Smellwalk Guide: How to Explore Your City Through Scent
- The Economic Botanist
- Jul 4
- 5 min read
This article is about how smellwalks connects us to nature and our environment.
“When we slow down and breathe in our surroundings, the city reveals a new kind of beauty—one that doesn’t just show itself, but reaches us through scent.” – The Economic Botanist
You’ve heard of walking tours. Maybe even mindful walks. But have you ever gone on a smellwalk?
A smellwalk is exactly what it sounds like: a walk where you pay attention to the scents around you. Not just the strong ones (like fresh bread or car exhaust), but the subtle, shifting layers of scent that make up your local smellscape—especially the plant-based ones.
If that sounds a little strange, stay with me. Because this blog is going to show you why smellwalks are one of the most powerful, affordable, and overlooked ways to connect with your environment—and with your own body and mind.
Whether you're strolling through a city park or wandering a tree-lined street, scent is all around you. And once you learn how to notice it, you’ll start to see your neighborhood (and yourself) in a whole new way.
What is a Smellwalk?
A smellwalk is a type of sensory walk focused entirely on olfaction—your sense of smell. Rather than walking with the goal of reaching a destination or counting steps, you walk with the purpose of noticing what you smell.
The idea was popularized by artist and researcher Kate McLean, who mapped city smellscapes around the world—from New York and Amsterdam to Singapore and Paris.
But you don’t need a lab coat or a scent wheel to get started. All you need is your nose and a bit of curiosity.
Why Smellwalks Matter (More Than You Think)
Most of us are visual creatures. We’re used to noticing color, shape, and movement. Smell is usually background noise—or worse, something we only notice when it’s unpleasant.
But here's the thing: smell is one of the most emotionally powerful senses. It's closely tied to memory, mood, and even our sense of identity. In cities, smells shape how we feel about a place—whether it feels relaxing, familiar, energizing, or even safe.
Smellwalks help us:
Reconnect with the natural world, even in urban environments
Notice seasonal changes in a deeper way
Reduce stress by slowing down and tuning into the body
Discover micro-environments we’d otherwise overlook
Smell is information. A smellwalk helps you tune in.
The Benefits of Smellwalking
Taking a smellwalk isn’t just fun or poetic—it’s scientifically backed. Here’s what the research tells us:
Physical Benefits
Reduces stress hormones
Regulates heart rate and blood pressure
Improves breathing and immune response (especially in green areas)
Mental Benefits
Enhances mood and emotional resilience
Boosts memory and concentration
Fights sensory fatigue from digital overload
Social & Cultural Benefits
Helps build place attachment (feeling rooted in your environment)
Sparks conversations and storytelling (“This reminds me of…”)
Brings awareness to community plant life and green equity
In short: it’s free, it’s simple, and it’s good for you.
Fun Fact: Did you know your nose can remember up to 50,000 different scents? That’s way more than your eyes can distinguish colors! So every smell on your smellwalk is a chance to unlock a hidden memory or emotion. Cool, right? |
How to Prepare for Your First Smellwalk
What You’ll Need:
Comfortable walking shoes
A mask-free nose (skip perfume that day)
A small notebook or voice memo app
Optional: water, a friend, or a map
When to Go:
Morning or evening (cooler temps = better scent detection)
After rain (wet plants and soil release rich aromas)
During spring, summer, or fall for more floral and herbal scents
Where to Go:
Botanical gardens or tree-lined streets
Community gardens
City parks and green corridors
Riverside or coastal paths
Anywhere with layers of greenery
What to Smell: A Beginner’s Checklist
Start simple. Here are the categories of scents you’ll likely encounter:
🌸 Floral: Jasmine, rose, magnolia, gardenia
🌿 Herbal: Lavender, mint, thyme, lemon balm
🌳 Woody: Pine, cedar, eucalyptus, fig
🍊 Citrus: Orange blossoms, lemon trees, bitter orange
🌱 Green/Leafy: Crushed leaves, grass, ivy
🌾 Earthy: Wet soil, moss, bark
🌬️ Airy: Humidity, fog, morning dew
Remember—some of the best smells aren’t constant. Lean in, stop walking, crouch near a flower, or rub a leaf between your fingers (gently and respectfully).
Plant Scents to Watch (or Sniff) For
Here’s a list of urban plants that give off notable scents you can catch in public green spaces:
Plant Name | Scent Type | Where You Might Find It |
Lavender | Herbal/Soothing | Urban gardens, medians |
Jasmine | Sweet/Floral | Fences, park edges |
Rosemary | Herbal/Crisp | Community plots, containers |
Pine/Cedar Trees | Woody/Resinous | Parks, forests, cemeteries |
Orange Blossom | Citrus/Floral | Mediterranean-style streets |
Magnolia | Rich/Floral | Boulevards, campuses |
Mint | Sharp/Refreshing | Herb gardens, rain gardens |
Urban Smellwalk Tips
Stop often. Sniff around benches, planters, hedges.
Use your breath. Inhale through your nose slowly and deeply.
Close your eyes. You’ll notice more when vision isn’t dominant.
Don’t rush. This is not a power walk—it’s a sense walk.
Try different paths. Alleyways and less-manicured areas often have surprising smells.
Smellwalking With Others
Smellwalks can be solo, but they’re also wonderful in small groups. Try organizing:
A “scent scavenger hunt” for kids
A mindful walking group with friends
A community smellmap project (check out Kate McLean’s work!)
Smell-based walking is a great way to spark conversations, slow down social time, and even engage with elders who might connect plant smells to rich memories.
Smell Journaling: Capture the Invisible
Want to go deeper? Try a smell journal. It’s just like nature journaling, but focused on scent.
Here’s a template you can follow:
📍 Location:
🌿 What did I smell?
🔁 Did the smell change as I moved?
🧠 What did it remind me of?
😌 How did I feel before/after?
You can also record voice notes, doodle the scent map, or even rate each walk like a wine tasting if you want to geek out.
The Bottom Line
Most people walk through their cities without using their full senses. But once you start noticing smells—the sweet, sharp, earthy, fleeting ones—you’ll never un-smell them again. Your whole relationship with place and season will shift.
Smellwalks remind us that even in concrete jungles, nature is alive and whispering. You just have to breathe it in.
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Here’s your challenge:
🌸 Go on a 20-minute smellwalk this week. No phone distractions. Just you and your nose.
Take a friend if you like. Bring a notebook. And if you notice something beautiful, nostalgic, weird, or powerful—share it. Post about it, or email me. I’d love to know what your city smells like.
Because the more we pay attention to the scents of our surroundings, the more connected, calm, and curious we become.
Let’s start sniffing. The world is waiting.
Science Reading
Forest Volatile Organic Compounds and Their Effects on Human Health: This study examines how plant scents, particularly volatile organic compounds (VOCs), influence human physiological and psychological health. It highlights mechanisms by which these natural aromas can reduce stress and improve mood. Explore the study here
A New Perspective of Sustainable Perception: Research on the Smellscape of Urban Block Space: This study maps urban smells using scent tracking and social media data to explore their role in city planning and sustainability. It proposes themed design routes and strategies to integrate smell into urban development. Explore this study here
Methodologies for smellwalks and scentwalks—a critical review: This study reviews the use of smellwalks—walks focused on sensing odors—as a method for exploring smellscapes. It highlights the lack of standardized methodology, key themes in current practices, and suggests future directions for improving multisensory research techniques. Read more here |
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