A day in Santiago, Mexico.
A colorful mailbox in Santiago, Mexico.
Picturesque and full of natural beauty, this magical town is a great day escape from Monterrey.
Looking for details and tips? Head straight to the Practical Information section.
Ask anyone in Monterrey where they’d go for a relaxing weekend, and you’re very likely to hear “Santiago”. A stone’s throw from the state capital, this charming magical town seemed to tick all the boxes: easy access from the city, a cute colonial downtown to explore, and wonderful nature all around.
When I had the opportunity to spend a few days in Nuevo Leon, I made sure check out this pueblito and see for myself what the buzz was about, buzz being a strong word. Yes, Santiago is well-known in the state for being a town worth visiting, but not many Mexicans actually know about it. Tourism in Santiago is fairly local and, as such, very much on the roads not traveled for Western tourists.
It was relatively late in the day to leave Monterrey for a day trip - past 11am if I remember correctly. I had taken my time to get ready, and by the time I was bathed and fed, the clock was dangerously close to noon. Part of me thinks this was a way to avoid taking public transport to Santiago - being late meant I had to take an Uber to my destination. I thought I would never admit this, but it is probably what happened. Oops.
I left my downtown hotel and called a car service that, after about thirty minutes of fast driving on a four-lane highway, surrounded left and right by high peaks of the Sierra Madre, dropped me right on the main square of historic Santiago.
A view of the main square in Santiago.
I had visited many magical towns in Mexico already, and most of them felt remote, away from the hustle and bustle of big cities. It was not always the case - Cholula, near Puebla and Tlaquepaque, near Guadalajara, felt like an extension of the neighboring big city (note: I never wrote about them, but will if I ever go back there one day).
Santiago was a perfect hybrid between isolated colonial pueblos, like Malinalco or Calvillo, and these big city-adjacent villages. In a way, it was similar to Real del Monte, which sits about a 20-minute colectivo ride from big-town Pachuca, in the state of Hidalgo.
The sights and sound of modern life quickly quieted.
It makes for a very different kind of experience if you have to take a slow, 2-hour bus ending in a narrow and dark one-way tunnel to get to your final destination (Real de Catorce) or if your trip is on a busy highway lined-up with shops and stores, where it feels you haven’t really left the urban landscape you thought you’d be away from.
Such was my experience getting to Santiago and because of that, I was a little worried that it wouldn’t be the escape I was hoping for. I needn’t have worried. Once we got to an huge plaza housing a big box Mexican retailer with an immense parking lot, where I felt it was the end of my little-town-in-the-middle-of-nowhere fantasy, we actually made a sharp right into a smaller road and went up for a few hundred yards.
A colorful colonial house on Juarez street.
The sights and sound of modern life quickly quieted and as I got off the car on Santiago’s zócalo, I knew I would enjoy my day of exploration. It might have played in the town’s favor that its historic area sat so close to a major thoroughfare, because the peacefulness of the square, on a hot Wednesday in August, was even more enjoyable by contrast.
Shaped as a triangle, but with a classical square garden designed in its center, plaza Ocampo (its official name) felt like a typical small town plaza, with a church, city hall, a few restaurants, and a kiosk at its center. It was designed to be the center of town a few centuries ago, and somehow, it still felt like it. While I usually love the most formal zócalos, fully squared with arched arcades on the side buildings, the layout quirkiness of Santiago’s made it less intimidating, and I surprised myself by sitting down on one of the few shaded benches available, instead of immediately starting my discovery walk. It felt like a main square to be silently enjoyed, and not just glanced at.
Santiago was founded in the early 18th century, although haciendas were built within the town’s boundary earlier than that. Back then, the town was knows as Valle de Santiago. In the middle of the 18th century, its main church was erected and consecrated, and the village grew from its main square, presenting, still today, a great example of Spanish colonial architecture.
Walking around town, I was especially impressed by the overall conservation efforts, which are visible everywhere, but especially on Zaragoza street, a long, somewhat narrow street leading from the main square to the western part of town.
A veiw from the Santiago mirador.
