Shopping Centers
Santiago is home to two American-style megamalls: Parque Arauco, Av. Kennedy 5413, open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 9pm, Sunday and holidays from 11am to 9pm; and Alto Las Condes, Av. Kennedy 9001, open Monday through Saturday from 10:30am to 9pm and Sunday and holidays from 11am to 9pm. Both offer a hundred or so national brands and well-known international chains, junk-food courts, and multiscreen theaters (Parque Arauco is closer to Providencia), but Parque Arauco now has the edge with its new "Boulevard" shopping area with hip shops and (unbelievably) some of Santiago's better restaurants. The best way to get to Parque Arauco is by cab (about $5-$6/£2.50-£3 from Providencia). Note that weekends are jam-packed with shoppers. There are no Metro stops near Alto Las Condes.
Like most Latin American nations, many Chileans sell out of shopping galerías, labyrinthine minimalls with dozens of compact shops that independent vendors can rent for considerably less money than a regular storefront. Most are cheap to midrange clothing stores, upstart designers with fun styles but so-so fabrics, or importers of crafts, antiques dealers, tailors, and so on. A vibrant, bustling example is the Mall Panorámico, Avenida Ricardo Lyon and Avenida 11 de Septiembre (Metro: Pedro de Valdivia), with 130 shops and a department store across the street. For funky boutiques, try the "Drugstore," on Avenida Providencia between Las Urbinas and Avenida de Fuenzalida (walk back to where the cafe seating is and go left). Several blocks away on General Holley, Suecia, and Bucarest streets, you'll find more expensive, upscale clothing boutiques. Chile's version of Rodeo Drive is Alonso de Córdova in the Vitacura neighborhood -- there are also good-quality boutiques here, including furniture, household goods, and jewelry.
Crafts Markets
Crafts markets can be found around Santiago, as either permanent installations or weekly events, but two stand out as do-not-miss markets for travelers seeking souvenirs and gifts for friends and family back home. The bonus with these two markets is that with so much on offer, you could do all your shopping in one fell swoop. The brand-new and beautifully designed Patio Bellavista (between Constitución and Pío Nono sts., a half-block from Dardignac; tel. 2/777-4766; www.patiobellavista.cl) is a collection of shops hawking high-quality arts and crafts, jewelry, woolens, and woodwork, and centered around a cobblestone patio with a couple of cafes and outstanding restaurants. Patio Bellavista is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10am to 9pm, and Thursday though Saturday from 10am to 10pm. Farther away, but just as fun to visit, is Los Domínicos (Av. Apoquindo 9085; no phone), open Tuesday through Sunday and holidays from 10:30am to 7pm. Los Domínicos is a folksy, mock colonial village with shops selling hand-knit sweaters, lapis lazuli, arts and crafts, antiques (expensive), and Chilean traditional wear such as ponchos. It sits next to the (usually closed) San Vicente Ferrer de Los Domínicos Church, built in the 18th century. To get here, you'll need a taxi because the market is high in Las Condes. The cost to get here is $5 to $6 (£2.50-£3) one-way if coming from Providencia.
The cheapest place for locally produced crafts is the Feria Santa Lucía, at Cerro Santa Lucía (on the other side of Alameda; Metro: Santa Lucía). The outdoor market is hard to miss, with its soaring billboards and sprawl of stalls hawking clothing, jewelry, and arts and crafts -- even some antiques and collectibles. Hours vary, but it's generally open Monday through Saturday (sometimes Sun) from 10am to 7pm.
