Germany, Cologne, Düsseldorf and Bonn
12 years ago
I would like to continue this travel guide with the Rhineland area: Cologne, Düsseldorf and Bonn. While most tourists come to Cologne to visit the famous Cologne Cathedral, it is the neighboring city of Düsseldorf which can be called Germany's perfume capital!
Cologne
Farina Gegenüber, Cologne, City Centre
The Farina house is a must see for every perfume lover! Farina stands for the classic Eau de Cologne, and they claim to be the first who have invented this fragrance under this denomination. They are one of the oldest perfume houses, and they still are owned by the predecessors of Johann Baptist Farina, who settled down in Cologne in 1709.
The Farina house is in the old town of Cologne, near the cathedral. It contains a perfume museum and a shop in the basement where they sell their own perfume. Next to their famous "Original Eau de Cologne" and their "Russisch Leder", they have another 24 perfumes that are named after the zodiac: 12 ladies' and 12 men's fragrances.
4711, Cologne, City Centre
It isn't Farina, it was 4711 who became really successful with their version of "Echt Kölnisch Wasser". Their company shop is also located in the cologne city centre, near the opera house.
Düsseldorf
Schnitzler, Düsseldorf, Kö
Düsseldorf is a posh place, and at least on Saturdays, you can see people cruising the Königsallee (called "Kö") with their Bentleys and Lamborghinis. It is the Kö, where Frank Schnitzler, a dedicated perfume enthusiast, opened his perfume store in 1970. His ambition was to have the best shop in Germany, and the sound audience at the Kö made this dream come true. For many years, Schnitzler was the place where you simply could get "all".
Mr. Schnitzler retired some years ago and sold his shops to Douglas, Germanys leading perfume chain store. Inevitably, the quality has decreased. They reconstructed the shops. Schnitzler was always stuffed like an antique bookshop, with perfumes covering all walls. Douglas threw out a big part of the portfolio - you could get incredible snips! Now, it looks much less chaotic, so the customer might feel a little bit more at home.
Actually, Schnitzler is three shops around the Kö: at Schadow Arcaden, at the Seven's and at the Breidenbacher Hof hotel. They all have different perfumes, so it is advisable to visit all three of them. The shop at the Breidenbacher Hof is highly recommendable since they have a Maison Guerlain and - despite Douglas - competent staff.
Beauty Affair, Düsseldorf, Kö
Inspite his retirement, Frank Schnitzler is still on the scene, now acting as a consultant. Apparently, he is behind the small perfume shop Beauty Affair that you shouldn't miss when you stroll along the Kö. It is a bit hidden in the Kö-Center (Königsallee 30), so you will have to look out for it.
Beauty Affair is small but with an excellent product lineup. They have brands like Frédéric Malle, the Pierre Guillaume brands, Grossmith, Aqaba - as well as single rareties and hard-to-finds. Service is excellent and very friendly. Beauty Affair is the thorn in the flesh of Douglas-Schnitzler!
Parfümerie Förster, Düsseldorf, Oststraße
A little bit off the beaten track but only a short walk from the Kö is Parfümerie Förster. Förster is a very typical traditional German Parfümerie and run by the owner. It has two big rooms and a respectable portfolio. What I like about those old perfume shops is that you can find true gems if look closely at the boards. Among to the very popular and contemporary stuff you can still find discontinued rareties. The owner is friendly and glad to share his knowledge.
Bonn
Parfümerie Vollmar, Bonn, Sternstraße
Nearby Cologne, there is Bonn, birthplace of the composer Ludwig van Beethoven, and the Beethoven house is the reason that many tourists come to Bonn for - especially the Japanese. Bonn is my hometown, so this travel guide would not be complete if I wouldn't mention the Bonn perfume shops.
In Sternstraße, opposite the baroque town hall, you can find Parfümerie Vollmar. They have a respectable amount of higher priced perfumes, and Vollmar is the place to go if you are looking for by Kilian, Montale, Amouage, Creed or Etro. Their antique wardrobes where they keep parts of their fragrances behind glass panes is worth seeing. It gives the place a cosy appeal as long as you don't go there on Saturdays, when it is overcrowded.
Parfümerie Michels, Bonn, Remigiusplatz
Also near the market with the historic town hall there is Parfümerie Michels. It is a traditional perfume shop. There are no open windows, so the perfumes are a hidden from direct sunlight. The small shop is packed with perfumes from the floor to the ceiling. While most of it is mainstream, you might discover rare fragrances here and there in between the ordinary.
Taiba Shop, Bonn, Kölnstraße
One wouldn't expect an Arab perfume shop in a German city - but there it is! Taiba shop is one station with tram No.61 from the city centre, at Kölnstraße near Wilhelmsplatz. It is situated at the brink of Bonn's old town where many Turkish and Arab people live.
Next to perfume, they sell Arab clothing, food, cosmetics and islamic literature. You can also get bakhoor. They sell their perfume oils out of big ornamented bottles that stand in a glass cabinet behind the bar. Their no-name perfume oils come from an Arab perfumer or trader that they are acquainted with. Besides that, they have numerous fragrances of the less exclusive Arab brands such as Al Rehab.
The staff is very friendly, and they appreciate any Non-Arab visitor who wants to have a look. They will let you try all different sorts of Arab fragrances. With prices of about 10 or 15 € for 3 ml perfume oil, it is a good place to get to know the Arab way of perfumery.