Ancient Pharmacy of Santa Maria della Scala
"Zoom out. What’s the big picture here? Entering this ancient apothecary, the oldest in Europe, feels a little like stepping back in time. You enter through the ground floor of the building, which is now a functioning, modern pharmacy, before heading upstairs to the ancient iteration. Tell us about your fellow tourees. The day we visited it was just us on appointment only, but there’s also the option of booking onto a guided tour. How are the guides? Visitors are welcomed by a friar, who talks you through the various herbs, potions, unguents, balms and oils that they used to heal the ancient Romans. He knows his stuff. Ask him to show you some of the original wooden furniture from the 18th century, and the instruments they used for weighing ingredients and making the medicines. Anything you’ll be remembering weeks or months or years from now? Look out for the teriaca, a potion created and used by ancient Romans as an antidote—ingredients include viper meat. So: money, time—how can we make the most of both? This is a great tour that’s off the usual tourist track. There’s a lot of stairs so it’s not suitable for those with mobility issues." - Maresa Manara
