Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle upon Tyne is a city in Tyne and Wear in the north-east of England. It's an industrial but lively, cultural place on the north bank of the River Tyne, with a population of just over 300,000 in 2019, and another half a million residing in its outlying areas.

Newcastle formed its own county or borough as early as 1400, between Northumberland to the north and County Durham to the south. In 1974 the nearby urban areas of those counties were combined with Newcastle to form the new metropolis of Tyne and Wear.

Understand

Tyne Bridge and The Sage

The Iraqi and Syrian occupation of town is nowadays forgotten, let bygones be bygones. But in 200 AD the Roman army recruited from those territories and brought so many to serve here that the depot fort was called Arbeia, the Arab place. Their job was to tote supplies from the ship wharves to the old castle of Pons Aelius, then up the military roads west along Hadrian's Wall (built 80 years earlier) or north into the bandit lands of the Picts. The Romans left around 400 AD and in their wake eventually grew up a kingdom of Northumbria, which knew the town as Munucceaster. But again and again, the region was devastated by Viking raids: what it needed was a new castle.

Robert Curthose obliged in 1080, fearing attack by Scots or rebels, though he mostly warred with his own family. (He was the eldest son of William the Conqueror but was disinherited, to spend his last 20 years in dungeons.) His wooden Novum Castellum was soon replaced by a stone castle, then another in 1172 which is the ruin you see today. Its walls were extended to protect the entire town, which stood out against the Scots and for several months against Cromwell; the region was Royalist in the Civil Wars then fell to assault.

Newcastle became industrial early in the Middle Ages, from salt-panning, coal that was shallow and easily mined, limestone quarried for masonry and quicklime, and farm produce from the fertile hinterland. Trade and transport by sea were important, including from London in an era when roads were miserable cart tracks, but it was only one of many ports along the Tyne, and small sailing vessels didn't need much harbour facilities. The burgesses of Newcastle set fire to the rival port at North Shields, but their masterstroke in 1290 was to win a Royal monopoly on local mining and export of coal. This lucrative cartel was only busted in 1750, while the other ports subsisted on other trade such as fish.

The city's industrial heyday was in the 19th century, with deep mining of coal, smoke-stack industry including shipbuilding, and a busy port. Urban squalour co-existed with the elegant central district of Grainger Town and Grey Street, nowadays one of the finest cityscapes in Britain. There were horrible accidents, cholera and a devastating factory explosion, but there was also electric lighting, steam-hauled railways and turboprop ships. The 20th century brought the slump of the miners' strike, the Depression and wartime bombing. There was enough variety and innovation of trade for the city to recover, with a growing public sector, two universities and attractive new architecture. By the 21st century, Newcastle could re-launch itself as a year-round leisure travel destination.

The climate is cool in summer (around 20°C) and seldom below freezing in winter. It's not particularly wet but can rain any time: see Tyne and Wear climate chart. Daylight hours range from 4:30AM to 9:45PM in the summer, to 8:30AM to just after 3:30PM in winter.

Tourist information

• Visit Northeast England

Talk

The distinctive dialect here and throughout the northeast is "Geordie" — George or Geordie was a common name among local miners. Its pronunciation is closer to Anglo-Saxon than other English dialects, but its vocabulary is more modern. The only word you need to know is "Howay!", an all-purpose exclamation. Whether you understand anything else of it depends on whether the speaker wishes you to understand, so anyone reliant on your tourist money will ensure you do.

Get in

By plane

1 Newcastle International Airport (NCL  ^IATA). This has flights from London Heathrow, Amsterdam, Paris CDG, Brussels, Copenhagen, Dublin, other European cities and the Mediterranean: Ryanair, Jet2 and Easyjet all fly here. Dubai is the only intercontinental route. Train easily beats plane for London, so you'd only use the British Airways flight to connect. Other UK destinations are Belfast, Aberdeen, Bristol, Exeter and Southampton. The airport is a compact single terminal with the usual facilities. Currency exchange is by Travelex, with poor rates, change money downtown if possible. Car rental desks are Avis, Enterprise, Europcar and Sixt, with others available to pick up or drop off by booking. See "Get in by car" below for contact details. (updated Jan 2022)

An alternative is Manchester Airport (MAN ^IATA), with a great range of long-haul flights, saving the hassle of a change in Heathrow or Amsterdam. From the airport railway station, it's 3 hours to Newcastle: you may need to change at Manchester Piccadilly or York.

To and from the city

• By Metro: A journey on the Tyne and Wear Metro takes around 20–25 minutes, with up to 5 trains per hour running during the day and up to 4 trains per hour running in the evening and on Sunday. As of July 2022, a single three-zone ticket costs £3.90 and an all-day three-zone ticket costs £5.70.
• By bus: Stagecoach operate the half-hourly X78 service, which runs express to Eldon Square via Ponteland Road, with an average journey time of around 20–25 minutes.
• By taxi: There is a taxi rank at the airport, with an average fare of around £15.00–£20.00.
• By car: The airport is situated off the A696, which can be reached easily from a number of principal routes, including the A1, A68 & A69. The estimated journey time to the city centre from Newcastle International Airport is 15–20 minutes, with an increased travel time during peak hours.

