Monterrey is the third largest city in Mexico and the capital of the state of Nuevo León. It is the commercial, industrial, educational, and transportation hub of northern Mexico, also third in economic importance after Mexico City and Mexico State. Although it is historically an industrial and commercial city (in fact most foreign visitors come for business purposes), tourists will be surprised at the wealth of cultural and entertainment attractions that the city has to offer.
Monterrey traces its modern history to its founding in 1596, when Diego de Montemayor founded the city, together with 12 first families. The story is told by a mural on one of the modern grey concrete and black glass government office towers downtown, just off the Macroplaza. The mural seems odd in its juxtaposition of Spanish conquestadors set next to a modern city of skyscrapers and factories. It does capture the spirit of Monterrey though --- a city that isn't so much a product of its past as it is a product of its future.
Monterrey is an aggressively progressive city, unlike most destinations in Mexico. Although it does have some colonial era sights, and its Barrio Antiguo district preserves a sense of Monterrey as it was in its once "sleepy town" days, the city is very much a product of the industrial age of the late 19th and 20th centuries.
Today, Monterrey is the most modern of the large cities in Mexico, and it has a culture that values education and business ethics. Often referred to as "an industrial giant", the label is more true in the imagination than it is in reality. Monterrey's big steel and iron works have been shut down for almost two decades, and even the concrete, glass, and brewing industries don't dominate the economy as they once did. Instead, people in Monterrey are today more likely to work in retail, in banking, in telecommunications, or in health care or education.
PLACE TO VISIT
Cerro de la Silla - Monterrey's most famous landmark is the saddle-shaped mountain that dominates the local skyline. There are also hiking trails to its peak, if you're athletically inclined.
Cerro del Obispado - Historical site, originally home of the Bishop de Monterrey, with excellent views of the city. Home to a small regional history museum with a clerical bent. The Obispado can be easily spotted by virtue of its enormous Mexican flag, flying proudly beside it.
Cerveceria Cuahtemoc, Centro. Tours and sample of Carta Blanca, Dos Equis, Bohemia, Sol, or one of the other beers brewed here.
Macroplaza - In the east of the Zona Rosa is Mexico's largest zocalo, or central plaza, a stretch of green space lined with fountains, statues, gardens, and monuments. Ringing the park are many historical buildings and museums, including the Monterrey Cathedral, the Mexican History Museum, the Monterrey Contemporary Art Museum, and the former palace of the governor.
Puente Colgante San Pedro - Futuristic suspension bridge set against a dramatic backdrop of nearby mountains.
Safari Parque Estrella - Located about 30 minutes from Monterrey this wildlife safari park features treks through the Serengeti, a petting zoo, and a variety of attractions for the whole family.
Cascadas Cola de Caballo - Take a day trip out to the park and see the waterfalls, just a few miles outside Monterrey.
WHAT TO DO
La Huasteca - Dramatic canyons cut through the mountains on the edge of Monterrey with sheer rock cliffs and an impressive display of nature's power.
Chipinque Ecological Park - Chipinque is one of the white-faced mountains towering over Monterrey, this one over the suburban municipalities of San Pedro and Garza Garcia. Drive up to the mesa where you can picnic while your kids enjoy the playground. Go hiking or mountain biking on the rugged trails that go up through the mountains to a fire-spotting station, or onwards toward the reservoir near the outlying town of Santiago. There is a rustic mountain lodge offering affordable family lodging and a restaurant serving traditional Mexican cuisine in a setting with unparalleled views of the city below.
Matacanes - Matacanes is a Mecca for the rugged outdoors sportsman, it's a narrow, whitewater river rushing through the Sierra Madres, cascading over waterfalls, and forcing its way with all due haste towards the Gulf of Mexico. People come to Matacanes to hike the verdant green mountain trails, to swim in the cool pools, to rappel down sheer cliff faces, and to see a side of Northern Mexico that few guide books take the time to explore.
