State · Nordeste (Monterrey)

Nuevo León

Nuevo León: Monterrey and the Cerro de la Silla, the Macroplaza, Parque Fundidora and the Paseo Santa Lucía, and the Cola de Caballo waterfall in Santiago.

In the photo: La Huasteca Canyon, Santa Catarina

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

The state

Get to know Nuevo León

Nuevo León is in northeastern Mexico, near the Texas border. Monterrey, the capital, is the industrial and financial center of the country’s north, surrounded by the mountains of the Sierra Madre Oriental, which form the Cumbres de Monterrey National Park.

The Cerro de la Silla, with the profile of a saddle, is the city’s symbol. Downtown, the Macroplaza brings together the Government Palace, the cathedral and museums, and the Paseo Santa Lucía, a canal with boat rides, links the center to Parque Fundidora, set in an old steel mill, with preserved furnaces and chimneys among gardens and museums.

In the surroundings, the Grutas de García have stalactite halls reached by cable car, and Chipinque park has trails in the mountains with views over the city. In Santiago, a Pueblo Mágico to the south, the Cola de Caballo waterfall falls into a wooded valley.

For climbers, El Potrero Chico, near Hidalgo, has limestone walls known worldwide. On the table, roasted cabrito, machaca with eggs and flour tortillas.

When to go

From October to April days are usually mild, with cold days from December to February. From May to September it is very hot, with heavy rains on some days. Monterrey is 3 hours behind Brasília; the border municipalities move their clocks forward from March to November.

Getting there

Monterrey International Airport (MTY) receives flights from Mexico City, various cities across the country and from the United States; travelers from Brazil usually connect. Santiago is about 40 minutes from Monterrey, and Saltillo about 1.5 hours. Within the city there is a metro and taxis.

Your questions

Frequently asked questions about Nuevo León

How many days to stay in Monterrey?

Two to three days for the downtown, Parque Fundidora, the Paseo Santa Lucía and a trip to Santiago or the mountains.

What is Parque Fundidora?

A park set in an old steel mill, with preserved furnaces and chimneys, museums, gardens and event spaces.

How to get to the Cola de Caballo waterfall?

By car or on a tour from Monterrey, about 40 minutes to Santiago and then a stretch into the mountains.

What to eat in Monterrey?

Grilled roasted cabrito, machaca with eggs and flour tortillas, typical of the north.

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