Monterrey industrialized in the late 19th century, becoming Mexico's steel capital and beer capital simultaneously. Cervecería Cuauhtémoc, founded in 1890, became the foundation of FEMSA; the steel mills became Grupo ALFA and Ternium. The industry was family-controlled from the start - the Garza Sada family and their relatives built interlocking empires that dominate the city today. When NAFTA opened the border in 1994, Monterrey was positioned to benefit: factories expanded, exports surged, the billionaires multiplied. The wealth is concentrated but real; the work ethic that generated it remains Monterrey's defining characteristic.

The Sierra Madre Oriental rises directly behind Monterrey, providing dramatic backdrop and recreational escape. The Huasteca Canyon, 20 minutes from downtown, offers 1,000-foot cliffs popular with climbers. The Parque Nacional Cumbres de Monterrey protects pine forests accessible for hiking. The mountains channel weather - the narrow valleys funnel hurricanes that occasionally devastate the city, as in 2010's Hurricane Alex that killed over 50 and destroyed bridges. The geography is dramatic and occasionally violent, framing a city whose industrial character might otherwise seem merely functional.

Monterrey's culture values work, family, and conservative Catholicism in proportions that distinguish it from bohemian Mexico City. The tapatío-chilango rivalry is matched by the regiomontano sense of northern exceptionalism - that Monterrey succeeds through effort while the capital succeeds through connections. The city's signature food is cabrito (roast kid goat), traditionally served at family gatherings. The universities - Tec de Monterrey (ITESM) is among Latin America's best - feed the corporate culture with technically trained graduates. The city is prosperous and proud, its identity tied to productivity in ways that feel almost un-Mexican.

The cartel wars that devastated northern Mexico from 2006-2012 hit Monterrey hard - kidnappings, shootings, and a casino fire that killed 52 in 2011 shattered the city's sense of security. The wealthy retreated to gated communities; businesses hired security; the murder rate spiked. The situation has improved, though violence hasn't disappeared; the city remains safer than Tijuana or Ciudad Juárez but less secure than it was before the drug wars began. The trauma reshaped Monterrey's relationship with the federal government it already distrusted, adding security concerns to economic complaints.

Monterrey is served by General Mariano Escobedo International Airport (MTY). The Macroplaza, one of the world's largest urban squares, anchors downtown with the Faro del Comercio beacon and MARCO contemporary art museum. The Barrio Antiguo offers restaurants and nightlife in colonial buildings. Cerro de la Silla is visible from throughout the city; trails climb its slopes. The Huasteca Canyon requires a short drive but rewards with dramatic geology. Cabrito al pastor is the essential local dish; the Cervecería Cuauhtémoc offers tours and beer gardens. The experience reveals industrial Mexico - a city whose wealth comes from making things, whose culture values work, and whose mountains provide beauty its factories might otherwise lack.