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Monterrey

Cosmopolitan Monterrey is Mexico’s third-largest city, second-largest industrial center and número uno in per-capita income. This economic powerhouse has a strong entrepreneurial ethos, humming cultural scene, vibrant universities and an urban hipster nightlife scene.

With sprawling suburbs of gargantuan air-conditioned malls and manicured housing estates, this is also one of Mexico’s most Americanized cities. Boasting world-class museums and a jagged mountain backdrop that offers terrific outdoor adventure sports, the city's attractions are diverse and myriad.

All of this makes Monterrey fiercely independent and very different from any other Mexican metropolis. Notably, the city experienced the drug wars up close and personal, but by 2017 cultural life was back with aplomb, especially around the Macroplaza, with thriving restaurants and bars in the newly safe Barrio Antiguo. Nevertheless, narco gangs still affect some neighborhoods, including Colonia Independencia just across the Río Santa Catarina – avoid it day or night.

Explore Monterrey

Parque Ecológico Chipinque
This stunning mountainside reserve is just 12km from downtown Monterrey. There's great hiking and mountain-biking on over 60km of well-marked trails…
H
Horno3
Blast Furnace No 3 in the former industrial site of the Parque Fundidora has been converted into Horno3, an exceptionally impressive high-tech, hands-on…
P
Paseo Santa Lucía
The stunning 2.3km promenade of Paseo Santa Lucía is a world-class example of urban regeneration. This (artificial) river forms a turquoise ribbon through…
M
Museo de Historia Mexicana
This sleek modernist museum on the Plaza 400 Años presents an extensive but easily manageable chronological history of Mexico. In the heart of the museum…
M
Macroplaza
A monument to Monterrey’s late-20th-century ambition, this city-block-wide series of interconnected squares, also known as the Gran Plaza, was created in…
P
Parque Fundidora
Formerly a vast steel-factory complex, this once-blighted industrial zone has been transformed into a huge urban park. Designers cleverly retained the…
M
Museo de Arte Contemporáneo
Don't miss the outstanding Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, its entrance marked by Juan Soriano's gigantic black dove sculpture. Inside, its idiosyncratic…
F
Faro del Comercio
At the southern end of the Macroplaza, the red 70m concrete tower Faro del Comercio (Lighthouse of Commerce) soars above the city, its green lasers…
C
Centro de las Artes
Four disemboweled red-brick factories compose the Centro de las Artes: Nave Generadores and CONARTE feature rotating modern-art exhibitions; Nave Dos is…

Parque Ecológico Chipinque
This stunning mountainside reserve is just 12km from downtown Monterrey. There's great hiking and mountain-biking on over 60km of well-marked trails…
H
Horno3
Blast Furnace No 3 in the former industrial site of the Parque Fundidora has been converted into Horno3, an exceptionally impressive high-tech, hands-on…
P
Paseo Santa Lucía
The stunning 2.3km promenade of Paseo Santa Lucía is a world-class example of urban regeneration. This (artificial) river forms a turquoise ribbon through…
M
Museo de Historia Mexicana
This sleek modernist museum on the Plaza 400 Años presents an extensive but easily manageable chronological history of Mexico. In the heart of the museum…
M
Macroplaza
A monument to Monterrey’s late-20th-century ambition, this city-block-wide series of interconnected squares, also known as the Gran Plaza, was created in…
P
Parque Fundidora
Formerly a vast steel-factory complex, this once-blighted industrial zone has been transformed into a huge urban park. Designers cleverly retained the…
M
Museo de Arte Contemporáneo
Don't miss the outstanding Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, its entrance marked by Juan Soriano's gigantic black dove sculpture. Inside, its idiosyncratic…
F
Faro del Comercio
At the southern end of the Macroplaza, the red 70m concrete tower Faro del Comercio (Lighthouse of Commerce) soars above the city, its green lasers…
C
Centro de las Artes
Four disemboweled red-brick factories compose the Centro de las Artes: Nave Generadores and CONARTE feature rotating modern-art exhibitions; Nave Dos is…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Monterrey.

See
Parque Ecológico Chipinque
This stunning mountainside reserve is just 12km from downtown Monterrey. There's great hiking and mountain-biking on over 60km of well-marked trails…
See
Horno3
Blast Furnace No 3 in the former industrial site of the Parque Fundidora has been converted into Horno3, an exceptionally impressive high-tech, hands-on…
See
Paseo Santa Lucía
The stunning 2.3km promenade of Paseo Santa Lucía is a world-class example of urban regeneration. This (artificial) river forms a turquoise ribbon through…
See
Museo de Historia Mexicana
This sleek modernist museum on the Plaza 400 Años presents an extensive but easily manageable chronological history of Mexico. In the heart of the museum…
See
Macroplaza
A monument to Monterrey’s late-20th-century ambition, this city-block-wide series of interconnected squares, also known as the Gran Plaza, was created in…
See
Parque Fundidora
Formerly a vast steel-factory complex, this once-blighted industrial zone has been transformed into a huge urban park. Designers cleverly retained the…
See
Museo de Arte Contemporáneo
Don't miss the outstanding Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, its entrance marked by Juan Soriano's gigantic black dove sculpture. Inside, its idiosyncratic…
See
Faro del Comercio
At the southern end of the Macroplaza, the red 70m concrete tower Faro del Comercio (Lighthouse of Commerce) soars above the city, its green lasers…
See
Centro de las Artes
Four disemboweled red-brick factories compose the Centro de las Artes: Nave Generadores and CONARTE feature rotating modern-art exhibitions; Nave Dos is…

Guidebooks

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