Sitting just across the Rio Grande River in Mexico is the border town of Nuevo Laredo, sister city of Laredo, Texas. This is the busiest land border into Mexico, so there’s always a buzz of activity in its shops, bars and cafés. Not many tourists come to Nuevo Laredo, but those who do find a typical Mexican border town with all the accompanying annoyances.
There are three international bridges connecting Nuevo Laredo to the United States. Plenty of little shopping kiosks and rundown cafés can be found as you pass into the country. Bypass these and head deeper into the cluttered central downtown area and you’ll find the real face of Nuevo Laredo. This isn’t the safest town in Mexico, so be alert if you venture far from the border crossing.
The western district, known as El Poniente, is heavily populated and will offer an adventure if you want to explore the city. The central districts of La Fe and El Carrizo have a better concentration of businesses and are fairly safe. Stay away from the neighborhoods of Blanca Navidad and Bruno Alvarez, as they are considered extremely dangerous. The best bet for most visitors is to head straight to the Mercado, then back across the border.
Highlights
El Mercado: this large open air market is the best spot in Nuevo Laredo to buy traditional Mexican handicrafts, eat some local food and drink a Tecate in relative safety. The market is just a few blocks from the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge and is popular with tourists.
El Carrizo: if you want to venture deeper into Nuevo Laredo, stick to the central neighborhoods such as El Carrizo, where the locals are working hard to clean things up and create a stable environment.
Red Light district: the historic downtown area is not only home to most of Nuevo Laredo’s nightclubs and entertainment venues, it also sports the Red Light district for those who dare to party after dark.