Monterrey is the capital city of the north-eastern state of Nuevo León. Also known as the "City of the Mountains", it is a modern industrial and business centre. Monterrey lies at the foothill of the Sierra Madre Oriental mountain range, which seems to come to an abrupt start south of the city. The remarkable mountains and sierras around Monterrey are limestone, of biological origin; they are essentially the remains of ancient Cretaceous and Jurassic reefs and marine shells. Fossils of these are very abundant in the local rocks. East of the city, the most recognised iconic symbol of Monterrey the Cerro de la Silla (Saddle Mountain) dominates the view.

Around and closeby
Grutas de Garcia is an extensive cave system located north-west of Monterrey in the Villa de Garcia. A scenic train-like vehicle lifts visitors to the caves' entrance hundreds of feet above, on the hill slope.

Sightseeing
The mountains that surround Monterrey offer a breathtaking landscape and harbour many canyons, trails and roads, crossing deserts and forests. These trails vary in their difficulty from extremely easy to those for the expert rock-climber only. Parque Ecológico Chipinque is a park within the larger "Parque Nacional Cumbres de Monterrey". It is within a 10-minute drive from downtown Monterrey, it has some spectacular scenery of mountains and forests. La Estanzuela state park is about 7km south from downtown on the "Carretera Nacional" highway. The entrance road starts in front of supermarket "Soriana La Estanzuela". It includes a wonderful small river and forested area; the access point is through a cobblestone road about 3km long. La Macroplaza is one of the world's largest plazas. It is the cultural and administrative heart of the city featuring remarkable monuments, green areas and buildings.

Getting there
There are several between-cities bus lines at the bus station downtown. Buses are modern and efficient, with many arrivals and departures everyday deeper into Mexico, to the U.S. Border and beyond. Monterrey is linked through frequent non-stop flights to many Mexican cities, such as Guadalajara and Mexico city, and to key United States hubs