The Perfume Sanctuary in Andalusia, Spain
The Perfume Sanctuary in Andalusia, Spain
Perfumed Passports Vol 1
Hello friends!
Today’s post is a little different from my usual and something I’ve been meaning to write for some time. What better way to honor myself on my birthday (34 years young today!) than by doing something that truly feeds my soul: writing. This post also marks the start of a new series called Perfumed Passports, where I’ll be sharing my travel adventures through the lens of fragrance. From scent discoveries to cultural traditions, it’s all about how perfume and place come together to create unforgettable experiences. And what better way to kick it off than with my trip to Spain earlier this year?
Like many of you, I feel like a different person whenever I travel. Most of us spend our lives grinding toward that ultimate goal—becoming financially free so we can travel. But why do we crave it? There’s nothing quite like the thrill of being immersed in a new place, far from the familiar—new scents, new tastes, and new experiences that shake us out of the ordinary in an effort to create new core memories.
Ever since I got into the business of fragrance, I’ve been lucky enough to travel for business, inspiration, and research. Creating my perfume oil brand has opened so many doors, one of the most rewarding being the ability to travel in search of suppliers, materials, and creative spark. That’s what inspired my last trip this past February. It was our first wedding anniversary, and we wanted to do something special. I also saw it as the perfect opportunity to learn more about fragrance in new territory. Fragrance is deeply tied to culture—whether or not a place is famously known for it (like France or the Middle East)—you’ll discover the power of scent everywhere. You don’t find fragrance; it finds you.
We chose Spain for our trip. My husband had never been to Europe, and I had never been to Spain. I’ve been obsessed with the Alhambra ever since high school. Both of us were captivated by Andalusia’s rich Islamic history and Moorish architecture. And of course, I had to find perfume. I did a lot of research on fragrance experiences to explore during our short stay between Granada and Barcelona.
In Barcelona, I came across a true gem: the Museu del Parfum. It’s a dream for anyone who loves scent. The museum traces the history of perfume, showcasing a stunning collection of bottles, flasks, and containers. Each piece represents humanity’s boundless imagination in creating vessels, all in the name of perfume.
The museum is split into two sections: the first displays ancient perfume containers, while the second highlights more modern, industrialized bottles from the late 18th century onward, everything from Schiaparelli to Elizabeth Arden. Walking through the first part is like traveling through time, while the second focuses on brands, offering a glimpse into the evolution of perfume design. It was such a treat for the senses—a beautiful experience all around.
The museum was actually my second fragrance experience in Spain. The first? Patio de los Perfumes in Granada, a gorgeous perfume concept store near the Alhambra. Words can’t quite capture how beautiful this place is. It’s the brainchild of two visionaries from Grasse, Christian Pamies and Valérie Sabini, who brought their deep love for fragrance to life. They’re known for working with rare, precious raw materials, traveling the world to study the relationship between “plants and humanity.” They chose Granada, the perfect crossroads of East and West, as the location for their boutique.
Walking into Patio de los Perfumes feels like stepping into a little piece of perfume history. The space blends old-world charm with modern elegance, and it’s an olfactory paradise. Their brand, PATIO, draws from multiple cultures and reinvents the art of perfumery with handcrafted products that speak to the origins of scent. Everything is made in their lab in Spain, in small batches, with a focus on handmade quality.
When you enter the store, you’re greeted by a selection of perfumes and body care products. But keep walking, and you’ll discover their hidden underground cellar. It starts with a fun scent quiz, an ancient distillation contraption, and ends with a perfume organ where they hold classes and workshops. It’s like perfume school meets museum, and it’s as cool as it sounds.
Another section of the store focuses on skincare and body care products sourced from different parts of the world—think orange blossom and hammam products from Morocco, attars inspired by India, or olive oil soap straight from Nablus, Palestine. Their proximity to these regions makes everything feel even more special. Many of their products are inspired by Granada itself—like their pomegranate-based items, a nod to the city’s name (I learned there that Granada means pomegranate in Spanish).
But my favorite part? The actual patio. It’s an Andalusian-style courtyard filled with jasmine plants and fresh herbs, surrounded by marble columns and the sound of water trickling from a fountain. You can take part in their incense ritual with their Perfumum range—the scents feel sacred, and the incense burners, handcrafted by a resident ceramic artist, diffuse fragrant clouds. They even have real bakhoor chips burning in traditional coal burners, filling the air with that deep, smoky fragrance. It was an experience for all the senses, and I didn’t want to leave.
One of my favorite purchases was their antique fragrance oil, Unguentarium. It’s said to be the first-ever perfume, made by macerating herbs in vegetable oil and used by Mediterranean civilizations after baths as part of their hygiene and beauty rituals. They’ve brought this ancient oil back in stunning artisanal blown-glass bottles from Hebron. By collaborating with small-scale factories in Hebron, they’re not just preserving tradition—they’re helping to sustain the local community.
It was an incredible blend of Spanish and Islamic history—something you don’t get to experience in many places. So much of Islamic history, architecture, and culture has been erased or is primarily concentrated in the Middle East. But in Granada, you feel how deeply they appreciate and celebrate their history, Islamic and otherwise. As Muslims, this was healing for us, especially given the state of the world. It helped me reconnect with the original passion behind my brand—sharing fragrance rituals from my Islamic roots—and reminded me to stay true to that path. Granada made us feel safe and united. There was a deep sense of brotherhood, not tied to religion, but rooted in a shared appreciation for where we come from and the importance of preserving it.
This trip was more than just a vacation—it reminded me why I fell in love with fragrance in the first place. It’s about more than the scent itself; it’s the stories, history, and deep connections between culture and smell. Walking through places like Patio de los Perfumes, surrounded by such rich history, reignited my passion for my work and the power fragrance has to transport, unite, and heal. I dream of having a storefront in New York like this beautiful concept store.
As I continue to build my brand, experiences like these keep me inspired and grounded. They remind me that fragrance is more than just a product—it’s a journey, a memory, a connection to something bigger. I hope to share that magic with you through my scents, and I can’t wait to see where this journey takes us next.
If you enjoyed this piece, let me know! I have a few more scented travel stories coming your way.
x
nadia