional perfumery course. You choose from a limited selection of scents, and staff do much of the final measuring and mixing. The historical talk may also be shorter in English than some people expect.

Key points to know before booking

• You work inside a 1700s Florentine apothecary: Antica Erboristeria San Simone gives the class an old-world setting filled with bottles, herbs, and laboratory objects.
• Your fragrance begins with selected essences: You smell a set of prepared scents, choose the notes you like, and receive help balancing them.
• You learn the basics of perfume structure: The class introduces top, heart, and base notes, along with the role of different ingredients.
• You take home a 30ml personal fragrance: Your finished bottle is part of the price, and a recipe can make future reordering easier.
• The group can include up to 15 people: This keeps the activity social, though it may feel less private than a one-to-one consultation.
• Arrive early on Via Ghibellina: The class starts at the stated meeting time, and one participant found that arriving only a few minutes late meant missing the opening.

Inside Florence’s old San Simone apothecary

Your meeting point is Via Ghibellina 190, in central Florence. The experience begins at Antica Erboristeria San Simone, both a shop and an artisanal laboratory. The setting does much of the work before anyone uncaps a bottle.

Expect a dark, old-fashioned room with unusual glassware, ampules, herbs, flowers, and perfume materials on display. It has the feel of a working apothecary rather than a polished modern cosmetics counter. Take a moment to look around, including the owners’ perfume collection, which one participant specifically wished they had spent more time seeing.

The setting connects the activity to Florence’s long tradition of pharmacy, botanical remedies, and scent-making. During the Renaissance, apothecaries were places where people handled plants, oils, medicines, and fragrant compounds. The class uses that background as an introduction, though the amount of historical detail can vary.

If you enjoy atmosphere, old shops, and hands-on activities, this is a strong beginning. If you care mainly about technical instruction, the room may feel more impressive than the lesson itself.

What the opening talk covers

The master perfumer begins with an explanation of perfumery in Florence and the way ingredients become a finished fragrance. You learn how to think about scent instead of simply sniffing random bottles and picking a favorite.

One useful idea is the structure of a perfume:

• Top notes make the first impression and are often the quickest to fade.
• Heart notes form the main character of the fragrance.
• Base notes last longer and help give the blend weight and depth.

The class also introduces the general task of balancing ingredients. A scent that seems appealing on its own may overpower everything else when combined with several oils. The instructor’s role is to help you avoid a messy mixture and choose proportions that make sense.

That basic lesson is valuable for a first perfume workshop. It gives you a vocabulary for describing what you smell and helps explain why your bottle may change after it rests. Several people found it useful to wait about a month for the ingredients to settle and blend more fully before deciding exactly how they feel about the final result.

The limitation is that the educational portion may be brief. Some sessions place more emphasis on choosing oils and less on the technical process of extraction, formulation, or aging. If the advertised Florentine background is your main reason for booking, keep your expectations modest.

Choosing from the available essences

The creative part begins when you smell the available essences and select the ones you want in your formula. The selection has been described as roughly 20 to 30 prepared scents, depending on the session and materials available.

You may encounter floral, herbal, woody, fresh, sweet, or more unusual notes. The point is not to identify every ingredient like a trained nose. You are there to notice what appeals to you and what combinations seem promising.

This is where the experience becomes personal. One person may prefer a clean, light blend, while another may choose something darker and more floral. A family or group of friends can compare choices as they work, and the finished bottles may all smell entirely different even when everyone starts with the same selection.

The process is also fairly approachable. You do not need prior knowledge of fragrance. The staff explain the choices, answer questions, and help you narrow down the notes you want. Elena is one staff member praised for being warm and helpful, although the particular instructor on your date may be different.

There is an important restriction. You are not usually wandering through an entire perfume laboratory and sampling every raw material in the shop. You work from the essences set out for the class, often in small dropper vials. That keeps the session manageable, but it can disappoint anyone expecting a wide-open perfume library.

Some participants wanted to test more oils before choosing. Others felt the available set was enough for a first attempt. I would treat this as a guided introduction, not as the same thing as having hundreds of ingredients at your disposal.

How your personal fragrance is made

After you choose your preferred notes, the staff determine how many drops of each ingredient should go into the blend. You have time to make your selections, but the final formula is not entirely left to guesswork.

This arrangement has two benefits. First, you avoid wasting ingredients through trial and error. Second, someone with more experience can keep one strong scent from taking over the whole bottle. It also means the finished perfume has a better chance of smelling balanced than a completely unsupervised mixture.

The trade-off is control. You may feel that you selected the ingredients but did not actually perform every stage of the blending yourself. In some sessions, one employee moves around the group and combines the chosen oils for each person. That can create waiting time, especially with a group close to the maximum of 15 people.

If you want a fast purchase and instant choice, a perfume shop will be more direct. If you want to understand how a personal blend comes together and enjoy the social part of making it, this format is more rewarding.

Your bottle is not necessarily the final version of the scent in the first few minutes. The blend may change as it rests, which is why you may be encouraged to let it develop for several weeks. Keep that in mind before judging it immediately after the class.

The 30ml bottle and signed certificate

At the end, you receive 30ml of the fragrance you created. That gives you a useful keepsake without committing you to a large bottle of a scent you have only just made.

You also receive a certificate signed by the master perfumer. It is a small touch, but it helps mark the occasion, especially if you are booking this as a birthday activity, a mother-daughter outing, or a family experience.