By train

The station's imposing stone portico

See also: Rail travel in Great Britain

2 Newcastle Central Station. A confident piece of Italianate Victoriana, opened in 1850 to link the English and Scottish rail networks. (The financial house-of-cards of legendary developer George Hudson almost saw it to completion.) A quirk is that trains from the south may enter from either side. The original Tyne bridge track bends through the castle, so you get a free tour of the ruins and then enter from the east. But the track to Scotland also enters from the east so the train becomes reversed. In 1906 an upstream bridge was built so trains towards Edinburgh usually enter from the west. The station has staffed ticket offices (5AM-9:20PM), cafe-bars, The Centurion pub (see Drink), toilets, heated waiting rooms, convenience stores and ATMs. There is step-free access but the ramps to the platform bridges are steep. On evenings the place is thronged with merry carousers, seldom dressed for the weather. Access is only via the north side, Neville St. Exit the station right for the taxi rank and left for the car hire office and drop-off/pick-up area. (updated Dec 2023)

Newcastle is on the East Coast Main Line, with the following services:

• LNER trains running once or twice an hour between Edinburgh (90 min) and London King's Cross (3 hours) via York (one hour).
• Lumo also operate a few trains between Edinburgh and London.
• CrossCountry runs hourly from the West Country via Birmingham (3 hours 30 min), Sheffield (2 hours 15 minutes), Leeds (90 min) and York.
• TransPennine Express runs from Liverpool via Manchester Victoria (2 hours 30 min). The direct train from Manchester Airport and Manchester Piccadilly remains suspended in March 2023.
• Northern Trains run from Carlisle (90 min) via Hexham and from Middlesbrough (80 min).

For timetables, fares, disruptions and real-time service information see National Rail. You can supplement your rail ticket with a Plusbus ticket for local buses. See the "Get around" section for further information. In most cases, few travellers benefit.

Central Station is on both lines of the Tyne & Wear Metro, with frequent trains to the airport, suburbs, Gateshead and outlying towns. See below.

By car

City quays in 1895

From north or south follow A1(M), which passes west of the city by Metrocentre. For most central destinations, use Exit 69 onto A184, which brings you in via Gateshead and the Tyne Bridge. Don't take A19, which bypasses the city away to the east via the toll tunnel. From Glasgow or Stranraer (from Ireland) head via Carlisle onto A69.

Newcastle Park & Rides are aimed at commuters from rural Northumberland, so they're mostly north and west:

• Callerton Parkway and Kingston are on the Metro Green Line from the airport,
• Newcastle Great Park at Wide Open uses the bus (but is closed in 2022)
• Regent Centre to the north is on the Metro Yellow Line, as is Walkergate to the east.
• Heworth near Gateshead is the only P&R south of the River Tyne: it's on both Metro lines but not particularly convenient for the A1.

The city centre has multi-storey carparks with over 10,000 spaces, charging around £2 per hour M-Sa 8AM-5PM and free at other times. Street parking is a last resort: it's pricey, is typically for a maximum of one hour, and the only space you can find is obstructed by a builder's skip.

By bus

National Express buses take 7-8 hours from London Victoria via Milton Keynes, Sheffield, Leeds, Middlesbrough and Sunderland; one-way fares from London start from £7. There are three morning departures, one afternoon and one overnight. Four buses a day run from Liverpool via Manchester airport and city and Leeds, though you may need to change. Three a day run from Birmingham via Sheffield and Leeds, and three a day from Glasgow via Edinburgh.

Megabus have five buses a day from London Victoria, for similar fares. The fastest take 7 hours, but some take 10 hours via Heathrow airport, Coventry, Birmingham airport and city, Manchester airport and city, Huddersfield, Leeds, Middlesbrough and Sunderland. Megabus don't use Newcastle bus station, they stop on John Dobson Street a couple of blocks east of Eldon Square, close to the universities.

Stagecoach Bus 685 runs from Carlisle via Brampton, Haltwhistle (for Hadrian's Wall), Hexham, Corbridge and Heddon-on-the-Wall. It's supposed to be an hourly service but is sporadic in 2022. See Tyne and Wear#Get around for regional bus routes: you're always better by train or Metro where available, for instance from Berwick-upon-Tweed, Durham or Sunderland.

3 Newcastle Coach Station is simply a 5-bay bus stop with no waiting room or ticket office, but it's near city amenities. It's on Churchill St a quarter mile west of the mainline and Metro stations.

By boat

Port of Tyne, 7 mi (11 km) east of city centre, has overnight DFDS ferries from IJmuiden near Amsterdam. See Tynemouth#Get in for how to get there.

Get around

Walking is always first choice for city centre, the university main campuses, Quayside and the opposite river bank of Gateshead.

By bicycle

Newcastle is a reasonably cycle-friendly city, with cycle lanes and lock-up points. A few Metro stations have secure storage for bicycles, but only fold-away bikes are permitted on Metro trains. You don't need a bike in town, but might use one to explore Hadrian's Wall path or venture out to the coast. See Tyne and Wear#Get in for long distance bike routes.

Newcastle doesn't have a bike-share scheme, and the shops sell bikes and kit but don't hire, however there is one rental facility:

1 Cycle Hub, Ouseburn NE61BU (east bank of Ouseburn outlet), ☏ +44 191 276-7250, enquiries@thecyclehub.org. M-W 8:30AM-4:30PM, Th F 9:30AM-2PM, Sa Su 10AM-4:30PM. A full-service place with a cafe, a shop, a workshop, and bike hire with a good selection. Pricey, but knowledgeable friendly service. (updated Dec 2021)

By bus

Newcastle is served by a network of bus services operated by Arriva, Go North East and Stagecoach. Popular attractions accessible by bus include: Angel of the North (21), Beamish Museum (28 & 29), Quayside (53, 54 & Q3) and Saltwell Park (53 & 54).

Cross-city services operated by Stagecoach generally operate from streets within the city, rather than one of the city's two bus stations: Eldon Square and Haymarket. See the Get around section for further information on bus services.

The Transport North East Day Ticket covers bus, Metro, rail and ferry services within Tyne and Wear for £6.00 per day, or £6.80 including County Durham and Northumberland.

Plusbus is a supplement to your rail ticket and is valid on local buses. A one-day ticket is (as at September 2024) £4.60 (adult), £2.30 (child) or £3.05 (railcard holders). Weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual tickets are also available. Plusbus is not valid on Tyne and Wear Metro.

By Metro

Tyne & Wear Metro is quick and inexpensive, and is the best option for outlying areas. There are two lines, mostly overground, but running together underground through the city centre.

