Arriving early
to the railway station my sister told me that very close to the station there
is an old pharmacy I also need to see. She spent a few days in Florence years
ago and heard about it.
The pharmacy is
a museum and a shop in one. You can walk around the rooms and learn about old
traditions but the counters are full of products for trying and buying.
The pharmacy was
established by Dominican monks back in the 13th century. Their
extraordinary products became famous for the 18th century and were
shipped to India, China and Russia too. Each product has a history just like
the “Acqua si S.M. Novella”, a perfume commissioned by Caterina de Medici. She
even took the perfume to France when she married Enrico de Valois. The perfume
was created for her in 1533.
At the entrance
you are greeted and you are also given a beautiful paper with the list of
products and the history of the pharmacy. It is a long yellow paper, like a
proper menu in a restaurant. Still, to choose your gifts is difficult. Long
list of body and face care, products for children, ladies and gentlemen; room
fragrances and many more. There are shampoos for dogs and cats too. I could
spend a day here to smell and touch everything but we need to go to catch our
train to Bologna…
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