A particularly practical feature is the fragrance recipe. Keep it with your travel papers or photograph it before leaving. The formula can make it possible to order more of the same scent later, which is a real advantage over buying an anonymous bottle from a gift shop.

Do not assume every possible ingredient is included in the basic price. If you want a scent outside the standard selection, an extra charge may apply. One participant added gardenia for €10, and another had to ask for a preferred scent before it was supplied for an additional fee.

Coffee, conversation, and the pace of the class

The workshop includes a complimentary break with coffee, tea, or water. It is not a major meal stop, but it gives you a pause after smelling several ingredients and discussing your choices.

The small-group format can be part of the fun. You may be seated with other people who are also trying to decide between floral, herbal, woody, and fresh notes. That creates easy conversation and makes the activity work well for friends or relatives.

It can also slow things down. With as many as 15 people, staff may need to move from one participant to the next. If everyone is choosing and mixing at once, the session can feel lively. If you are waiting for your bottle to be assembled, the same format may feel less active.

The total duration is about two hours. That is long enough for an introduction, selection, blending, a short refreshment break, and bottling, but not long enough for a detailed professional course. Plan it as a focused Florence activity rather than a full-day study of fragrance.

Arrive at least 10 to 15 minutes early. The posted start time is not a suggestion to stroll in casually. One person arrived three minutes late and found that the class had already begun.

Is $84.69 a fair price?

The price is $84.69 per person. To judge the value, look at what you are buying: a two-hour class, the historic shop setting, guidance from a master perfumer, refreshments, a 30ml custom bottle, and a signed certificate.

That is more than the cost of choosing a perfume from a store, but it is not simply a bottle purchase. Part of the price pays for the setting and the shared activity. You are paying for a story, a process, and a keepsake tied to your time in Florence.

The value is strongest if you enjoy hands-on activities and want a souvenir you helped create. It is also a sensible choice for someone who already likes perfume and wants to learn the language of notes and scent structure.

The value is weaker if your main goal is a large choice of ingredients or a serious technical lesson. A standard shop gives you more ready-made fragrances, and a cosmetics store may let you browse more quickly. This workshop makes sense only if the setting and personal blending matter to you.

Some special ingredients may cost extra, so ask before you settle on your final formula. That small detail can affect the total price.

Who will enjoy this Florence activity?

I would recommend it most strongly for:

• Couples seeking a shared souvenir
• Parents and older children
• Friends who enjoy creative activities
• Solo participants who are comfortable joining a small group
• People who like perfume, herbs, old shops, or apothecary displays
• Anyone wanting a Florence experience beyond the major monuments

Children over 10 have enjoyed the activity, and one 10-year-old was fully engaged during the session. The formal participation rules state that most people can take part, and service animals are allowed.

It can suit men as well as women. The finished product does not have to be a traditionally floral perfume. Your choices can lead to a lighter, woodier, herbal, or more cologne-like result.

I would be cautious about booking it for someone who dislikes group activities, strong smells, or guided decision-making. It may also disappoint a professional fragrance enthusiast looking for rare raw materials, advanced formulation, or a long private consultation.

Practical details for your Florence day

The tour is offered in English and uses a mobile ticket. Confirmation is sent at booking, and the activity begins and ends at Via Ghibellina 190. Hotel pickup, transportation, and transfers are not included, so you need to make your own way to the shop.

The location is near public transportation, which helps if you are coming from another part of Florence. Still, allow time to find the address and arrive early. Missing the introduction would be a poor bargain when the history and explanation are part of the experience.

The group limit is 15 people. That is small enough for staff assistance, but not necessarily intimate. If you want the most relaxed experience, booking well ahead is sensible. This activity is often reserved about 35 days in advance.

The stated health rules require participants over 12 to show one of several forms of vaccination, recent recovery, or a negative test taken within 48 hours. These rules can change, so check the current requirements when booking.

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the local start time. Cancellations or changes inside that window are not accepted for a refund.

Should you book the perfume masterclass?

Book it if you want a creative Florence souvenir, enjoy a historic setting, and are happy with a guided selection of prepared essences. The 30ml bottle and saved recipe give the activity lasting value, while the shop, glassware, herbs, and old-world feel make it more memorable than a standard shopping stop.

Skip it if you expect a full course in perfume chemistry, unlimited sampling, or complete control over every drop. The class can feel basic, and some English instruction may be shorter than expected.

For most people, I would call it a good two-hour choice for a free afternoon, especially with a daughter, parent, partner, or friend. Just arrive early, ask about extra-cost ingredients, and think of it as a personal blending workshop in an old Florentine apothecary, not a professional perfumer’s training session.

FAQ

Where does the perfume masterclass take place?

It takes place at Antica Erboristeria San Simone, at Via Ghibellina 190, 50122 Florence, Italy.

How long does the activity last?

The perfume masterclass lasts approximately two hours.

What language is the class offered in?

The activity is offered in English.

What do I take home?

You take home a 30ml bottle of your personalized perfume and a certificate signed by the master perfumer.

Can I reorder the perfume later?

A recipe for your fragrance may be available so you can order more of the same blend later. Keep the formula after the class.

Are refreshments included?

Yes. The workshop includes complimentary coffee, tea, or water.

Is transportation included?

No. Hotel pickup, hotel drop-off, and transportation to or from attractions are not included. You must reach the meeting point yourself.

How many people can join the class?

The activity has a maximum of 15 participants.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start are not accepted for a refund.