Acqua Della Regina

It's really amazing how much of an effect the marketing of a fragrance can have on people's perception of it. This fragrance is a perfect example of that here on Fragrantica. This is the exact same fragrance as the one listed as Acqua di Colonia on this site (also known as Acqua di Santa Maria Novella). That one is perceived as a unisex fragrance, even leaning slightly masculine according to the votes, but because this one is mistakenly labeled as a woman's fragrance, it is perceived as decidedly more feminine. Maybe because the word "Regina" (queen) is in it, people think this is for a woman. This was not made for Queen Caterina de' Medici; she asked for a fragrance that she could gift to her husband, King Henry II, for their wedding. Santa Maria Novella says this themselves on their website. They decided to give the classic colonia its original name for the 800th anniversary of the monastery in 2021. I would suggest that Fragrantica change this from a woman's fragrance to unisex, because I'm sure there are a lot of men who would like this, but may think it's too feminine and so miss out on this beautiful fragrance. If you're a fan of classic cologne fragrances, then you will probably like this one, as simply put, it is the ancestor of all colognes. I would describe it as a combination of 4711 and Acqua di Parma, but I think it is closer to Acqua di Parma Essenza. It is not as fruity as 4711, but at the same time it is not as floral / green as Acqua di Parma Essenza. It is somewhere in between, and I think this is the perfect balance. It's hard to recommend this to someone unless they absolutely love old style colonia fragrances because the performance is really not great. I would say projection and longevity are slighlty longer than 4711, but slightly less than something like Acqua di Parma.

When you thought you know it all, this diamond comes along. Imagine someone with well over 100 💯 fragrances to choose from totally excited about this royal gift to himself. The ingredient list is short, so there is no doubt that they are of the highest quality. Fresh, clean and absolutely delicious and perfect. When you thought the British fragrance houses had it down in terms of a perfect citrusy cologne, think again. No funkiness during the lifespan of this wonderful fragrance. It’s royal thru and thru. I’m deeply impressed and humbled to have discovered the brand and the many colognes that they offer. Acqua Della Regina is great all around and fit for any occasion. You will absolutely love it. Thank me later. “Fragrance for Women” makes me smile. Fragrantica displaying lack of energy. If you like my thoughts, hit the like 👍 button.

Currently I’m studying abroad in Florence and I wanted to get a scent to remind me of the city. I really adored this one out of all the choices Santa Maria Novella had and it smells like lemon verbena to me. It is definitely up there with some of my loves but I wouldn’t ever put this in my top 5 and I probably wouldn’t repurchase just because the lasting power isn’t great. I maybe get 2-4 hours out of it and I have freshies that can last all day on me. So overall it’s a lovely perfume that just has lasting issues. I recommend checking it out though. This reminds me of royalty. It is citrusy with the lemon verbena and lavender like as it dries down. It makes me think of Jason from the Percy Jackson Series funnily enough. I’m not entirely sure why? It just does.

This is not just an ordinary cologne — it’s a piece of history, a living heritage. But above all, it’s a mood-lifter, a true emotional reset. It’s a high-quality citrus–herbal composition. The fruits are distinctly tart, slightly bitter, while the herbs are aromatic and carry subtle medicinal nuances. And somehow, this very combination brings an immediate sense of calm and relief — it soothes the nerves, relaxes the mind, and creates a feeling of inner balance. The projection and longevity are moderate, but reapplication becomes a pleasure in itself — a small ritual of self-care, a conscious pause, a moment to breathe and return to yourself. Something truly beautiful — worth knowing, owning, and wearing.

Zesty, juicy citruses and biting petitgrain burst off the top, leading into a herbal heart centered around a slightly soapy neroli. A little floral, green, aromatic. Not quite aquatic, though the juiciness of the fruits give it a similar watery texture. The quintessential fresh and vibrant eau de cologne, but with a hint of warm spicy undertones from the clove. Soft projection for 2-3hr, longevity 5-6hr. Scent-wise, this is at the top of my list for a classic cologne-style fragrance. It has the performance to match, unfortunately, but so it goes with this style of fragrance.