I enjoyed discovering Santiago’s historical core and its colorful architecture by foot. Beyond Zaragoza street, my highlights were plaza Hidalgo and the stunning houses surrounding it, as well as Juarez and Morelos streets.
Being back on plaza Ocampo after a good 45-minute stroll, I ventured between city hall and the church to check out a viewpoint highlighted on Google Maps. The view over the valley in almost all directions was impressive. The old town, a patchwork of bright colors against the steep, green sides of the Sierra Madre mountains on one side, were competing for attention with the La Boca artificial lake at the bottom of the valley on the other.
The park couldn’t have felt more serene.
Built in the 1960s to help provide water to Monterrey, the Rodrigo Gómez dam is a great area for a variety of outdoor activities, from kayaking to hiking, that I didn’t have the time to check out. The view from the old town mirador would have to suffice for today.
I had another destination in mind for the afternoon: the famous Cola de Caballo waterfall (Horse Tail falls in English). Recognized as the second best thing to check out in Santiago after the colonial town center, it felt like a must-do, and I liked adding a little bit of nature to a morning rich in history.
A view over the Rodrigo Gómez dam from the Santiago viewpoint.
Getting to the waterfall without a car proved challenging (as always, I provide detailed directions in the Practical Information section below). It was, however possible. It entailed walking back to the main highway and waiting for an Alamo second-class bus to pick me up and drop me off a few minutes later, steps away from Plaza del Cercado. I waited more than twenty minutes for a bus, which I rode about 4 minutes, but the 40-minute walk on the side of a highly trafficked highway in the midday heat wasn’t appealing.
Once on Plaza del Cercado, I walked to a bus stop on the southern side of the square, where I was told colectivos would leave to the entrance of the waterfall, asked the driver when the bus would leave (20 minutes later) and decided it would be a great idea to get food now, rather than hoping to find some close to the cascade (I shouldn’t have worried, food stands were plentiful, although a lot of them were closed on this low-attendance Wednesday).
At 2.30pm sharp, the bus left and quickly drove up the mountain, dropping passengers every now and then, until I was the very last person on board. I alighted right in front of the waterfall entrance and made my way to the ticket booth.
My experience might have been different on a busy Saturday, but the park couldn’t have felt more serene. There were less than fifty people with me in total, and it felt like I had the area to myself. After a brief walk on a wide, well-maintained path, which I could have done on a horse if I so wished, I arrived at the foot of the waterfall.
Another view on the Horse Tail waterfall near Santiago.
Surrounded by tall trees and visible in the distance, it felt already very iconic - and huge. I don’t mean Iguazu-huge, obviously, but going in, I imagined a much smaller chute. Getting closer made it even more impressive. Although unoriginal, its name felt oddly on-point as the strings of water coming down the 90-feet drop really did look like long hair strands.
Getting back to Monterrey was easier than I feared, and much cheaper than coming in. I took another colectivo down to Plaza del Cercado, where I hopped on an Alamo bus that had the good idea of showing up right as I was getting to the bus stop, got a seat and let the driver get me back into town, hopped on the subway, and I was back at my hotel less than two hours after leaving the waterfall.
Santiago was a nice, colorful escape from big-city vibes and a break in my short Nuevo Leon trip that i enjoyed very much. if you’re in Monterrey, I fully encourage you to take a day to discover this charming little town.
Zaragoza street in Santiago.
Practical information (updated as of September 2025)
Getting to Santiago
How to get to Santiago from the United States: the first step to getting to Santiago is to reach the northern Mexican city of Monterrey. Monterrey’s international airport (MTY), not to be confused with the one in Monterey, California, whose airport code is MRY, welcomes about 20 flights a day from the US, with Dallas (DFW), Houston (IAH) and Chicago (ORD) sending multiple non-stop flights daily.
It is also possible to take a bus from a few cities in the US and get to Monterrey the slow way. Greyhound offers several direct buses a day between Dallas and Monterrey, for instance. The ride lasts more than 12 hours and can cost as much as a plane ticket, so this would only make sense if you had a ton of luggage with you. Buses arrive in Monterrey’s central bus station.
From the airport or the bus station, the easiest way to get to Santiago requires calling an Uber or Didi. Depending on traffic, this should take about one hour from the airport (about USD50) and 30 minutes from the bus station (about USD25).
