Your Guide to the San Diego Mall 

Your Guide to the San Diego Mall

TLDR? San Diego Mall is the oldest Western mall in Medellin, but it’s a large shopping center with various stores for clothing and more.

Are you looking for a good mall in Medellin for your shopping needs? San Diego Mall might be the best shopping center to buy all your essentials. 

When vacationing, it’s normal to forget a valuable or two. And you might also need to restock your clothing essentials. 

San Diego Mall has everything you need. And because it’s a huge mall, let us guide you! In this blog, learn all the details about San Diego, so you won’t feel lost during your next visit! 

About San Diego Mall

About San Diego Mall

Centro Comercial San Diego, more popular as San Diego Mall, is Colombia’s first Western-inspired shopping mall. It first opened in November 1972 with only 54 shops. 

After three expansions, San Diego Mall today has more than 230 shops. This historical mall also paved the way for more Western architectural buildings in Colombia. 

If you’ve been to San Diego, California, you’ll notice most malls are open-air. It’s the same for San Diego Mall in Medellin. And many assumed that it’s the reason why this old western mall was named San Diego. 

Also, because San Diego Mall is the first shopping center in Medellin, locals view this establishment as a historical Paisa landmark. It’s located near Premium Plaza Mall, along Avenida El Poblado in La Calendaria. 

The fascinating thing about the shopping center is that it remained an icon even when newer malls opened later. 

Centro Comercial San Diego is open daily with the following schedules:

  • Mondays to Thursdays – 10 am to 8 pm
  • Fridays to Saturdays – 10 am to 9 pm
  • Sundays – 11 am to 6 pm

It’s also pet-friendly, so you can take along your pets while strolling. Just don’t forget to tie them with a leash so they won’t get lost. 

This shopping center also has lots of parking spaces because it’s open-air. The best time, however, to visit the mall is during the morning while it’s not yet swamped with people. 

Getting There 

Getting There

San Diego Mall is probably the most accessible shopping establishment in Medellin. It’s ten minutes away from the airport. And if you’re coming from Medellin town proper, it’s less than ten minutes away. 

We honestly think this mall has one of the most convenient locations. You can also take the metro station from San Jose. It’s only two stops away. 

Inside San Diego Mall 

Inside San Diego Mall

The major tenants inside San Diego Mall are Falabella and Exito. This old Western-inspired mall has more than 230 shops ranging from the following options:

  • Shoes
  • Clothes
  • Jewelry
  • Eye care
  • Home Furnishings
  • Mattresses
  • Electronics 

If you need to purchase new appliances, this mall has Alkomprar. It’s similar to a small Best Buy, and it offers televisions, kitchen appliances, computers, and other electronic gadgets. 

You can also bring your kids to the mall. San Diego Mall has Happy City. It’s an arcade center filled with various games. And the best part is? It also has a bumper car attraction and a Ferris wheel! 

Also, because Colombia is one of the largest lingerie manufacturers in the world, you’ll find several lingerie stores in the mall. 

Let’s talk about the two largest establishments in Centro Comercial San Diego.

Exito

Exito

Exito is a supermarket for all your needs. Food, electronics, mattresses, kitchen items, clothes – name it! You’ll literally find everything in Exito. 

And if you’re a frequent shopper, make sure to sign up for some Exito points. Accumulating points can help you get sales or promotional items in the future! 

Most visitors going to this mall frequently go to Exito, so the supermarket really gets packed. For the best time, you can come here when the mall has just opened in the morning. 

Fabella

Fabella

If the States has Walmart, Colombia has Falabella. It’s a huge department store, and you can shop for anything. Big gadgets such as computers and laptops are even available in this place! 

There are over seventy Falabella branches across Peru, Argentina, Colombia, and Chile. And in Medellin, you’ll find two Falabella stores in Santafe and San Diego Mall. 

Food 

Food

Another great thing about San Diego Mall is its vast food options. You’ll locate the main food court on the mall’s second floor. And trust me, there are plenty of fast food stores in the mall, including the following:

  • Dogger
  • Asia Wok
  • Dunkin Donuts
  • Frisby
  • El Corral
  • McDonald’s
  • J&C Delicias
  • Qbano
  • Presto
  • Subway
  • Sr. Wok
  • Tacos and BarBQ

Aside from fast food, you’ll also find more than 25 restaurants in and out of this open-air shopping center. If you want huge servings, opt for the mall’s buffet area. The space is huge, comfortable, and clean. Check out the buffet’s eating schedule:

  • Mondays to Thursdays: 11 am to 8:30 pm
  • Fridays and Saturdays: 11 am to 9:30 pm
  • Sundays and Holidays: 11:30 am to 6:30 pm

The buffet area is also the food court area on the second floor of the mall’s south tower. 

Services

Services

San Diego Mall also offers a wide range of services to make your visit more comfortable. For instance, there’s free WiFi everywhere in the mall. 

And for kids and young at heart, this mall also comes with an interactive space! It’s where you can have fun with technology, such as Nintendo Wii and X-Box. 

The interactive space is located on the second floor of the mall’s south tower. But it’s only open during weekends. Take note of its schedule:

  • Saturdays: 12:00 pm to 8 pm
  • Sundays: 12:00 pm to 6 pm

There are also Holy Mass services during the weekends, which you’ll find in the shopping center’s auditorium. The schedules are:

  • Saturdays: 5 pm
  • Sundays: 1 pm

If you’re bringing your kids, you can join in weekend family workshops too! It’s the best way to have fun with them while also allowing your kids to learn. Family workshops are every Saturday and Sunday, at 3 pm and 4 pm. 

And finally, if you want to be physically active, a Zumba fitness class is also available. The class occurs every Sunday, at 10 am. 

Experience the Oldest Mall in Medellin

When visiting Medellin, experience shopping in one of Colombia’s oldest malls, Centro Comercial San Diego. Regardless of age, it’s a one-stop location for all your essentials and luxury needs. 

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