The reason why one travels is perhaps to find perfection – perfect beauty, perfect sandwiches, perfect art, perfect men or women…. But the more one travels (and the more one ages) the more one’s love affair with perfection becomes an obsession. My love affair with the perfect city is alive and thriving. And the more I travel, the more I need to travel and the perfect city seems to pop up from nowhere. So this time as we were heading to that enchantress of cities Florence, we stopped over at a friend’s in Bologna, tasted the Bolognese, and this became my latest officially most perfect spot on the globe. These are some notes from my diary.

The can’t-miss, fashion hotspot in this city right now is the L’Inde Le Palais (Via de’ Musei 6 Bologna, +39 051 648 6587) concept shop, inspired in an edgy way from India. The shop is made of little rooms each a world of its own. The one where the cash register is, is home to such cult perfumers as Serge Lutens and Robert Piguet (I cannot recommend Piguet’s floral tuberose 1948 Fracas and Luten’s woody spicy Féminité du Bois perfumes highly enough). Then you go up the stairs and have this immediate love affair with Thomas Wylde’s skull dotted clutch and Lanvin dresses. Alber Elbaz has singularly put feminity firmly back in the wardrobe with the right lengths, shapes, textures and sparkle. L’Inde might not stock too many shoes, but they have the right ones. I will certainly leave with the classic Lanvin pump in brown leather with black satin frilled seams. And if you head to the basement you have a great selection of CD compilations and fashion books. And just as we thought that the only thing missing was a café, we spotted theirs just opposite, with a portico seating area which serves aperitivo and chef Keiko’s excellent sushis.

Bologna has a long tradition of high education; the University of Bologna which opened doors in 1088 is the world’s oldest university. So it’s so appropriate that the world’s oldest university town also has the world’s nicest bookshop. Librerie Coop Ambasciatori (Via Orefici 19 Bologna, +39 051 220131) was once a porn cinema hall. In its newest incarnation where its 14th century walls have been kept intact, Librerie Coop stirs up books and pasta on all its floors. So while you can browse through their excellent selection of art books or traditional Italian recipes for jams, you could also grab a beer from their Trappist section and settle in with others doing the same around a big dining table. Or order a fantastic meal upstairs and buy cooking books alongside, or better still head to their wine bar with the most magnificent skylight I have ever seen, where fine wines are to be had at supermarket prices.

Bologna also has one of the world’s most respected faculties of medicine and has a large number of hospitals, the reason why some many exquisite pharmacies dot the cityscape all peddling locally made wonder creams and lotions. Our favourite, the Farmacia del Pavaglione (Via Archiginnasio, 2/A Bologna, +39 051 22 16 40) on the Piazza Maggiore combines old-world charm with their own brand of ointments and creams. Their hydrating lotion for the eyes is a favourite – high performance with good prices.

Bologna’s motto of Libertas or liberty also means that the city remains a prime centre of gay activism in the country, so an entire bookshop nonchalantly dedicated to gay culture comes as no surprise. At Igor, the gay bookshop (Via San Petronio Vecchio, 3 Bologna, +39 051 229 466), you shall meet Igor the dog and his two wonderful masters who have acquired the most stunning collection of iconic gay literature, coffee table books and comics from around the globe. Most are in Italian but they have a formidable section in English too.

While Bologna is wonderful, no one would resist Florence just an hour away on the Eurostar. Head there and once ‘arted’ out, make a pilgrimage to Farmacia di Santa Maria Novella (Via della Scala 16, Florence, +39 055 216 276 436 8315). It’s an old-world apothecary that originally started in this monastery in 1221. As you enter the spacious frescoed premises and cupboards dating back a few centuries, you are greeted by potions and vials of elixirs, eau de colognes in 30 different fragrances from sandalwood to patchouli, triple distilled pure fragrances of almost every possible flower and the same hand-blended, hand-wrapped perfection poured into soaps. The aftershave lotions for men promise a big night out with fragrances including Russian cologne and lavender, shaving foam with olive oil and cacao butter and pomegranate after-shave cream. Baby oils, cream perfumes and baby liquid soaps all come in separate boy and girl fragrances. The most exhilarating collection yet is for the house – with carnations, verbena, sandalwood and rose for the burner, iris and pomegranate candles and lavender tablets for the closet, and a special fragrance to perfume your visiting cards.

While the tourists head to Santa Maria Novella, the Florentines head to Il Bisonte (Via del Parione 31/R Florence, +39 055 215 722) where design in vachetta leather marries function with designer Wanny Di Filippo’s handbags, wallets, luggage and other beautiful accessories. The smell of cured leather pervades the entire store. The vegetable dyed tan leather pieces come of age seductively over many years. Hobos, totes, weekenders, wash bags, shopping bags, wallets, card cases and diaries all come in natural soft grey, brown and black tones all stamped with the trademark bison logo. The men’s briefcases are cleverly structured, offering room and a sharp silhouette, and there are plenty of top quality gift ideas: small leather accessories, belts, bracelets, scarves, hats and key chains.

L’INDE LE PALAIS
Via de’ Musei 6 Bologna Tel: +39 051 648 6587

LIBRERIE COOP
AMBASCIATORI
Via Orefici 19 Bologna Tel: +39 051 220131

FARMACIA DEL PAVAGLIONE
Via Archiginnasio, 2/A Bologna Tel: +39 051 22 16 40

IGOR, THE GAY BOOK SHOP
Via San Petronio Vecchio, 3 Bologna Tel: +39 051 229 466 www.myspace.com/igorthegaybookshop

FARMACIA DI SANTA MARIA NOVELLA
Via della Scala 16, Florence Tel: +39 055 216 276 436 8315

IL BISONTE
Via del Parione 31/R Florence Tel: +39 055 215 722

Jahnvi Dameron Nandan is the author of Tokyo Style File. A self-confessed travelista with the budget issues of a fashionista, she is now working on her new book on design.

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