The cheapest way to reach Santiago involves taking a second class bus, which is explained below.
How to get to Santiago from Mexico City: given the distance between the two cities, your easiest bet is to fly. Aeromexico, the flagship Mexican carrier, as well as Volaris and VivaAerobus fly between Mexico (from MEX, the central airport and NLU, also known as AIFA, the northern suburbs airport) to MTY. I counted 35 non-stop flights between the country’s two major economic centers on a random day in September, so you’ll be spoiled for choice.
It is also possible to take a bus to Monterrey. Several companies offer service from Mexico’s Northern bus terminal to Monterrey’s bus station:
Omnibus de Mexico. Service level: Plus (executive). USD90, 11 hours, 9 times daily.
ETN. Service level: luxury. USD95. 13 hours, 5 times daily. Night buses only. Only one bus is non-stop, with other services calling twice en route (in Tampico, Saltillo or Poza Rica, depending on the bus). ETN is my favorite bus line in Mexico. I used them to go to many places in the northern part of the country, from Guanajuato to Aguascalientes, and absolutely recommend them.
Futura. Service level: Primera (first class) and Primera Select (executive). Only 2 services link the two cities in about 13 hours, the other ones take a lot longer. First class costs USD75, executive service is USD90.
Senda. Service level: Primera (first class) and Diamante (executive). 4 direct buses a day, all nighttime services. First class costs USD50, executive service is USD50 as well - this seems illogical and a lot cheaper than competition, but I double checked and even walk up fares for day-of-travel are listed at that price. I took a Senda Diamante service between San Luis Potosi and Matehuela to get to Real de Catorce a few weeks before my Nuevo Leon trip, and really enjoyed my experience, so I would definitely recommend them.
I always recommend a luxury bus over an executive bus, and an executive bus over a first class bus. Although all three categories are fine, luxury and executive services provide more space, which is important for such a long trip. If you’re unsure what each category of services means, check this page which will explain it all, with pictures.
How to get to Santiago’s historical center from Monterrey
The easiest way to get to Santiago is to call an Uber or Didi from wherever you’re located, however this is a lot pricer than the bus. From downtown Monterrey, I paid USD30, at a time with little traffic. The main road linking the two cities is a well-maintained highway following the edge of the Sierra Madre Oriental, and it took me 35 minutes to get there. It may not be easy to get a car ride back, however. Another option is of course to rent a car. This is a part of the country where driving is considered safe, although I wouldn’t recommend driving at night.
Getting to Santiago by bus is possible. There are 1.5 options (one for the outbound trip, and two for the inbound):
Autobuses Amarillos (also known as Triple A, or AAA). Buses are relatively recent and most feature AC. Buses going to General Terán from Monterrey’s central bus station pass by Santiago and can drop you at Plaza del Cercado - this bus service doesn’t stop upon request and only has a limited number of stops on the way. As such, it doesn’t stop super close to the old town of Santiago. Plaza El Cercado is great to get to the Cola de Caballo waterfall, but not to visit the pueblo mágico. In other words, if you choose to get to Santiago by bus, I suggest you pick Autobuses Alamo for the outbound trip (below). If you want see the waterfall, you could then take an AAA bus back to the city from El Cercado (bus stop is here). Ticket cost is MXN35 (less than USD2). Buses depart about every hour.
Autobuses Alamo. Buses are very basic, with uncomfortable plastic seats and no AC, but they come more often, pick up and drop off on request, and only cost MXN17 (less than a US dollar). They leave about every 20 minute from this pick up point, on Tacuba street, near the Santa Lucia metro station in Monterrey and get to Santiago in about an hour, traffic notwithstanding. You should get off by this mall which is super close to the historic center. I took this service back from El Cercado (the bus stop is here). I could have taken a Triple A bus but Alamo showed up first. It’s not glamorous by any means but it does the job. You’ll get off close to the Santa Lucia metro station (same as pick up).
