I’ve unknowingly had a thing for crystals and crystal shops since childhood. I had a clear quartz necklace that I loved to wear as well as an amethyst crystal that I kept in my bedroom. I don’t have that one anymore but I do have an amethyst crystal water bottle that I use all the time. Additionally, I once bought a small clear case filled with tiny stones and minerals as a souvenir from a natural history museum, and I always kept it on my shelf. From time to time, I would open them up, hold them in my hand and just play with them. Honestly, I knew nothing about high vibes or healing power…I just liked them. I found the crystals alluring, and that was that.
Well, I’ve gotten into them again. I wear some crystal bracelets every day and in addition, I always carry at least one around for all-around good vibes and energy. I know some people think it’s nonsense, but I don’t. Just because something isn’t “rational” or scientifically proven, doesn’t mean it can’t be true.
So, where to go about buying crystals in the Lombard capital? Here are four of my favorite crystal shops in Milan.
1. I Sentieri del Vento
This is my favorite of the crystal shops! However, they have so much more than crystals: candles, incense, oils, books, sage, palo santo and more. It’s a lovely little new age locale. I appreciate how they label all the crystals with names and prices, and how the experience is highly autonomous. You can take your time…pick one up, put one down and come back to it. They give you a little box to put your crystals in as peruse the generous selection. The pleasant staff never rushes you or hovers over you as you browse.
When you pay, they’ll put them in individual plastic wrappers and write the crystal’s name down with a marker so you don’t forget it! At the moment, I’m currently digging chrysoprase, prehnite and black-tourmaline-infused crystal quartz. (Via Santa Marta 19; Tuesday – Friday: 10am to 2.30pm; 3.30pm to 7pm; Saturday: 10am – 2pm; 3pm to 7pm; Monday: 3.30pm to 7pm; closed Sunday; website)
2. Libreria Esoterica
This delightful new age bookshop has a sufficient and noteworthy selection of crystals, although the offerings aren’t as vast as I Sentieri del Vento. Again, I appreciate the autonomy of the shopping experience as well as the price labels. I love the purple fluorite and red jasper bracelets that I found here in addition to a few interesting individual stones such as leopardskin jasper. In addition to all the books, this new agers paradise has incense, oils, candles, an entire wall of tarot cards and more. (Via dell’Unione 1; Monday – Saturday: 10am to 8pm; Sunday: 2.30pm – 7.30pm; website)
3. Le Pietre delle Meraviglie
This lovely shop located in the mid-level section of Milano Centrale is quite large. It sells jewelry made from crystals in addition to the crystals themselves, and I have made a habit of popping in either before or after I catch a train. Although I do understand why, the experience as a whole is not fully autonomous. The shop is big and Milano Centrale is known to attract the occasional cast of unsavory characters, so it’s best not to tempt them with tiny rocks at their fingertips.
Giant labeled containers stow the crystals, to which you don’t help yourself. Instead, you tell the staff which crystal you want and they take the lid off, tell you the price that’s written on the lid and then place several out on the table for you to rummage through and select. Most noteworthy are my howlite, rainbow moonstone and labradorite. Additionaly, there are lovely raw crystals kept in the display cabinet beside the crystal containers.
Also, what’s super cool is that they have little printouts for each stone explaining the properties, uses, etc. I love this! (Milano Centrale, mid-level; Open seven days: 8am to 8pm; website)
4. Iris Albedo
This is a jewelry/new age shop that sells several crystals. The owner is very nice and full of knowledge! However, the thing is that the crystals are not always labeled with names so you have to do a lot of asking. I found a lovely rainbow obsidian here that I just adore the bejesus out of. However, since there aren’t many price labels, you get the impression that they’re being made up as you go along, so it’s hard to tell for sure if you’re really getting a “deal” because you bought five. (Via Canonica 6; Tuesday – Saturday; 10am – 7.30pm; Monday 3pm to 7.30pm; closed Monday, no website)
Cover photo: Visual Hunt
