The best vacation perfumes for city and beach escapes

These are the ultimate memory-making vacation perfumes, no matter your destination...

Got a getaway booked and want a scent to match your destination? These are the ultimate vacation perfumes, from fresh and salty scents to niche, woody and coffee-like blends fit for a sophisticated city break.

Whatever fragrance you pick should leave you with lasting scent memories that will transport you right back to your poolside spot and evoke all those happy, blissful vibes, even when you're back at work (*cry*). And like all the best perfumes, they should make an impression on those around you—and, of course, keep them guessing about what scent you're wearing.

What's more, if you're planning to pack light, you might also need a fragrance that covers all the bases—like a day-to-date night perfume. So, whether you're after a versatile vacay scent that you can repurpose as an office perfume or a tantalizing vanilla perfume, we've asked the experts which fragrances will create the perfect scentscape for your trip...

When it comes to holiday scents, you might typically think of sweet and floral perfumes that evoke thoughts of blossoming flowers, blue skies and sunscreen, but The Fragrance Shop's Chief Commercial Officer, Natalia Ortiz, recommends some altogether zestier perfume notes for summer 2023...

RRP: from $40 for 1.7 fl oz

If you're looking for a budget-friendly option, this &Other Stories scent is perfect. It features a summery blend of lemon and grapefruit, with bursts of jasmine and vanilla, complete with musky base notes of amber and cedarwood.

RRP: from $110 for 1.7 fl oz

For that fresh beachy feel, this sweet scent boasts notes of sea salt, vanilla and sandalwood.

So, if you're planning to spend the summer months sprawled on a sandy beach, this is the fragrance for you. Also available in a mini, travel size.

RRP: from $175 for 3.7 fl oz

This perfume ticks all our summer scent boxes, with its blend of zingy Italian lemon, grapefruit, green mandarin, Florida orange, cedar and earthy thyme

RRP: from $39.90 for 3.04 fl oz

With notes of grapefruit, mandarin and musk vetiver, this perfume is ideal for both a city and a sunny escape! As Jo Malone CBE describes: "A crisp white cotton shirt layered with citrus cologne, an everyday accessory for me."

RRP: from $85 for 1 fl oz

Ortiz recommends Margiela's Matcha Meditation for your next city-based trip!

This eau de toilette is a fresh and citrussy scent, with notes of bergamot essence, matcha accord, and moss accord. It's like a dreamy, warm cup of matcha in a bottle!

RRP: from $220 for 1.7 fl oz

This cruelty-free perfume also has notes of sandalwood and leather, with top and middle scents of violet accord, cardamom, iris and ambrox. It's definitely more of an investment purchase but perfectly fulfills the role of a holiday, day-to-day and office perfume, in just one bottle.

If you're looking to pack light for your sun-soaked getaway and just take one of your fave perfumes, Ortiz says: "Heat causes our fragrance to evaporate differently and the perfume's base notes, which are the strongest, stay on the skin longer."

RRP: from $95 for 1 fl oz

Gucci Bloom is a great summer getaway scent, with Ortiz's recommended notes of jasmine and honeysuckle, with the addition of woody notes like sandalwood and musk.

RRP: from $24 for 3.04 fl. oz.

"If you prefer a light, crisp, airy summer payoff, it may be worth switching out your holiday perfume for a body mist, as this provides more of a subtle boost of fragrance throughout the day, and into the night. " The Sol De Janeiro Brazillian Crush mist is a favorite on TikTok and would be the perfect travel companion!

RRP: from $38 for 8.01 fl. oz.

If you're looking for more of a floral vibe, but like the sound of a perfume mist for your travels, the Sol De Janeiro 68 Beija Flor scent is perfect!

Not only is it layerable but you can also spritz it onto your hair and the size of the bottle for the price tag makes it super cost-effective! You can also shop it in a mini size if you're only traveling with a carry-on!

There are a few different fragrance moods you can opt for for different types of trips...

For a summer getaway, Ortiz recommends:

If you've got a city break booked for next fall and are perhaps looking for a more sophisticated, complex scent—like some of the best oud perfumes—Ortiz recommends:

Naomi is a Lifestyle News Writer with the Women's Lifestyle team and has recently earned her Gold Standard diploma in Journalism with the NCTJ. She has a background in design, having studied Illustration at Plymouth University but has taken a leap into the world of journalism after always having a passion for writing. She currently writes pieces on beauty, trends, fashion, and entertainment for GoodTo and My Imperfect Life. She also tests and reviews beauty and skincare products and tries out the latest TikTok hacks for My Imperfect Life.

Before working for Future Publishing's Lifestyle News team, she worked in the Ad production team. Here she wrote and designed adverts on all sorts of things, which then went into print magazines across all genres. Now, when she isn't writing articles on celebs, fashion trends, or the newest shows on Netflix, you can find her drinking copious cups of coffee, drawing and probably online shopping.

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