El Potrero Chico an internationally renowned rock climbing area 1 hr ride outside the city. It is also great for biking and trail running.
Parque Plaza Sesamo - Popular theme park featuring all your favorite Sesame Street characters, from Elmo to Big Bird. There's rides for the kids, shows, and an impressive array of water slides to help you cool off during the hottest summer afternoons.
Lucha Libre - If WWE is too tame for you, check out Lucha Libre --- the original professional wrestling. Tuesday evenings at 7pm seem to be the best time to catch some wrestling action. It happens at the Coliseo, across the street from the Central de Autobuses.
Bull Fights - Some people find it bloody and barbaric, but it's an authentic slice of Spanish heritage and the bullfights in Monterrey feature top-tier professional matadors.
Rio Santa Catarina - The dry river bed of the Santa Catarina runs through downtown Monterrey along Avenida Constitucion. On the river bed are soccer fields, a big go-kart track, the occasional traveling circus, and an enormous flea market, called the "pulga".
Casa Tec - Monterrey's ITESM is the largest and most highly regarded private university in Latin America. Often considered a privilege for Mexico's affluent young adults, the school aggressively seeks to open its doors to talented minds of all income levels through an amazingly rich scholarship program, funded by periodic raffles of multi-million dollar mansions, fully furnished right down to his-and-her luxury cars in the garage and enough cash to pay all taxes and household maintenance for the first years. Homes for the next raffle are open for public tours and its great fun to stroll through the home, seeing how you could live if only your number came up. The raffle is called Sorteo Tec and the home tours are in San Pedro, in the Valle Oriente part of Monterrey
HOW TO REACH
By plane - Monterrey has two airports. All commercial flights use Monterrey International (MTY) -- the city's main airport. Private and cargo carriers use Del Norte Airport.
General Mariano Escobedo International Airport Daily international flights to Chicago, New York, Madrid, Orlando, Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. It has several flights a day to all major Mexican destinations, including Mexico City, Guadalajara, Toluca, Cancun, Merida, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Tijuana. Several low cost airlines fly from Monterrey to different parts of the country, including Volaris, Interjet, and Viva Aerobus. The airport is located about 20 minutes from downtown in the suburban municipality of Apodaca. The usual fare to go from the airport to the city and vice versa is about US$25.
Del Norte Airport . Private planes flying to Monterrey can use the smaller Del Norte Airport. Simply put, there is no bureaucracy involved in entering Monterrey through this airport. There are various FBOs that will be glad to assist you with your every need, and the hospitality of every single employee of the airport and the FBOs give you a very warm welcome to Monterrey. The FBOs can get you in contact with a car rental company or can take you to your hotel. This airport is also in Apodaca but it is a little closer to the city than the Mariano Escobedo Airport.
By bus - Monterrey's Central de Autobuses is the hub of bus transportation in the city and is the largest bus station in northern Mexico. The station has bays for more than 100 buses to simultaneously load or unload. It is served by more than a dozen first-class bus lines and dozens more second-class bus lines. Trans-border buses go between Monterrey and cities throughout the United States while long distance buses go from Monterrey to other major Mexican bus hubs and to every notable city in northern Mexico.
By car - Monterrey is about 200km south of the U.S./Mexico border. The most common border crossings, both in South Texas, used to get to Monterrey are Laredo/Nuevo Laredo and McAllen-Hidalgo/Reynosa. The travel time from either Reynosa or Nuevo Laredo is about two hours. Many regios (As residents of Monterrey are nicknamed) drive to San Antonio and all points north through Puente Colombia outside of Nuevo Laredo, as Nuevo Laredo has descended into anarchy and criminal chaos.
From points in the United States, take Interstate 35 south. The highway ends at International Bridge 2 in Laredo. The Aduana office for handling vehicle import paperwork is on the river road in between Bridge 1 and Bridge 2. Mexican auto insurance can also be purchased there. From Nuevo Laredo, take Mexico Highway 85 south and it brings you right into Monterrey.