I smelled this blind and I'm surprised it's listed as a women's perfume. Definitely unisex IMO and strong resemblance to offerings from Acqua Di Parma Colonia and other neroli frags that riff on this genre. Maybe it reminds me also of Prada Infusions D'iris Cedre but without the iris and cedar. Ingredients are very high quality and this is a powerhouse for a couple hours and then it's a skin scent that sits close to skin. First impression so take it for what it's worth, but my opinion is it's beautiful and natural with the expected performance of an Eau De cologne.

cloth test The citrus freshness is there but it's not harsh at all, it's refreshing. It's got a bit of spice in the freshness but it's not sharp or spiky. It reminds me of a flowing stream, smooth, fresh, reflecting light, surrounded by trees. I detect the herbal note of rosemary. skin test Fresh, citrus, green, cool. It wafts just a hint of spice and herbiness as it dries. I tested this in November but I bet it would be wonderful in the summer. It feels very cooling. I love it! This is everything a cologne should be.

Strange and unique scent, it opens up very bright and with an almost vegetal quality, but dries down quickly into something more clove-y. I've never smelled anything like this. Patchouli in the base is a tad strong for my taste. Sadly it's barely lasts at all on my skin and I hit base notes before i've even worn it for an hour. Otherwise I'd want to buy a bottle of this, but with how weak it is I would never :/

This fragrance opens very much like a classic cologne, reminiscent of 4711, crisp and clean. Quite quickly a lovely warm clove note emerges, giving the scent a truly special character. If this fragrance were more long lasting, I would definitely consider buying it. Unfortunately it fades within an hour, which makes it hard to justify. Still, wow, that clove note is simply unforgettable.

Aqua Della Regina evoked childhood memories for me, because it smelled very similar to the Spanish children's cologne Nenuco. (Of course we all know ADR came first). It's a quintessential clean, safe fragrance. Honestly, I love it. Douse myself with it after a bath. Great on a sweltering day. A cooling and uplifting scent.

They say this is for women but it’s very similar to classic masculine colognes. Fresh neroli citrus petitgrain lavender patchouli. Similar to acqua di Parma colonia in style but more neroli lavender forward and less citrus. Lovely.

classic italian men cologne style, I don't know why its gendered more female... Tried the other vials while buying this bottle, fell inlove with Lïris & Melograno, its on my wishlist.

I recently bought the discovery kit from this brand, and this was the fragrance I was most excited to try because of the history behind it. It’s overall a fresh, aromatic, herbal scent. I definitely get the neroli upon first spray, as well as the herbs and even a hint of the clover in the background. It reminds me of walking through an herb garden. Not floral or sweet at all. Kinda soapy. It’s honestly giving me similar vibes to Byredo’s Gypsy Water - they have similar “herbal” vibes and if you like that one, you may like this one. I think this would also layer REALLY well with the recent Neroli Bergamot fragrance mist from Victoria’s Secret, if you happen to have that in your stash. From a historical perspective, this is definitely an interesting insight into the type of perfume that would have likely been worn in Catherine de Medici’s time. Granted, I don’t know how similar this really is to the original scent; I’m assuming, like many older/classic perfumes, it’s probably been reformulated and tweaked slightly for modern noses. But it does make sense to me that a fragrance in that time would be more “natural” and “herbal,” reflecting the ingredients available. Overall, not a favorite for me, but I don’t dislike it. It will be refreshing in the summertime. EDIT: Wanted to add a quick note about lasting power, it’s not great. About what you’d expect from a light eau de cologne concentration. 1-2 hours before reapplying.

Zesty, citrus heaven! Somehow, despite its regal past, there’s nothing fussy or outdated about this fragrance. It smells clean, light, and fresh. Unmistakably Italian... timeless, sun soaked, and rich with stories. As a history lover, what makes Acqua della Regina really special is its past. I first smelled this on my honeymoon in Florence Italy, and the story behind the perfume blew me away. First crafted in 1533 for Caterina de’ Medici, a queen to be departing Florence for the French court, this was not just a fragrance... it was a farewell, a gift, a bottled memory of home. Imagine her, young and uncertain, crossing borders with this scent tucked among silks and personal belongings. A thread of neroli and juicy citrus tying her to the sun drenched hills of Tuscany, even in the cool, formal chambers of her French palace. This perfume really makes me feel like a time traveller. As with most of SMN’s perfumes, I really wish they lasted longer and projected a little better. The longevity is particularly poor on this one, 30 minutes to 1 hour max.

