We all have special places in our heart, places that have meaning for us. Did you realize, when you shared the story of THE place with your loved ones and friends, how difficult is to describe the atmosphere of a city, the vibe that makes that place unique for you? How did you do it? Did you use words, photos, videos, music or draw it? At Olyantis, we use handcrafted fragrances. This is our story behind the inspiration for Rapsodie D'Été Perfume.

About Bucharest (the “Little Paris”). Bucharest, Romanian’s capital, first documented in 1459 by the voivode Vlad the Impaler, is a city of contrasts, with its amalgam of medieval, Art Nouveau, Belle Époque architecture, old and modern residential buildings. 

The soul of Bucharest is its Old Town (the Historic Center). Here, the casual, bohemian atmosphere rolls over effortless into the nearby parks. One of these century-old parks is the Cismigiu Garden, created in 1847. This tranquil, huge green oasis has a central lake where in summer, wood-made rowing boats cut the water quietly. In summer, the colorful rose gardens, majestic trees and imposing statues come to life, in the accompaniment of the excited voice of children playing on the alleys and the orchestral music that flows from the white pavilion located in the back of the garden.

Where the Inspiration for Rapsodie D'Été Perfume Came From. It was a mid, hot summer day in my hometown Bucharest. At 40 degrees Celsius, the dry air felt light, rarefied but also clenching at the same time. What made it unmistakable home was the impromptu concerto of scents and sounds. You could smell the fragrant linden flowers, freshly cut grass, melted asphalt, mixed with the scent of blooming roses, flavors of warm, vanilla-dipped donuts and exuding salty pretzels, all intertwined with the sounds of rushing cars and the chat of people debating colloquially on sidewalks. Among all, the “loudest” presence was that of the linden trees. How it could not have been? Their sweet, floral-ambery, energizing fragrance is emblematic for Bucharest in summer.

On that summer day, linden trees covered in yellow flowers exuding their honey-like perfume were standing fulfilled in the park across the National Romanian History Museum.

The air was trembling with sounds: cars were running up and down the Victory Boulevard, people were walking and talking to each other, hurrying to places.

A quick stop to the small bakery hidden near the solemn, 17^th century church. The plumply doughnuts covered in vanilla sugar were showing proudly their roundness near the salty, mouthwatering pretzels. The sound of the church’s antic cast iron bell was cutting the air from time to time, implacably and gravely: ding-dong, ding-dong. The hot asphalt was melting under our feet. Suddenly, the dry wind brought for few seconds the fragrance of the red and white roses that were decorating the façade of the nearby National Theater.

Strolling among elegant, decadent villas, we were surrounded by the fragrant scents of honeysuckle, violet flowers and enveloped by the vibrant green of the panoply of century-old trees that were guarding each side of the streets. Few minutes later, the Cismigiu Garden opened generously its alleys. The sun shined now and then through the leaves of the trees, painting our faces with a bright, caressing light.

In a corner, the Writers’s Rotunda solemnly displayed its white statues. We sit on a bench, listening to the subtle, rustling movements of the leaves, birds’s happy chirping and the harmonious piano accords that were flying intermittently from the windows of the nearby Gheorghe Lazar Lyceum. It was summer in Bucharest.

How We Captured the Bucharest’s Atmosphere. To depict through scents the ambience and feel of a summer day in Bucharest, we used linden (heart notes), woody essential oils/incense/tonka (base/middle notes), magnolia, iris, violet, grapefruits and gourmand scents (top/middle notes). After several attempts, using 92% of natural origin essential oils (by ISO 16128) in the perfume concentrate, diluted in 99.8% natural alcohol, we were able to create the fragrance that we feel captured the essence of summer and the vibrant spirit and soul of Bucharest.  

Why You will Love Rapsodie D'Été Perfume. Rapsodie D'Été Eau de Parfum invites you to experience Bucharest’s European atmosphere, where old and new eclectic buildings live in harmony with nature, all wrapped in the smell of blossoming flowers and tasty food. Rapsodie D'Été is the fragrance that takes you in a summer vacation, illuminates your soul and brings a smile on your face. You can try it here.