• The Green Line runs from the airport to South Gosforth, the city centre, Gateshead, Heworth, Sunderland and South Hylton.
• The Yellow Line makes a great loop north from St James in the city centre to Wallsend, North Shields, Tynemouth, Whitley Bay then South Gosforth, back through the city centre (crossing itself at Monument) then Gateshead, Heworth, Jarrow and North Shields. So for the north bank of Tyne always take the anti-clockwise loop, but for Whitley Bay, you could go either way.

Map of Tyne and Wear Metro

Trains run between 6AM and 11PM, normally every 6-10 min but in 2021/22 this is scaled back to 12-15 min. There are three fare zones: in 2022 a single for one is £2.30, two zones £3.20 and all zones (e.g. from the airport) £3.90. A day ticket for one zone is £3.60, for two is £4.70 and for all is £5.70. Plusbus is not valid on the Metro.

Ticket machines take cards or cash. Main stations have ticket barriers. Outlying stations may have no gates or leave them open at quiet times, but ticket inspectors patrol and are wearily familiar with lame excuses by fare dodgers. Smoking is banned in the entire system, including open-air stations. All stations on the network offer step-free access from street to train, and the metro carriages have ample space for wheelchairs. Mobility scooters are not allowed on the Metro.

By rail

Latin signage at Wallsend Metro station

As well as the Tyne and Wear Metro, Newcastle is also served by local rail services operated by Northern Trains, as well as long-distance rail services operated by CrossCountry, London North Eastern Railway, lumo and TransPennine Express.

Heading north, a local service operated by Northern Trains runs hourly as far as Morpeth, calling at Manors and Cramlington, with an infrequent extension to Chathill. Long-distance services call at Morpeth, Alnmouth (for Alnwick) and Berwick-upon-Tweed, prior to continuing to a number of destinations within Scotland including Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Heading west, the Tyne Valley Line is served by up to three trains per hour (weekday and Saturday; operated by Northern Trains) between Newcastle and Hexham. The hourly stopping service, calling at Dunston, Metrocentre, Blaydon, Wylam, Prudhoe, Stocksfield, Riding Mill, Corbridge and Hexham, is complemented by additional skip-stop services. Services continue along the line to Haydon Bridge, Bardon Mill, Haltwhistle, Brampton, Wetheral and Carlisle.

Heading south east, the Durham Coast Line is served by an hourly stopping service (operated by Northern Trains), which calls at all stations: Heworth, Sunderland, Seaham, Horden, Hartlepool, Seaton Carew, Billingham, Stockton, Thornaby and Middlesbrough, with most services continuing to either Nunthorpe or Whitby.

Heading south, long-distance services call at Chester-le-Street, Durham, Darlington, Northallerton, Thirsk and York, before continuing to destinations including Leeds, Liverpool, London and Manchester.

By taxi

Operators include Premier (incorporating Newcastle Taxis) ☏ +44 191 638 0 638, LA Taxis ☏ +44 191 287-7777, Blueline ☏ +44 191 262-6666, and Uber. They all get mixed reviews for reliability and general state of repair of vehicles and drivers. A ride from city centre to the airport in 2022 is around £15, and to the ferry terminal is £18.

See

Central Arcade

• The River Tyne north bank has a footpath and cycleway. It's called "Hadrian's Way" but is entirely modern, as the Roman original is lost under the city centre.
• 1 Tyne Bridge , completed in 1928, has a striking steel arch similar to Sydney Harbour Bridge. It carries A167 and has sidewalks on both sides.
• 2 Gateshead Millennium Bridge , opened in 2001, is a cyclist and pedestrian tilting bridge. It's often called the Blinking or Winking Bridge for the way the footpath deck tilts up to allow river traffic to pass. That's an infrequent occurrence: Gateshead Council lists upcoming tilts.
• Gateshead: the south bank of the Tyne is a separate city, but its main sites are along the riverside a short walk from Newcastle. For instance BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art is by the Millennium Bridge, and Gateshead also has Sage Music Centre, the Athletics Stadium, and Metro shopping centre. Angel of the North stands at the south tip of the city.
• 3 Newcastle Castle, Castle Garth NE1 1RQ, ☏ +44 191 230-6300. Apr-Sept daily, Oct-Mar Th-M 10AM-5PM. Only in England does a "new" castle mean from 1080 AD. The old one was Pons Aelius, the 2nd century Roman bridge and fort, later the site of a Saxon monastery. The new structure was a motte and bailey, a wooden fort perched on an earth mound, built when Robert (son of William I) had been bashing the Scots and reckoned there might be some comeback. In the 1170s, Henry II replaced this with a stone castle. The Black Gate was added in 1350 then the walls were extended to protect the whole town. It fell derelict in the 16th century, was repaired for the Civil Wars nicely in time to be wrecked again, then again restored in the 19th century. It finally suffered an unforeseen and devastating invasion: in 1850 the railway came through, as this was the most practical route to cross the Tyne and link up with the railway from Edinburgh. Only the Keep and Black Gate survived this assault, with the tracks between them, so you get a good panning view as your train slows on the tight curve into Central Station. Adult £9.95, conc £8.95, child £6.50. (updated Apr 2023)
• 4 Grainger Town is the elegant heart of the city, built by Richard Grainger between 1835 and 1842. It includes the indoor Grainger Market (see Buy), Theatre Royal, Grey Street, Grainger Street and Clayton Street. Grey Street is sublime, a curving classical facade along the line of a culverted stream. It's named for Charles Grey (1764-1845), the 2nd Earl Grey and liberating, modernising Prime Minister who passed the Great Reform Act of 1832.
• 5 Grey's Monument at the top of Grey Street was erected in 1838, standing 135 ft / 41 m tall. (Mi'lud also gives his name to Earl Grey Tea.) In 1941 the statue's head was shattered by a bolt of lightning, but a replica was affixed in 1947. Originally the column was on a traffic island but the area is now pedestrianised, a natural spot for buskers, protestors and latter-day prophets. Below the street is Monument Metro station, on the Green Line and at the crossing point of the Yellow loop-the-loop.
• 6 Central Arcade is a beautiful Edwardian shopping arcade, within Grainger's Central Exchange Building. It hosts the venerable music shop Windows of the Arcade, but hasn't escaped the hollowing out of British High Streets, with many units vacant in 2021.
• 7 Newcastle Cathedral (St Nicholas), St Nicholas Square NE1 1PF, ☏ +44 191 232-1939. M-F 8AM-6PM, Sa Su 8AM-5PM. This is the Anglican cathedral and seat of the Bishop of Newcastle. It was completed in 1350 in Perpendicular style, and its distinctive lantern spire was added in 1448. The Church of St Nicholas was upgraded to a cathedral in 1882 when a Diocese of Newcastle was separated from Durham as the city population grew. Donation £5. (updated Dec 2021)

