Penhaligon's

Penhaligon's has a store on Wellington Street, the road that runs south from Bow Street past the Royal Opera House towards the Strand. The house describes itself as British perfumers established in 1870, and its fragrances, distinctive bottles and bath, body and home products have been part of London shopping for more than a century and a half.

The house grew out of traditional English perfumery and still trades on that heritage, with stores styled to match the bottles and presentation. Its collections include scents for men and women, the Portraits range with its animal-headed caps, hand washes and lotions, and home fragrance including candles. The house also runs a refills service for its fine fragrances at selected stores.

Penhaligon's on Wellington Street

This is one of two Penhaligon's addresses in Covent Garden, with a second boutique inside the Market Building, so the Wellington Street store tends to be the calmer of the pair. It sits a short walk from the piazza and the Opera House, which makes it a natural stop before a performance or on the way down to the Strand. Staff talk you through the scent families and the heritage behind each bottle, and testers let you try fragrances on skin rather than paper.

What to expect on a visit

The store opens from 10am until 7pm Monday to Saturday and from midday until 6pm on Sundays. Alongside fragrance there are bath and body products and candles, with gift wrapping in the house's style. Covent Garden perfumery has grown into a cluster over recent years, and Creed on King Street and Miller Harris in the Market Building are both a few minutes away. Browse all Covent Garden cosmetics and beauty shops for more.