A very pretty Eau de Cologne, except this was created 100 years or more before actual Eau de Cologne! I love the story behind it - Catherine de Medici had such a difficult life, but at least she had Renato Bianco to create this lovely uplifing scent for her, and for her marriage. It appeals to my imagination as I imagine Renato as a devoted friend who wanted to gift Catherine something uplifting to help her face an upcoming marriage to a total stranger, and she was only 14! This is bottled sunshine - less herby than 1411, more floral and pretty, but refreshingly citric too. Doesn't last long, but that's the nature of Eau de Cologne. Big like!

Nothing too special, but it's a pleasant light summer fragrance. I get a bit of herbal spice on the first spray. Its zesty bitterness definitely reminds me of an essential oil (probably the lavender/rosemary/citrus blend). Downsides: No longevity at all. It's like you're walking past someone's herb garden. Stop and smell, because it won't be here for long. Its opening also reminds me of hand sanitizer? Likely due to its herbal citrusy-ness. Luckily, its sterile sharpness quickly fades into a gentler, woodier base (and then, into literally nothing).

I was curious about the brand and have purchased a large amount of samples. So far, they've all had a bit of a performance problem (sit close to the skin and are -very- ephemeral) but they're complex and have that old-world feel to them. Acqua Della Regina is very citrusy and fresh on the opening, and the dry down isn't as sweet on me as some other reviewers have mentioned, but rather turns into a lovely herbal musk.

A little acerbic upon first spray...but it’s beautiful. If you layer it with a vanilla, it gives you a Christmassy scent. Or Frootloops. That’s what I’ve been doing since it’s winter, to warm up the fragrance a little. By itself it’s clean & bright. My biggest complaint abt it is the same complaint I have abt almost all SMN scents...very little longevity!!!

I’m a world history teacher. I bought this fragrance because I enjoy it, but I also love the story behind it. I brought it in for my students (when I taught about the Medicis), sprayed it on a card, and passed it around. They found it super interesting, but were not impressed with the fragrance...but I like it anyway!

Classic zingy cologne with herbs. Smells like Colonia. I liked reading the story below from DovelineGirl, it helped me connect to the scent more and tie this neroli/petitgrain/rosemary scent to a sunny place. Makes me want to visit Tuscany to smell traces of this scent in real life.

Beautiful opening: fresh, bright, almost gingery. Very clean and light. Would I bring this into my personal rotation? No. I think it's a stunning scent, especially in the warmer months, but there are more exciting citrus scents out there.

A very light, fresh aromatic scent. Smells extremely sweet in the dry-down. It only lasts an hour on me so I might need to spray something else on top.

Classic ,fresh, green and citrusy . Gives you that relaxing scent of wet napkins in a business class flight or in a fancy restaurant .

i like the scent but... its so weak that i can not justify buying a bottle. Even 4711 cologne has better projection

A fragrance with such a storied past—a scent steeped in the legend of Catherine de’ Medici, a regal elixir whispering of courtly intrigue. Yet Acqua Della Regina is not an opulent tapestry but rather a bracing study in citrus and spice, arriving from the very start with an electric burst of sour bergamot and lemon. Piercingly bright, citric juices slice through the air with almost medicinal clarity, no warmth, only a brisk astringent freshness. This sharpness finds an unlikely accomplice in cloves, their fiery bite unfurling like a flick of smoke against skin, spicy and spiky. Aromatic greenness also lends ADR this crisp herbal austerity like a palace apothecary. What I expected to be a languid Sicilian afternoon was rather one spent crushing citrus rinds between cold fingertips, driven hot from camphoraceous nips of cloves. Restraint, rather than indulgence, Acqua Della Regina performs clean, linear, and unwaveringly bright. It is not bad—it is in fact strikingly composed, a chiaroscuro of light and shadow, sharpness and spice. Yet far removed from the romance I imagined, far removed from the velvety intrigue its history suggests—commanding respect surely, but never quite compelling me to reach for it again.

