Ortigia Fragrances
Ortigia fragrances capture the essence of Sicily. Here we present our selection of them. See also our Ortigia Gift range here.
We love Sicily !
From the ferry to Messina, to Inspector Montalbano’s ‘home’ at Punta Secca in the far south, to the stunning cathedral of Palermo, it is an extrordinary place. Turn a corner and it will surprise you again and again.
Here’s one of my photos of the inside of Syracuse cathedral….. an 18th century gem itself, containing an entire ancient Greek temple !
(Pizzas available opposite the cathedral aren’t bad either !)
Home to the architectural treasures of the Valley of the Temples, to perhaps the best preserved Roman mosaics at the Villa Romana del Casale and 18th Century cities of Ragusa, Noto and Modica, this place takes your breath away.
Sicily is enriched with a colourful history of conquest, invasion and assimilation. It has been fought over and colonised: Greeks, Phoenicians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, Hohenstaufens, Angevins, Aragonese and Bourbons all left their mark. Examples are found throughout the island. The island’s history, reflected in the uniquely rich culture that is found in Sicily today, has inspired the creation of the Ortigia range.
Sue Townsend (not the author) was so inpired by the promontory at Syracuse and Sicily in general that she named her range of fragrances Ortigia. Each fragrance is a reflection of an aspect of the island’s host of natural fragrances. When we visited the Ortigia, what inspired us particularly was the concealment of an ancient Greek temple inside a Roman temple inside the Cathedral, which in itself had been a mosque. This is something of a metaphor for Sicily; complex. What’s simple though, is the popularity of Ortigia fragrances. Here we offer our choice of the best of these.
Learn more about carretto siciliano, Silcilan Carts by clicking on this link.
The perfumes are distilled from the flowers of Sicily. The base of all the products is natural perfume and natural ingredients: olive oil, vegetable glycerine, and organic colours. No SLS, nickel or silicone; products not tested on animals. Paraben-free,the range uses traditional products with modern ethics and integrity.
All Ortigia products are made by small family companies who pride themselves on the quality of their products. The highly decorative packaging is designed by Sue Townsend and draws on exotic Sicilian images and colours.
The name Ortigia comes from the small island that lies at the edge of the ancient fortified city of Syracusa, on Sicily’s southeastern coast. The streets of Ortigia are crumbling baroque façades of great splendour looking out on 3 sides to the sea. The Piazza del Duomo is considered one of the most beautiful in Italy. Situated on the southeastern side of Sicily, this part of the island is known as “la Sicilia Orientale” because of its proximity to Africa and almost tropical climate.
In the rich volcanic soil of Mount Etna – Europe’s highest active volcano – there are hundreds of orange & lemon groves – the only place where blood oranges grow – also grapefruit trees, almonds, pistachios, saffron, vines, olives and cactus. Truly, Ortigia fragrances capture the essence of Sicily.