Luxury Fragrances With A Scent Of Place (2025)

Luxury fragrances- the more distinctive and bolder the better- are an indulgence I can’t resist. Some people get excited about opening a bottle of wine or a box holding jewelry, but a gorgeous perfume is what thrills me most.

Besides making me smell fantastic- or at least I hope- perfume is one of the ways I evoke travel without actually going on a trip. So many are inspired by destinations all over the world, and their creators source their ingredients from the very places they bring to mind.

Notes of citrus, for example, take me to the Amalfi Coast, where I honeymooned, while oud puts me right in the heart of the Middle East. Jasmine transports me back to India, my home where I was born and lived for the early part of my childhood, lavender conjures up memories of my trips to Provence, rose and orange blossom have me in Morocco where they proliferate, and well, you get the idea.

There are thousands- literally- of perfumes out there, but I’m personally loving the ones I’ve highlighted below. They’re what I like to call “a scent of place.”

Santa Maria Novella

Founded in Florence over 800 years ago, Santa Maria Novella is a gorgeous apothecary brand I’ve loved for years. Their fragrances use botanicals and plants from the Medici gardens and Tuscan countryside and blend them with top quality and often rare ingredients from around the world.

I would wear any of the scents, but lately I’ve been rotating between Ambra, Incenso, Tabacco Toscano, and Quercia. According to a spokesperson for the company, Ambra combines citrus fruits from the Medici gardens with amber oriental notes from the Far East, and Incenso mixes spicy and resin notes that conjure incense, like those found in historic Italian houses of worship or places much farther East. Tabacco Toscano features bergamot and bold Tuscan tobacco leaves while Quercia is a nod to the 500-year-old oak tree growing on the grounds of the Medici Villa di Castello.

Memo Paris Odéon

As I’ve written about before, every fragrance in Memo Paris’ collection is inspired by a destination, and Odéon is no different. This stunner is a love letter to the namesake neighborhood in Paris, home to creatives, academics, and the literary set. Originally launched in 2020 as a Paris exclusive, it will be available worldwide this year. Odéon makes an impact that’s for sure and features premium rose, Tonka bean, and sandalwood. Other hits in the line include Tiger’s Nest, laden with incense, and Madurai, which brings me home to India.

Krigler Villa Bordighera 20

Krigler’s reintroduced Villa Bordighera sings of spring with its citrus notes dancing with florals and hints of wood. The story goes that the Italian playwright Giuseppe Adami commissioned Albert Krigler to create this fragrance in 1920, who designed it to evoke the scenic Italian Riviera resort town of Bordighera. Known for his impeccable blending, he composed it with lemons from the city itself, along with Sicilian bergamot, Moroccan rose absolute, and other Mediterranean-inspired ingredients.

Penhaligon’s Cairo

An ode to the Egyptian city, this decadent scent from the prestigious British fragrance house Penhaligon’s is captivating and somewhat mysterious. Meant for all genders, it combines Damascena rose and saffron with notes of labdanum, cypriol, sandalwood, and cedarwood. The result is a little sweet, a little spicy, and definitely unmissable. Like a bold piece of jewelry, it makes a statement every time you put it on.

Armani Prive Bleu Turquoise and Pivoine Suzhou

Armani Prive’s customer favorite Pivoine Suzhou is an olfactory journey to China’s Suzhou gardens. It’s fresh and vibrant, and with its peony notes, green mandarin essence, and alluring musk base, it evokes happy spring and summer days. I feel alive when I wear it.

Then there’s Armani Prive’s Bleu Turquoise, which transports to my birthplace of India. Giorgio Armani celebrates the country with a seductive scent crafted with ylang ylang, vanilla, and fleur de sel. Rest assured, this will grab you, and everyone around you will notice it, too.

Aerin Mediterranean Rose De Grasse

Aerin Lauder’s Rose de Grasse celebrates summer in a light and floral scent. It’s made with three different roses, including Rose Centifolia, picked by hand in Grasse, France. This is a fresh fragrance that’s not overpowering yet definitely makes an impact.

Parfums de marly Valaya Exclusif

Like a little black dress, Valaya Exclusif is always in style. Wear it in the summer, winter, or any time of year. The gorgeous blend includes white flowers, almonds, sandalwood, and orange blossoms.