It smells very Italian, indeed. I love the history behind this perfume house, and for this particular scent as well, as it is supposed to be fit for a queen. However, it is a simple neroli fragrance that graces your skin for about 10 minutes, and then disappears. Absolutely no lasting power. For an artful Italian perfume, I would have expected more. It is certainly a "walk-through-the-garden on a warm spring day" kind of fragrance. Just make sure you keep it in your purse, so you can reapply it constantly.

Absolutely lovely first spray; complex and aromatic...and then it turns into orange peel. Actually, if you rubbed real orange peel on your skin it would not only smell stronger, but also last longer and potentially smell a little better. Since this is such an important part of perfume history, I'm extremely curious to know what the first formulation smelled like, and if it was anything like this at all.

A gorgeous, true neroli. Now neroli is not usually my cup of tea, as I find it a little nauseating, but this one is very well done from a technical standpoint. Lucky for me, it dries into a very light, pretty citrus, and not like the headache inducing neroli that I am used to This is one of the scents that I want to like very badly because I love the history of it. Unfortunately, it is just okay!

The opening is like a detergent citrus. After the first few minutes, it became more gentle, and the neroli came up. In the middle the lavender was noticeable. Overall a summerish, light and bright scent. The sillage and performance are sadly the SMN usual.

If you like 4711, Neroli Portofino or Nenuco, please beware. It might appear similar in the beginning, but the base smells like a man perfume from the 80s, with a weird patchouli base that doesn't seem to match the clean and crisp nature of the scent.

at first i get a citronella mosquito repellent feel, but it gets better in the drydown. i think im not a fan of neroli cause i honestly like the italian citruses. good thing is i can actually picture Catherine de Medici wearing something like this.

A light, fresh, aromatic fragrance. Citrus and neroli followed by herbs and soapy blossom. The dry down on me is herbal rather than sweet. An easy wear, unisex, classic scent. Fades very quickly though.

The citrus is too sharp- more reminiscent of cleaning products than a perfume for personal use, but that may be the fault of my own as I usually use citrus scented disinfectant sprays...

Neroli and more neroli and yes, it does smell a bit medicinal. As the relief below reminds us, this is of an old recipe and should be considered in that way.

Fresh, bright, light citrus with an herbal undertone. Slight fruit loops aspect. Great for summer. Not very evocative for me.

Gomez cologne is cheaper, has the same scent and longevity, but doesn't have the history. I think it is overpriced.

First impressions: orange blossom! Juicier than most florals I come across. Very linear, but nice.

I found the opening to smell absolutely gorgeous; it has a slight "old school" feel, it's fresh, juicy, green, and very natural smelling. Dry down? I honestly just washed my hand multiple times to get rid of it. Why? It has become sickening sweet. Maybe for most people it's just sweet, but as someone who isn't into sweet scents, it's just a no no. You should give it a try if you like vintage leaning AdC type of scents, and you don't mind the sweetness.

I really wanted to like this but the opening is bitter to me and afterwards it just smells like bathroom detergent. What a shame.

Okay. Typical orange-blossomy scent.

I recently purchased a Santa Maria Novella Discovery kit: Acqua della Regina - smells like my favorite Bath Roman Premium Hot Herb Bath Salts (soothing ginger, red pepper, yuzu, etc), but not much the next day, the oddball as the only sample not still shouting 24 hrs later Fresia - a very soapy freesia scent, leaves, potting soil, bright sunshine on a perfect day Rosa Gardenia - that pickled floral that I despise, May roses screeching out for justice, The Perfumers Workshop Tea Rose turned spiteful and pretentious Rosa Novella - wonderfully warm, calm, patchouli-rose. Your mom reading your favorite picture book that you got from the library, a copy that was printed in 1990, after you just did a good job dusting the heirloom hardwood furniture with lemon Pledge. Unrelated to Agent Provacateur (cool-skin rose with warm metallic saffron) or L’Agent (boozey-spicebomb rose). Angeli di Firenze - unripe cantaloupe soap, melon gives my tummy a sinking-feeling Melograno - not what I expected from “pomegranate,” and oakmoss in the ingredients surely helps this become a personal favorite. This pomegranate received the Christmas Orange Ornament treatment and smells like all the best memories. Invokes a bodily response of “everything is going to be alright.” Excellent ally to victory in the battle vs holiday anxiety and car sickness! Tabacco Toscano - delicious, quality vanilla accosted by rubbery hickory smoke Pot Pourri - I was not expecting the Noxema scent, the face cleanser which I once bought to smell simply because it was so soothing and enjoyable, knowing it’s an awful product that has no place in a skincare routine. This is the strongest of the samples and smells just as much like a fresh tub of Noxema 24 hrs later, but now with orange peel demanding attention. 48 hrs later evocative of rose and pine forest and all fae folk who live within. Beautiful, and at no point did I see where this perfume was going.