St Nicholas Cathedral Chancel

• 8 Chinatown is along Stowell Street, with a Chinese Arch at its north entrance off St Andrews St. Lots of Chinese, Korean and Japanese restaurants and shops, see Eat.
• 9 Jesmond Dene is a park in the bosky gorge of the Ouseburn river, laid out by the industrialist and inventor Lord Armstrong in the 1860s. Multiple access points, the Metro Yellow and Green Lines run half a mile west to their fork at South Gosforth.

Galleries and museums

Vases by Jon Lewis at The Biscuit Factory

• 10 Gallery North, Northumbria University, Sandyford Road NE1 8QE, ☏ +44 191 349-5382, ad.gallerynorth@northumbria.ac.uk. W-Sa 10AM-4PM. The gallery was established in 1977 within Northumbria University and has rotating exhibitions. The University's permanent art collection is for teaching and research, and not generally on public display. However the Woon Gallery, opened in 2018, is a long-term loan of Asian (mostly Buddhist) art. Free. (updated Dec 2021)
• 11 Great North Museum: Hancock, Barras Bridge NE2 4PT, ☏ +44 191 208-6765. M-F 10AM-5PM, Sa 10AM-4PM, Su 11AM-4PM. Contains fossils, mummies, stuffed animals and local history exhibits. Free. (updated Dec 2021)
• 12 Hatton Gallery, The Quadrangle, Newcastle University NE1 7RH (Opposite Great North museum), ☏ +44 191 277-8877. M-Sa 10AM-5PM. An art gallery founded in 1925 within Newcastle University, and redeveloped in 2017. It has 3500 exhibits from the 14th century to modern work. Free. (updated Dec 2021)
• 13 Seven Stories (National Centre for Children's Books), 30 Lime Street, Ouseburn Valley NE1 2PQ (half a mile east of Manors Metro), ☏ +44 300 330 1095, info@sevenstories.org.uk. Daily 10AM-5PM. Housed in a Victorian mill, Seven Stories is the first gallery and archive in the UK wholly dedicated to the art and production of children's books. There are exhibitions and events for children. £13. (updated Dec 2021)
• 14 The Biscuit Factory, 16 Stoddart Street, NE2 1AN (Metro: Manors, 650 m), ☏ +44 191 261-1103, art@thebiscuitfactory.com. W-Su 10AM-5PM. Britain's biggest original art store is 35,000 ft² (3,300 m²) with two floors of exhibition space and artist's studios. The commercial gallery sells paintings, drawings, prints, sculpture, photography, ceramics, jewellery and glass by contemporary artists hailing from all over the world. Free. (updated Oct 2021)
• 15 Life Science Centre, Times Square NE1 4EP (opposite bus station, west side of railway station), ☏ +44 191 243-8210. Daily 10AM-5PM. Centre for Life is a research facility and within it is an interactive museum covering fields such as genetics, embryology and developmental biology, and climate science. Adult £15, conc £11, child £8. (updated Dec 2021)
• 16 Discovery Museum, Blandford Square NE1 4JA (a block west of Central Station), ☏ +44 191 232-6789. M-F 10AM-4PM, Sa Su 11AM-4PM. Science and engineering museum including Turbinia designed by Sir Charles Parsons in 1894, the world's first turbo-powered ship. Free. (updated Dec 2021)
• 17 Laing Art Gallery, New Bridge St NE1 8AG, ☏ +44 191 278-1611. M-Sa 10AM-4:30PM. Traditional art gallery built in 1901 in sort-of Edwardian Baroque. It has artistic local glass, silverware and ceramics and a notable collection of 18th and 19th century British paintings. (Contemplate the fiery Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah before heading out for a night on the town.) "The Blue Carpet" is the tiled street installation outside, expensively fitted in 2001 but only then did they realise they'd made it green. 20 years of skateboarders and other urban wear and tear have turned it blue-grey. Free. (updated Dec 2021)
• 18 Side Gallery, 5 & 9 Side NE1 3JE, ☏ +44 191 232-2208. Th-F 11AM-5PM, Sa-Su noon-5PM. Documentary photography gallery and archive, also has a 50-seater cinema showing independent films. Free. (updated Dec 2022)

Further afield

• 19 Wallsend is actually Wall's Beginning, as construction of Hadrian's Wall started here in 122 AD and worked west. The Roman fort of Segedunum is next to Mile Zero of the wall and Wallsend Metro station (not Hadrian Road). Hadrian's Wall path and cycleway follows the north bank of the Tyne but is entirely modern for 14 miles west, as through Newcastle the ancient route and structures are obliterated.
• Stephenson Railway Museum: see Tynemouth.
• Tynemouth at the river outflow has a ruined castle and priory and is a beach resort.
• The Angel of the North is the distinctive 20-m winged sculpture by Antony Gormley. It's at the south edge of Gateshead, at the junction of the A1 and A167. From Newcastle city centre or Gateshead Interchange (on the Metro), take bus route 21 "The Angel" to Durham Road / Deneford.
• Hadrian's Wall can be discerned west from Heddon-on-the Wall, though the best parts begin 20 miles further west around Hexham.

