London Perfume Tour
If you’re looking for a unique London experience, I can’t recommend Perfume Walks London enough! They host two different tours:
Mayfair: Perfect for history buffs and fans of iconic, heritage perfume houses.
Covent Garden: Ideal for those who want to discover modern, cutting-edge scents.
The tours are kept intentionally small, typically limited to 8 to 10 guests. This creates a relaxed atmosphere that feels more like a private walk with friends than a rigid group tour.
Your guide, Olga, provides incredible insight into the industry. She shares the unique heritage of each house and explains exactly what makes their signature scents iconic. Because Olga maintains such close relationships with the brands, the boutiques are always prepared for the group's arrival. You aren’t just a customer walking in off the street; you are treated as an expected guest.
The experience is interactive and lighthearted, and some staff members even host mini-quizzes or small giveaways for the group. Best of all, it is a completely pressure-free environment. It is the perfect afternoon for perfume lovers who want to explore new brands and discover their next favorite scent without the typical sales pitch.
@buckethalffull There are some upcoming November dates for @PerfumeWalks 🌹👃 #perfumetok#londonwalks#mayfairlondon#perfumetiktok#florislondon#jovoymayfair#perfumetour#londonperfume♬ La vie en rose (Cover Edith Piaf) - 田东昱
London Perfume Tour: Mayfair
Our fragrance journey began at Floris, a cornerstone of British history since 1730. Stepping inside their Jermyn Street flagship feels like entering a living archive. They have even curated a small in-store museum showcasing royal warrants and ledger books from famous patrons. It is fascinating to see the receipts of past customers like Winston Churchill or letters from Florence Nightingale. Floris holds a special place in my heart because their Platinum 22 has become one of my signature scents.
Moving through the refined streets of Mayfair, we stopped at Roja Dove in the iconic Burlington Arcade. As a modern British luxury house, Roja represents the pinnacle of opulence. While the fragrances are undeniably high-end and complex, they were a bit too "grand" for my personal taste, though certainly a must-see for anyone who loves high-drama perfumery.
Just a short walk away, we discovered Ormonde Jayne, another modern British gem. If Roja is about traditional luxury, Ormonde Jayne is about innovation. They are world-renowned for incorporating unexpected ingredients, such as the nutty and comforting aroma of Basmati Rice. One of my absolute favorites from them is Osmanthus, which truly captures "Spring in a bottle" with its bright and effervescent floral notes.
A highlight of the tour was our visit to Santa Maria Novella, the oldest name in the group. Its history is staggering. It was founded by Dominican friars in 13th-century Florence who began blending botanicals for medicinal elixirs. They eventually became perfumers to royalty, famously creating Acqua della Regina for Catherine de’ Medici in 1533.
What I love most about SMN, aside from iconic scents like the ethereal Angeli di Firenze, is the aesthetic. The packaging is a vintage work of art that embraces its heritage. They also offer the most charming "stocking fillers," like scented terracotta ornaments and wax tablets to tuck into your sock drawer.
We ended our tour at Jovoy, a true "temple" for niche perfume lovers. They specialize in rare and hard-to-find brands from across the globe. It is a place of discovery where you can even experience the fragrances famously worn by Princess Diana. To top off the afternoon, we celebrated our finds with a glass of champagne, which was the perfect sparkling end to a day of olfactory discovery.
London Perfume Tour: Covent Garden
On the Covent Garden leg of the tour, you’ll dive into the world of some of the most renowned niche perfume brands. We kicked things off at the Experimental Perfume Club, an innovative London-based house that focuses on the art and science of scent.</p><p data-path-to-node="4">This isn't just a shop; it’s a creative hub where you can actually take classes to blend your own bespoke perfume. We spent our time there putting our noses to the test with a scent quiz. We were challenged to smell different essential oils and guess the botanical source of each one. It was a fascinating way to see how well we truly knew our favorite notes before they were blended into a final bottle. Next, we visited Parfums de Marly, which is easily one of the most popular niche houses on the scene right now. From there, we moved on to Miller Harris, which has quickly become one of my personal favorite brands. They are famously known for the bespoke scent they created for Jane Birkin. I am particularly drawn to their green, botanical fragrances, and their scent Celadon has become one of my regular go-tos. We also made a quick stop at Penhaligon’s. While it is a historic name, it isn't quite what it used to be anymore. It is now owned by a large conglomerate, and to me, some of the newer fragrances feel a bit less original than they used to. Similarly, we stopped by the Diptyque boutique. While it is one of the most famous French perfume brands in the world, the experience felt a little less personal than the smaller houses. That being said, I still personally love Diptyque Orphéon. To clear our palates after so many scents, we took a break to admire the stunning views from the Royal Opera House. As the tour winds to a close, the experience does not simply end with the last bottle sniffed. To make the day even more memorable, every guest receives a thoughtfully curated gift bag to take homeInside, you will find a selection of samples from the various perfume houses visited throughout the day. This is such a brilliant touch because it allows you to wear the fragrances on your skin and see how they develop over several hours. Whether it is a tiny vial of a Floris classic or a discovery spray from Miller Harris, these samples are the perfect way to live with the scents before deciding which one deserves a permanent spot on your vanity. It truly feels like taking a piece of the tour home with you.
If you enjoyed this post, check out my list of bucket list ideas in England to plan your next trip.