Shopping in Santiago for tourists: what to buy, where and how to get around
A practical guide for tourists visiting Santiago who want to buy clothing, souvenirs, technology or handicrafts. It includes transport tips, recommended districts and what to expect from Chilean malls.
Why Santiago is a good shopping destination
Santiago has the widest range of shopping in Chile and one of the most complete in South America. The malls are modern, safe and well connected by metro. You'll find international brands such as Zara, H&M, Nike, Adidas, Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger at prices that can be competitive with other countries in the region, especially for European brands and at the outlets.
What to buy in Santiago
The most popular purchases among tourists include clothing and footwear from international brands, technology (especially at Costanera Center and Alto Las Condes), cosmetics at stores like Sephora, and local products such as wine, Mapuche handicrafts and textiles in the downtown markets. For more authentic souvenirs, the Mercado Central, the Vega Central and the Bellavista neighbourhood are a great complement to the mall circuit.
How to get around between malls
The Santiago metro connects directly to Costanera Center (Tobalaba station), Mallplaza Vespucio (Bellavista de La Florida station) and Florida Center (Mirador station). For Mallplaza Norte, Parque Arauco, Alto Las Condes and Casacostanera it's best to combine the metro with a bus, Uber or taxi. The Quilicura outlets are best reached by car or a direct Uber.
Practical tips
Malls in Chile typically open from 10:00 to 21:00 on weekdays and until 22:00 at weekends, though it's worth confirming on each mall's official site. For payments, most stores accept international Visa and Mastercard cards. The busiest sale seasons are January–February and July.