Do

• What's on? Read The Crack magazine.
• River Escapes. Apr-Oct: Su; Jun-Sep: Tu Th Sa. In summer they have 3-hour boat trips upriver to the countryside or downriver to the sea, embarking from St Anne's Quay near Premier Inn. Weekends they have one hour city trips, embarking from City Marina beneath Tyne Bridge. (updated Dec 2021)

Theatre

Tyne Theatre and Opera House

• 1 Theatre Royal, 100 Grey St NE1 6BR (100 yd (91 m) south of Monument), ☏ +44 191 232-7010, boxoffice@theatreroyal.co.uk. Opened in 1837, with a year-round programme. It's one of the bases for the Royal Shakespeare Company, which usually do several shows here in autumn. (updated Dec 2021)
• 2 Tyne Theatre and Opera House, 109 Westgate Rd NE1 4AG, ☏ +44 191 243-1171. Grand old theatre opened in 1867, seating 1100. It hosts opera, theatre, concerts, comedy and panto. (updated Dec 2021)
• 3 Live Theatre, 27 Broad Chare, Quayside NE1 3DQ, ☏ +44 191 232-1232. Small independent theatre producing new works by writers from the North East. (updated Dec 2021)
• 4 Northern Stage (Gulbenkian Studio Theatre), Barras Bridge NE1 7RH (NU campus next to Hatton Gallery), ☏ +44 191 230-5151. This has three performance spaces and hosts various independent productions. (updated Dec 2021)
• 5 People's Theatre, Stephenson Road, Heaton NE6 5QF, ☏ +44 191 265-5020, venuemanager@peoplestheatre.co.uk. Long-established amateur theatre company with 500-seat auditorium and 90-seat studio. (updated Dec 2021)

Music

Sage Music Centre

• See Gateshead for Sage Music Centre. It's easiest accessed from Newcastle by walking across the low-level swing bridge.
• 6 Utilia Arena (formerly Metro Radio Arena), Arena Way NE4 7NA, ☏ +44 844 493 4567. This is the largest music venue in Newcastle with capacity up to 12,000. It's south of the station near the Centre for Life. (updated Dec 2021)
• 7 O2 Academy Newcastle, Westgate Rd NE1 1SW, ☏ +44 191 260-2020. 2000-capacity venue in a former bingo hall hosting musical acts. (updated Dec 2021)
• 8 O2 City Hall, Northumberland Road NE1 8SF, ☏ +44 191 277-8030. This concert venue is now managed by Academy Music. (updated Dec 2021)
• Northumbria and Newcastle University have large venues in their unions' for mainstream and indie acts alike and attract some of the biggest names from across the UK and abroad.
• For smaller, indie gigs check out Head of Steam, The Cluny and Tyne Bar

Sport

Blaydon Races in 1903

Aal the lads and lasses there, aal wi' their smiling faces, gannin' alang the Scotswood Road to see the Blaydon Races.

- Racing at Blaydon closed in 1916, but Newcastle United fans will appreciate you knowing the words and singing along

• 9 Newcastle Racecourse is nowadays to the north at High Gosforth Park NE3 5HP. It's an artificial Tapeta surface, with flat-racing held year-round and jumps races Oct-March. It's a mile north of South Gosforth on both metro lines.
• Football: Newcastle United play at 10 St James Park, half a mile north of the railway station. They play soccer in the Premier League, England's top tier. Since 2021 they are by some distance the world's richest club, being owned by the Saudi Arabian sovereign investment fund.
• Rugby Union (15-a-side): Newcastle Falcons were promoted in 2020 so they now play in the Premiership, the top tier of English rugby union. Their home ground is 11 Kingston Park in the north of the city.
• Rugby League (13-a-side): Newcastle Thunder folded in 2023 so the city lacks a pro RL team.
• Basketball: Newcastle Eagles play at the Vertu Motors Arena.
• Go to the dog track, also at Brough Park - the dogs chase round the outer track, the bikes race within.
• Athletics at 12 Gateshead International Stadium, south of the river with its own Metro station. This multi-use stadium hosts other events, and its sports facilities can be used by members.
• Cricket: Northumberland CCC play in the National Counties Cricket Championship, the tier formerly known as "Minor Counties" below the first class competitions. They usually play at Osborne Avenue in Jesmond.

First Class and international cricket is played at Riverside Stadium in Chester-le-Street 10 miles south, home to Durham CCC.

Cinema

A scrap of Hadrian's Wall as it re-emerges west of the city at East Denton

• 13 Cineworld, The Gate, Newgate St NE1 5TG, ☏ +44 330 333 4444. Chain multiplex showing mainstream releases. (updated Dec 2021)
• 14 Tyneside Cinema, 10 Pilgrim St NE1 6QG (50 yd (46 m) east of Monument), ☏ +44 191 227-5500. Art-deco cinema with 3 screens showing independent and mainstream films. (updated Dec 2021)
• 15 Everyman, 75 Grey St NE1 6EF, ☏ +44 1233 555642. Delightful salon-style cinema where you recline on sofas and are served food and drink. Obviously that's reflected in the ticket prices. Adult £13, child £9. (updated Dec 2021)
• Side Cinema is within Side Gallery, see above.
• 16 Star and Shadow, Warwick Street NE2 1BB (by City Stadium), ☏ +44 191 261-8315, info@starandshadow.org.uk. Volunteer-run indie cinema and performance venue. (updated Dec 2021)
• Odeon is in the Metrocentre (see Buy) in Gateshead. Vue Cinema is in central Gateshead.

Events

• Chinese New Year follows a lunar calendar, so the next is 29 Jan 2025, starting the Year of the Snake. Expect firecrackers, drums and weaving dragons in the vicinity of Stowell St 11AM-4PM.
• Hoppings is a funfair in late June, held on Town Moor (Metro or bus to Jesmond). The next is probably 20-29 June 2025, tbc.
• Northern Pride is a gay pride festival on Town Moor in July, with the next probably on 19-20 July 2025, tbc.
• MELA means "meeting" in Hindi and it's a celebration of Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi cuisine, music and art. It's held on the August bank holiday on Exhibition Park, the south corner of Town Moor (directions as above) with spillover events around the Monument. The next is probably Su 24 - M 25 Aug 2025, tbc.
• Great North Run is a half marathon, staged between Newcastle and South Shields in September. The next is 7 Sep 2025.
• Christmas Market is held through December to Christmas Eve, centred on Monument.

