Centro Sambil, Caracas

Despite the time that has passed since the Centro Sambil was opened at the beginning of 1998, Caracas citizens are still unsure of the difference between a mall and a shopping center. Nevertheless, every day visitors to and residents of the capital visit this mall which caters for leisure activities as well as shopping. The center boasts an area of 250,000 square meters in total, with five levels. It offers more than 500 shops for a variety of shoppers and budgets, and has a Parque ExpoAventura here with robotic dinosaurs. There is also a terrace, a gallery which markets works from the Jacobo Borges museum, an aquarium, and numerous eating establishments. 14 fast-food outlets, a romantic restaurant, and a cybercafe, to name but a few, are to be found here. Additionally, there are 4,000 parking spaces for shoppers. In fact, El Sambil is such an attractive place to visit that many shop owners complain that people are going to sightsee rather than to shop.