If its marketing history is sincere, Acqua della Regina, first made in 1533, is the oldest continuously produced commercial fragrance in the world. That is not a pedigree to sneeze at, ...and one definitely worth a sniff. Indeed, it is still a very pleasant, and very light, citrus-aromatic cologne of impeccable quality. Of course, its scent profile has had centuries to be diffused and emulated throughout perfumery, ...and now one can find innumerable similar fragrances at every level of price and quality. Regardless, any living antique from the Renaissance will always be an exceptional object d'art. As for its admittedly fleeting performance, ...that too is a modern misunderstanding. For truly, half the pleasure such light summer colognes is found in their frequent and always refreshing reapplication. So splash or spray it on and then breathe in its essence quickly, for it does not last, ...much as life itself. And yes, though they both lack AdR's distinct note of cloves, and are even more fleeting in duration, 4711 Original and Guerlain's Eau de Cologne Imperiale are rather similar, ...but both are only children, born 1793 and 1860, in comparison to the venerable Italian Queen. Perhaps, that would make them among the world's oldest dupes!

Said to be the same (or approximately the same) perfume created for Catherine de Medici, on the occasion of her marriage to King Henry II of France in 1533. It's interesting, as it doesn't smell like a grand perfume for the wedding of a monarch. Instead, it smells like an eau de cologne composed of ingredients that you could imagine would be available at the time to monks running a pharmacy. Rosemary, citrus oils, lavender, and I'm guessing patchouli and cloves would have been exotic and expensive imports. Very fresh, but also a little medicinal - with almost a mosquito repellant vibe. It's still pleasant though. Great projection for the first hour, then quickly dried to a very subtle skin scent. Unisex.

I endorse what Marta_Regina has said below. This is a fragrance of great distinction, very much in the vein of the original Acqua di Parma Colonia, though perhaps slightly less refined. As Nosenoor states, there is a distinct clove note, albeit not overpowering. If you love the AdP, this would be a safe blind buy (but always best to try on skin first). Longevity is not the best, so advisable to respray during the day if you are working from home or have the bottle or decant with you. As Ross from TLTG wisely says, this hobby is about more than just performance - it is about the olfactive journey and the story behind each fragrance. And few fragrances bear an older or more illustrious story than this one.

Absolutely wonderful citrus and neroli opening! Unique in that the neroli doesn't overpower everything else as it does in a lot of other fragrances. As it wears on, it takes on a sweeter, muskier tone, almost orangesicle like, that's characteristic of a lot of SMN's scents. Unfortunately, a worse performer than a lot of other frags from this brand, fades incredibly quickly.

I can smell lots and lots of néroli, with a tiny bit of citrus on top of it which adds a little acidity to the lot. It's lovely, yet a very simple fragrance. Perfect for a hot summer's day! Edit: turns out the longevity is very bad on this one... I can't smell much an hour after spraying... This does not happen with my other SMN colognes.

A familiar, beautiful neroli and citrus opening. A light, summer scent with cologne-like performance as Acqua Della Regina is gone within the first hour. Appropriate for any gender, natural and an easy wear.

The history behind this perfume made me want to love this, however, the citrus in this fragrance strongly reminds me of mosquito repellent and I unfortunately can’t get past it.

Very nice fresh scent in the opening, very lemony. Dried down very fast to a softer scent that vanishes within an hour. Lovely scent I just wish it lasted longer.

Reminds me of the time when I travelled to Italy (especially Amalfi). Really aromatic and has flesh citrus scent. I like this but lacks longevity.