Does marble have a scent? Yes, it has the fragrance of art, history, and matter. It recalls Italy’s culture, uniqueness, and the beauty of the places where marble is extracted, such as the neighboring regions of Liguria and Tuscany.
And there is no better destination than Portovenere, in the Gulf of Poets, where to embark on a sensory journey to discover marble!
From Portovenere, you can admire Tuscany’s Apuan Alps, home to the historical Carrara marble quarries. It is said that the great Italian sculptor Michelangelo personally extracted some pieces of white marble from these mountains, feeling the rock in his hands and imagining his works of art right there.
The Apuan Alps overlook Liguria’s Gulf of Poets, home to another refined and rare marble type, the Portoro. Used since Roman times, this fine-grained, black marble features gold veining that resembles ripples in a stream. It is also known as Marmo di Portovenere because it was quarried in Portovenere, just one hour away from Carrara.
Grand Hotel Portovenere celebrates the connection between Liguria and Tuscany by offering its Guests exclusive marble tours and a new sensory journey!
Portovenere’s artisanal marble aroma diffusers
Collaborating with Italian artisans, Grand Hotel Portovenere has conceived and created unique aroma diffusers. They are made with marble and embellished with a golden insert forged by the Collegio dei Monetieri Toscani, which carries out the centuries-old tradition of the Mint of Lucca.
The diffusers contain fragrances that are evocative of the marbles from Carrara and Portovenere. A perfume expert helped give life to these precious essences.
CALACATTA
Calacatta is one of the precious marbles extracted in the Apuan Alps. It is fine-grained and has a white background characterized by soft shades and veins that range from light yellow to gray.
The scent is sweet and delicate, with an exotic touch brought by the star anise on a more persistent base of sandalwood, vanilla, cedarwood and white musk.
BIANCO CARRARA
Carrara’s white marble has been recognized for its fine grain and versatility by sculptors from all over the world since the time of Julius Caesar. The Bianco Carrara fragrance has spicy notes of ginger and saffron, sweetened by hints of roses and honey.
The base is full of discordant elements that reflect this sensory journey’s true complexity and value.
PORTORO
This is an opulent and sensual essence dedicated to the now rare marble extracted in the Gulf of Poets.
Like the wild sea that enchanted poets Lord Byron and Percy Shelley, Portoro draws you in with its intense and dark notes of ambergris, patchouli, sandalwood, and white musk that re-emerge in an explosion of fruity notes.
Your sensory journey in Portovenere
These valuable fragrances are long-lasting and can accompany your stay in Portovenere. If you are a Guest at Grand Hotel Portovenere, you can try the aroma diffusers in your room. If you wish, you can also buy the one that suits you best and enjoy the scent of marble (and Portovenere) back home!
