Monterrey shopping features modern commercial centers, crowded by locals that wish to buy the most fashionable item, handcrafts brought from all regions of Mexico, or furnishings for their houses, clear indicators of the area's prosperous economy and the people's strong purchasing power. This creates a great offer of items, and in many cases, real bargains, thanks to the competition among merchants.
The modern shopping centers are spread all around the city and there you will be able to find the most nationally renowned Monterrey shops and elegant boutiques, in addition to original decorative pieces. Usually, all the commercial malls have a cinema complex and top-rated restaurants.
You will find different Monterrey shops with samples of folkloric art, silver, wood, blown glass, pottery items, and embroidered material, clay lamps and Huichol art, are some of the objects that you can acquire. There is also an outstanding variety and abundance of leather products and the area is probably the one with the biggest inventory of cowboy boots in the country.
Monterrey also offers a great number of art galleries that exhibit samples of Mexican, Central American and South American contemporary painters and beautiful bronze and ceramic sculptures, which will really please collectors.
The Pink Zone (Zona Rosa), next to the Macro Plaza, is the perfect place to do shopping in downtown. There is a large pedestrian boulevard there and it is frequented mainly by the locals.
Galerias Monterrey
This is a commercial complex where you can find different boutiques of the best-known brands and where you can buy a wealth of articles and services, all in one place. Here you can find Liverpool, a popular Mexican department store, a food court where you can enjoy delicious Monterrey specialties, as well as other shops with the hippest music, fashion and state-of-the-art technology.
Galerias Valle Oriente
If you want to go shopping, this is the place. All the most sophisticated shops and boutiques can be found here and will more than satisfy your needs and your most demanding tastes. You can find everything from exclusive international brands to the most typical handicrafts. Visit Valle Oriente Galleries and see for yourself. Everything you need is here, one of the newest and most modern malls in Monterrey.
Los Cavazos
Located in Santiago, this is an excellent place to buy artisan products, wood and wrought-iron furniture, paper mache figures, jugs and pots made out of different materials such as clay, black clay, stone and wicker, among other materials. There is also everything from horse saddles and spurs to varied regional dishes such as pork stew, baby goat, "machacado" (shredded dried beef with egg), fruit and milk candies.
Handicraft Markets
Visit one of these markets where the Union de Artesanos de Monterrey (Union of Artesans of Monterrey) sells products in small and organized booths. You can find everything from hand-carved wooden key chains to leather goods like hats and boots. There are also traditional local sweets, among many other things. We are sure you'll find the souvenir you're looking for on your visit to the Sultana del Norte (the Sultan of the North, another name for the city of Monterrey).
Plaza Fiesta San Agustin
If you are shopping in Monterrey, you can not miss Plaza Fiesta San Agustin. Established in 1998, Plaza Fiesta San Agustin features a wide assortment of department stores and specialized shops that offer clothing, footwear and accessories for the whole family, along with furniture, home appliances, electronic products and many other different goods. It is one of the best commercial centers in the city for buying all the personal articles you will need during your vacations, as well as the most fashionable items and the ultimate high-tech gadgets. This is the ideal place for grabbing a bite, having a cup of coffee or just people-watching. It also features cinemas, banks and all the services that modern life requires.
Plaza Mexico
It is a shopping center located right in the heart of Monterrey. Its architectural design resembles the one of the classic buildings that were built at the beginning of the 20th century and was constructed with the same materials. One of its outstanding details is a beautiful leaded glass dome that produces a wonderful explosion of color and is extremely eye-catching. It is divided into two levels, which house more than a hundred stores and restaurants that are open every single day of the year. One of Plaza Mexico's main peculiarities is that it has always given great importance to patriotic symbols as well as to the Mexican culture. That's why each year, huge celebrations take place there during the most significant dates of the Mexican calendar.