Learn

Newcastle College: the Ofsted inspectors afterwards needed counselling

• 2 Newcastle University, ☏ +44 191 222-6000. This was founded in 1834 as a medical school within Durham University, becoming independent in 1963. It's one of the Russell Group of research-oriented universities, with some 28,000 students and 2400 teaching staff. The main campus is just north of Haymarket. (updated Dec 2021)
• 3 Northumbria University, ☏ +44 191 232-6002. Founded as Rutherford College in 1877, The Poly became a university in 1994. With a focus on vocational courses such as fashion, design and IT, it has 28,000 students and 1300 teaching staff. Its City Campus is half a mile east of Newcastle University. (updated Dec 2021)
• 4 Newcastle College, ☏ +44 191 200-4000. A large campus on Rye Hill in the Elswick area west of the city centre, teaching engineering, sport, performing arts, food and leisure, science and A level courses. There are some 45,000 students. It's had its misfortunes, but any place that leaves a shaken Ofsted inspectorate in need of counselling can't be all bad. (updated Dec 2021)

Work

Employers always hiring are the call centres here and in Gateshead, and the many bars and restaurants.

As elsewhere in the UK, British and Irish citizens always have the right to take up work, but other EU nationals generally do not.

Buy

Shops and stalls in Grainger Market

• 1 Northumberland Street is the city's pedestrianised main shopping mall. The flagship is Fenwicks; others include JD Sports, Primark and Marks and Spencer.
• 2 Eldon Square is the block west of Northumberland St. It has John Lewis, Argos, Boots and Next.
• 3 Grainger Market, Grainger St. M-Sa 9AM-5:30PM. A bustling indoor market in a hall from 1835. (updated Nov 2023)
• Cloth Market, west of Grey St, has vintage clothing shops.
• Farmer's Market is around Grey's Monument. It's normally first Friday every month 9:30AM-2:30PM but is suspended as of 2021.
• 4 Metro Centre. Built in the 1980s and expanded in the 1990s and again in 2005, this is Europe's largest shopping centre and leisure complex. Flagship stores include Marks and Spencer. Parking is plentiful and free, but traffic can be heavy, so use public transport if possible. Despite its name, it's not served by the Metro, but the Carlisle-Hexham-Newcastle trains stop here plus several bus routes. (updated Dec 2021)

Eat

Chinatown is along Stowell St, and Bigg Market has an eclectic mix of eateries. The Quayside and Central Station areas have plenty more.

Budget

Entrance to Chinatown

City centre

• 1 Frankie & Tony’s Sandwich Bar, 19 Ridley Pl. Generous portions. Quick service. Worth waiting in the queue. A sandwich is for about £4. (updated Feb 2023)
• 2 Pani's Cafe, 61-65 High Bridge, ☏ +44 191 232-4366. M-F noon-3PM, 5-9PM, Sa noon-10PM. Italian specialising in Sardinian. (updated Feb 2023)
• 3 Uno's, 18 Sandhill, ☏ +44 191 261-5264. Cheerful trattoria on Quayside. (updated Feb 2023)
• 4 El Coto, 21 Leazes Park Rd, ☏ +44 191 261-0555. Daily 11AM-11PM. Lively tapas restaurant near the football stadium. (updated Feb 2023)
• Zapatista Burrito Bar. Good quality Mexican, great value. (updated Feb 2023)
  • 5 Zapatista Grainger St. (updated Feb 2023)
  • 6 Zapatista Ridley Pl, 28 Ridley Place, ☏ +44 191 261-7769. M-Sa 11AM-8PM, Su 11:30AM-7PM. (updated Feb 2023)
• 7 Pizza Express, 7 St George's Way (within Eldon Sq Shopping Centre), ☏ +44 191 232-3228. Daily 11:30AM-9PM. Reasonably priced Italian chain. (updated Feb 2023)
• Otherwise there are also found the chain restaurants JD Wetherspoon, eat4less, Chicken Cottage, Wok Inn, Tortilla and Chicken Shack.

North Newcastle

• 8 Francesca's, 134-136 Manor House Road, Jesmond, ☏ +44 191 281-6586. M-Sa noon-2:30PM, 5-9:30PM. Friendly Italian restaurant. (updated Feb 2023)

Mid-range

• 9 Blackfriars Restaurant. British restaurant. The feel of the place is calming and feels private. The original features of the building and the history make your visit here something special. (updated Feb 2023)
• 10 Zizzi, 42 Grey St, ☏ +44 191 261-8360. Daily 11:30AM-11PM. Reliable mid-price Italian chain. (updated Feb 2023)
• 11 Marco Polo, 33 Dean St, ☏ +44 191 232-5533, manager@marcopolonewcastle.com. M-Th noon-11PM, F Sa noon-midnight. Stylish and popular Italian. (updated Feb 2023)
• 12 Khai Khai, 29 Queen St. Indian restaurant opened in 2021. (updated Feb 2023)

