Carthusia Perfumes, Capri

Carthusia is one of the island’s beloved perfume houses. Legend has it that in 1380, the prior of a Carthusian monastery in Capri gathered a bouquet of the island’s finest wildflowers for a visiting queen. After letting the flowers sit in water for three days, he was surprised to find they had developed a beautifully mysterious scent. This accidental alchemy-later recreated by a skilled friar-became Capri’s very first perfume, named Wild Carnation of Capri.

Fast forward to 1948, the ancient recipe was rediscovered within the monastery’s archives. With the Pope's blessing, a chemist from Piemonte transformed it into the official launch of Carthusia-the world’s smallest perfume laboratory-housed right on Capri. The brand’s name pays homage to the Carthusian order, “Carthusia” meaning “Charterhouse”.

Today, Carthusia remains dedicated to craftsmanship and tradition. Each fragrance-artfully blended with Mediterranean botanicals such as lemon, fig, jasmine, and wild herbs-is produced by hand in their tiny Capri lab, preserving the island’s essence in every bottle. From Flowers of Capri-their very first perfume, blending lily of the valley, wild carnation, amber, sandalwood, and ylang‑ylang-to newer aromatic creations like Capri Forget Me Not.