Holiday in Monterrey

What makes Monterrey special as a destination?

Monterrey is the industrial capital of Mexico and one of the most dynamic cities in Latin America — nestled in a dramatic valley between the rugged limestone massifs of the Sierra Madre Oriental. The iconic Cerro de la Silla, a saddle-shaped mountain range, looms as a landmark over the three-and-a-half-million metropolis and is visible from almost every point in the city. The Macroplaza in the city center is one of the largest urban squares in the world at 40 hectares: Between the neoclassical Palacio de Gobierno and the distinctive Faro del Comercio (a 70-meter-high lighthouse that casts a green laser beam over the city at night), gardens, fountains, and the impressive Cathedral of Monterrey extend. At the southern end, the MARCO (Museum of Contemporary Art) rises with its famous Botero dove. Fundidora Park is a masterpiece of industrial conversion: The former blast furnaces and steelworks of the Fundidora steel mill (1900-1986) have been transformed into a 144-hectare cultural park, featuring museums, an amusement park, lakes, and concert stages among the rusty relics of industrial history. The Paseo Santa Lucia, an artificial river canal, connects Fundidora Park with the Macroplaza on a 2.5-kilometer boat ride. The Huasteca Canyon (Canon de la Huasteca) is just 20 minutes west of the city and is a geological wonder: Up to 300-meter-high, steeply erected limestone cliffs form a dramatic canyon that invites climbing, hiking, and mountain biking. The Garcia Caves (Grutas de Garcia) at 1,080 meters high house spectacular stalactites and stalagmites that are over 50 million years old. Monterrey is also the beer capital of Mexico: Here, Cerveceria Cuauhtemoc (now Heineken Mexico) and numerous craft breweries were founded, shaping Mexican beer culture.