Splurge

The 13th century Blackfriars Restaurant

• 13 Blackfriar's Restaurant, Friars St, ☏ +44 191 261-5945. M-F noon-2:30PM, 5:30-10PM, Sa 9:30AM-10PM, Su 9:30AM-4PM. Great reviews for what may be the UK's oldest restaurant. You sit at long tables in a 13th-century monastery refectory, and consume better monkfish than ever the locally-sourced freshly-shrived Black Friars got to eat. (updated Feb 2023)
• 14 Sachins, Forth Banks (south side of Central station), ☏ +44 191 232-4660, info@sachins.co.uk. M-Sa noon-1:30PM, 5-9:30PM. Upscale Punjabi restaurant, gets very busy with the post-match crowd. (updated Feb 2023)
• 15 21, Trinity Gardens, Quayside, ☏ +44 191 222-0755. Tu-Sa noon-2:30PM, 5:30-9PM. Slick restaurant serving quality British and French bistro food. The same group runs Café 21 within Fenwick's on Northumberland St. (updated Feb 2023)
• 16 Landmark Oriental, 20 Stowell St, ☏ +44 191 261-0882. Tu-Th 5PM-9PM, F Sa noon-2:30PM, 5-9:30PM, Su noon-8PM. Great reviews for this high-class Chinese restaurant and bar in Chinatown. (updated Feb 2023)
• And see Sleep for Jesmond Dene House.
• 17 Cook House, Foundary Lane, NE6 1LH. brunch Sa, Su, lunch Th-Sa, dinner W-Sa. mains £10-40. (updated Jun 2024)

Drink

Newcastle Brown is now brewed in Tadcaster

The main drinking strips are Bigg Market, Quayside and around Central Station.

Bigg Market

• 1 City Vaults (Idols), 13 Bigg Market NE1 1UN, ☏ +44 191 221-0850. Th-Su 8PM-3AM. This spacious club features three bars, different music in different rooms, and big screens for showing football on match days. Topless dancers and scantily clad bar staff abound. As if all that wasn't enough, they serve food, including sandwiches, burgers, salads, and curries. (updated Dec 2021)
• 2 Popworld, 14 Bigg Market NE1 1UW, ☏ +44 191 260-2919. Su-Th 8PM-1AM, F 7PM-2AM, Sa 5PM-2AM. Fizing atmosphere for cocktails and music. (updated Dec 2021)

Central Station

• 3 Centurion, Neville St NE1 5DG (within Central Station), ☏ +44 191 261-6611. Daily 8AM-11PM. An impressively designed bar and restaurant in the restored Victorian lounge of the Central Station, the Centurion is a favourite stop for commuters. Live sports on a drop-down big screen. Choose from the bustling main bar or the more intimate cafe-deli. (updated Dec 2021)
• 4 ChachaBuchi (formerly Floritas), 28 Collingwood St NE1 1JF, ☏ +44 191 261-8271. Su-Th 11AM-1AM, F Sa 11AM-3AM. Split-level cocktail bar with outdoor garden bar. (updated Dec 2021)
• 5 The Dog And Parrot, 52 Clayton St West NE1 4EX, ☏ +44 7512 350561. Daily 11AM-1AM. Rock n' roll themed bar with good live music and cheap drinks. (updated Dec 2021)
• 6 Revolution, Collingwood St NE1 1JF, ☏ +44 191 261-8901. M-Th noon-midnight, F-Su noon-1AM. Spacious, ultra-modern vodka bar with cool architecture (pillars, high sculpted ceiling, stainless steel bar and huge windows) and great selection of flavoured vodkas and cocktails. Dress is "smart casual", which means no baseball caps or hoodies. Music ranges from pop to indie to R&B to house. (updated Dec 2021)
• 7 The Bodega, 125 Westgate Road NE1 4AG (next to Tyne Theatre), ☏ +44 191 221-1552. Su-Th noon-11PM, F Sa noon-midnight. A beautiful Victorian pub with ornate stained glass domes, friendly bar staff and a great selection of real ales and premium lagers. (updated Dec 2021)
• 8 Forth Hotel, 17-23 Pink Lane NE1 5DW (by St Mary's Cathedral), ☏ +44 191 232-6478. Su-Th noon-11PM, F Sa noon-1AM. Cosy pub with a great selection of real ales, imported beers and wine, serves food. It doesn't have accommodation. (updated Dec 2021)
• 9 The Head of Steam, 2 Neville St NE1 5EN (within Hampton by Hilton), ☏ +44 191 230-4236, newcastle@theheadofsteam.co.uk. W-Su 5PM-2AM. On the first floor, you'll find a wide selection of real ales, lagers, cider, wine and spirits in a comfortable atmosphere. The basement, which holds 50-some, is a live music venue showcasing up-and-coming bands. (updated Dec 2021)
• 10 The Telegraph, Orchard St NE1 3NY (south flank of Station), ☏ +44 191 261-8991. M-Th 3PM-11PM, F Sa noon-2AM, Su noon-midnight. Handy for station, charming interior and roof terrace. They often have DJs or live bands. (updated Dec 2021)
• 11 Tilleys, 105 Westgate Rd NE1 4AG (next to Tyne Theatre), ☏ +44 191 232-0692. W Th Su noon-10PM, F Sa noon-11PM. Cosy pub with L-shaped bar, with a large selection of real ales, craft and premium lagers and ciders, serves decent food. (updated Dec 2021)
• 12 Tokyo, 17 Westgate Rd NE1 1SE, ☏ +44 191 230-3318. Su-F 5PM-2AM, Sa 3PM-2AM. A stylish, modern venue with an elegant rooftop garden bar and a good selection of cocktails, spirits, wines and beers. (updated Dec 2021)
• 13 The Mile Castle, 19–25 Westgate Road NE1 5XU (corner of Grainger St), ☏ +44 191 211-1160. Su-Th 8AM-1AM, F Sa 8AM-2AM. JD Wetherspoon pub with large 3-storey bar serving food, big enough to find a seat at the weekend. (updated Dec 2021)
• 14 Rusty's (formerly Baron and Baroness), Times Square NE1 4EP. Daily 8PM-3AM. Lively gay bar near the station. (updated Dec 2021)
• 15 Powerhouse, 7-19 Westmorland Rd NE1 4EQ, ☏ +44 191 261-9326. Nightly 11PM-4AM. Newcastle's longest running and biggest gay dance club, with four floors of music from the 1990s to disco and more. (updated Dec 2021)