Getting to the Horse Tail waterfall from Santiago’s historical center
It was hard to find a car service to get me there - one person told me it would be a 45-minute wait for the closest taxi to come in, and I liked the challenge of figuring out a way to get there by public transport. The good news: I did. The bad one: it takes a while, but if you have the time (or don’t have a rental car), please follow the directions below.
From plaza Ocampo, go back down to the main highway. There is a bus stop by the Soriana supermarket (here) where you can wait for an Alamo bus, that you may have to hail. Buses come every twenty minutes or so. A few minutes later, the bus will drop you here, close enough to Plaza del Cercado. Colectivos going up the mountain to the waterfall leave from this side of the square, approximately every thirty minutes. They will drop you right at the entrance of the park surrounding the waterfall. You’ll have to walk a hundred yards or so to get to the ticketing booth.
The Cola de Caballo waterfall near Santiago.
When to go to Santiago
Shoulder seasons are the best times from a weather and crowds perspective. March-April and October-November will mean temperate weather, nice colors (whether in spring or fall) and not too many tourists. Winter, which is technically a great time to go, will reward you with gorgeous weather, but also many more people.
Summers can be hot and muggy in the region around Monterrey, and it makes the visit a little less comfortable. That being said, I checked out Santiago in late August, and while it was very warm (especially in the Alamo bus without AC), it was never unbearably hot.
Safety in Santiago
Santiago is located in the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon, which is labeled by the US State Department as a Level 2 entity, meaning “Exercise increased caution when traveling”. For perspective, the state is at the same level of alert as countries such as Italy or the UK.
The Canadian government is -unusually- a little more cautious and recommends avoiding all but essential travel to Nuevo Leon, except for Monterrey.
Some states of Mexico are labeled as “Do not travel” states by the US. Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon’s eastern neighbor is one of these states, and my advice there would be very different. I can infer, however, that the higher-level Canadian advisory is due to the fact the two main routes towards the United States from Monterrey, Federal Highway 40 to Laredo and 85 to McAllen go through the state of Tamaulipas, which represents a higher danger indeed.
Despite the relatively low US travel warning, Nuevo Leon is one of Mexico’s most violent states, mostly because of cartel warfare and the strategic routes to the US that cross it. Cartel violence is usually pretty much confined to certain areas of the state, or certain neighborhood of its key cities, and it isn’t something that tourists would usually be confronted with, but it is important to bear this in mind as you head to Santiago.
Once again, taking a bus could be a hedge against these issues, as there is always safety in numbers. Taking a Uber, with a local driver who knows if anything is going on in the area and could choose to make a detour to avoid them, will be safer than going on in a rental car with no context and unfamiliarity with the roads.
I always like to be prepared when I am traveling solo to countries or areas I am not totally familiar with. That being said, Santiago is a very touristy town and a well-known weekend retreats for Regios (Monterrey’s inhabitants) and therefore an unlikely candidate for spontaneous cartel violence.
Based on my experience and the relatively low Level 2 travel warning issued by the US, I considered my trip to Santiago safe, and I wouldn’t advise against visiting the town, but would recommend keep the following in mind, just like in any developing country: checking the local news beforehand, knowing where you’re going, keeping your wits about you, not flashing expensive clothes or phones, not doing things you shouldn’t do.
Colectivo buses for the Cola de caballo waterfall on Plaza del Cercado in Santiago.
Food & lodging in Santiago
I wasn’t able to explore much of the culinary scene in Santiago as I spent only a day there, but did enjoy my freshly made tacos at Tacos Chavez, a block away from plaza del Cercado, where I took a colectivo to the Cola de Caballo waterfall. Service was fast and the food was decent - it was a great way to spend the twenty minutes before my bus would depart to the cascade. Count around MXN20 for one taco (about 1 USD). Cash only.
What not to miss in Santiago
Santiago’s historical core: centered around plaza Ocampo, the quaint, fairly well preserved colonial streets and buildings offer a glimpse of what like could be like a few centuries ago, and are a colorful reminder that not all picturesque pueblo mágicos sit in Mexico’s central highlands.
Cola de Caballo waterfall. Up in the mountains and away from the main road, the Horse Tail cascade is worth seeing for its serene beauty and the lush park around it. Entrance is MXN50 per adult and MXN30 per child.
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