Stop And Sniff In These Best-Smelling European Cities

29.05.2024 - 17:09 / forbes.com

I’ll never forget when I was in Istanbul. I was in the famous bazaar, where every single vendor there offered me delicious apple tea – to entice me to make a purchase – and where you could find mountains and mountains of boxes of Turkey’s famous candy. Turkish Delight or “Lokum” as it's known in Turkey, is a delicate flavored jelly candy that is ubiquitous in the country. You will typically find it scented with rosewater or cinnamon, orange, vanilla or bergamot.

The aromas I experienced in the bazaar were amazing – and believe it or not, when I was in Paris, I actually discovered a perfume that completely replicates the fabulous fragrance of the Turkish candy. When I visited the Serge Lutens store — the iconic and fabulous perfume shop – I found Rahat Loukoum, a voluptuous, soft, sweet fragrance composed of gourmet flavors, with almonds, mint, rose and pistachio. It smells just like Turkish candy, and whenever I wear it — I feel transported right back to that bazaar. I just might say that it has proven to be one of the best souvenirs ever. (Similarly, there is also an exciting new perfume by the luxury fragrance house Rosy & Earnest, called Pistachio Delight, and I also must say – it, too, reminds me of Istanbul. It contains precious pistacia lentiscus oil, roasted pistachio chips notes, and sublime vanilla. The phenomenal vegan brand offers luxurious, fine fragrances with 100% transparent, non-toxic, and worry-free ingredients.)

This all got me thinking — have you ever caught a whiff of a particular aroma and suddenly found yourself transported back to a bustling market in Marrakech or a serene morning on the Amalfi Coast?

Though often overlooked, our sense of smell carries a profound ability to take us back to some of our fondest travel memories.

A vaping company called HAYPP, with origins in Scandinavia, recently analyzed data on 30 major cities in Europe and beyond, comparing their cleanliness EPI (environmental performance index) score to the number of bakeries, perfume shops, and flower shops in each city, to take you on a sweet-scented journey though the world’s nicest smelling cities. Here are their delightful results.

1. Athens, Greece

Taking the coveted top spot as the nicest-smelling city in the world, with a smell score of 8.3 out of 10, is Athens, Greece.

Known for its lively street markets and food culture, the aroma of fresh produce, herbs, and traditional Greek cuisine permeates the Athenian air, creating an unforgettable scent experience.

Despite being the smallest city in the top five, Athens boasts an impressive 31 bakeries per 10 kilometers squared, selling everything from crispy Tiropita (cheese pies) to mouth-watering Baklava., plus 31 flower shops and 22 perfumeries, per 10