Centro Santa Fe Shopping Center

Centro Santa Fe has been not just the center, nor even just the commercial center, but pretty much the entire defining entity of what’s come to be known as Santa Fe itself, in the western part of Mexico City.

Today, it’s easily the biggest shopping center in Mexico, and among the top 20 biggest in the world. If you’re in Mexico City for shopping, this is not one to miss.

The mall was conceived and built by architect Juan Sordo Madaleno who brought years of shopping center design experience to the project. Construction of the Center would redefine an entire neighborhood, and many others surrounding it.

Centro Santa Fe opened in 1993, already with many of the city’s most prestigious retail outlets. With parking capacity for some 5,000 cars, you’ll find no fewer than five major anchor department stores. These are joined by a number of other retailers. Including restaurants, it’s usually a count of about 450 of them. It’s a shopping environment that’s both overwhelming, and deeply inviting.

You can even get there by bus, if the car route seems too heavily trafficked. Eco-buses leave every few minutes from Metro Balderas, and the trip takes about one hour. And it costs just five pesos!

Capital Bus service is available seasonally. The Reforma-Santa Fe route covers much of the Santa Fe shopping area during each Semana Santa, December, July, and August. The stop here is on the northeast corner of the complex near the entrance from Vasco de Quiroga. The route gives you the same hop-on-hop-off plan you get with the three main Capital Bus tourist routes.