Quayside

Theatre Royal

• 16 Quilted Camel, 36 Sandhill NE1 3JF, ☏ +44 191 221-1885. F Sa 6PM-1AM. Quirky cocktail bar with a range of 30 cocktails, with retro-chic interior. (updated Dec 2021)
• 17 Bridge Tavern, 7 Akenside Hill NE1 3UF (beneath Tyne Bridge), ☏ +44 191 261-9966. M-Th noon-midnight, F Sa noon-1AM, Su noon-11PM. A great craft brewpub: reasonably priced and always busy, serves food. 10+ taps on the bar which change regularly. (updated Dec 2021)
• 18 Charts (formerly Flynn's), 63 Quayside NE1 3DE, ☏ +44 191 338-7989. W Th 4PM-10PM, F Sa noon-midnight, Su noon-7PM. Pleasant quayside place for a quiet drink and meal, with no tears shed for its rough predecessor. (updated Dec 2021)
• 19 Pitcher & Piano, 108 Quayside NE1 3DX (by Malmaison), ☏ +44 191 232-4110. Daily 11AM-10PM. An extensive list of beers, wines, shooters and cocktails. The glass fronted building has two floors and a rooftop terrace, nice views of the river and Millennium Bridge. DJs and occasional live music. (updated Dec 2021)
• 20 Akenside Traders, Dean St NE1 1PQ, ☏ +44 191 260-3175. M-Th 11AM-midnight, F Sa 11AM-1AM, Su 10AM-midnight. Relaxing sports bar, decent food. There's a good view of the river and Guild Hall from the front, and a DJ provides the music. (updated Dec 2021)
• 21 Crown Posada, 31 The Side NE1 3JE, ☏ +44 191 232-1269. Daily 11AM-midnight. Beautifully preserved 1880s long-room pub, with stained glass windows and wood-panel ceiling. A gramophone in back cranks out vintage tunes, and it's a great place to try real ales from local breweries. (updated Dec 2021)

Ouseburn

• 22 The Cluny, 36 Lime St NE1 2PQ, ☏ +44 191 230-4474. M-Sa noon-8PM, Su noon-7PM. Primarily a music venue, with live bands most nights.  
• 23 The Free Trade Inn, 12 St Lawrence Rd NE6 1AP, ☏ +44 191 265-5764. Daily noon-10PM. A cosy trad pub by the Tyne, with an excellent selection of beers. A free jukebox supplies the music. Limited food, but there's deli sandwiches, and a pizza van visits. (updated Dec 2021)
• 24 Tyne Bar, Mailing St NE6 1LP, ☏ +44 191 265-2550. Daily noon-9PM. Beneath Walker St bridge where Ouseburn flows into the Tyne, this has a good selection of real ales and a beer garden. Live music at weekends, and bands in the garden during summer. (updated Dec 2021)
• 25 Cumberland Arms, James Place St NE6 1LD, ☏ +44 191 265-1725. M 5PM-10PM, Tu-F 2PM-10PM, Sa Su noon-10PM. Atmospheric 1860s pub with real ales, a roaring fire and live music, large outside seating area with heaters. (updated Dec 2021)

Jesmond

Millennium Bridge

Jesmond and Gosforth are upmarket areas, and several bars are part of hotels.

• 26 Bar Blanc, 38-42 Osborne Rd NE2 2AL (within Whites Hotel), ☏ +44 191 281-5126. M-Sa 11AM-11PM, Su noon-10:30PM. Relaxing place with a mixture of locals and hotel guests, shiny decor and a large outside seating area. B&B double £50. (updated Dec 2021)
• 27 Osbornes, 61-69 Osborne Rd NE2 2AN, ☏ +44 191 240-7778. Su-Th noon-11PM, F Sa noon-11PM. This spacious bar shows live sports on wide-screen TVs and has an outdoor beer garden. (updated Dec 2021)
• 28 The Lonsdale, Lonsdale Terrace, West Jesmond NE2 3HQ (by West Jesmond Metro), ☏ +44 191 281-0039. M-Th 11AM-11PM, F-Su 10AM-11PM. Trad pub with a relaxed atmosphere. Quiz nights, digital juke box, and monthly live music. (updated Dec 2021)
• 29 Brandling Villa, Haddrick's Mill Rd, South Gosforth NE3 1QL, ☏ +44 191 284-0490. Su-Th noon-11PM, F Sa noon-midnight. Cask beer and great selection of whisky, dog-friendly. (updated Dec 2021)
• 30 Collingwood Arms, Brandling Village NE2 4RS, ☏ +44 191 281-0570. M-Th noon-11PM, F Sa noon-midnight, Su 1PM-11PM. Old-style pub with great ales, dog-friendly. (updated Dec 2021)
• 31 Brandling Arms, High St, Gosforth NE3 1HD, ☏ +44 191 285-4023. Su-W noon-11PM, Th F noon-midnight, Sa 10AM-midnight. Pub with decent food and patio garden, dog-friendly. (updated Dec 2021)

Others

The railway carves through the "new castle"

• 32 Bacchus, 42-48 High Bridge NE1 6BX, ☏ +44 191 261-1008. M-Sa 11AM-midnight, Su noon-10:30PM. Ocean liner decor redolent of Tyneside's shipbuilding days. A long drink list includes wines, cask ales and microbrews. (updated Dec 2021)
• 33 Bar 52, 55 Degrees North, Pilgrim St NE1 8BJ, ☏ +44 191 261-1066. Daily noon-midnight. Chain sports pub, okay-ish food. (updated Dec 2021)
• 34 The Five Swans, 14 St Mary's Place NE1 7PG, ☏ +44 191 211-1140. Daily 8AM-midnight, F Sa 8AM-1AM. JD Weatherspoons chain pub, good value for drinks and food. (updated Dec 2021)
• 35 The Hancock, 2a Hancock St NE2 4PU, ☏ +44 191 281-5653. Daily noon-midnight. Next to both universities, so it has a student vibe with juke boxes, pool tables, big screen TVs and game machines, plus an array of DJs four nights a week. (updated Dec 2021)
• 36 The Strawberry, 7-8 Strawberry Place NE1 4SF (east side of football stadium), ☏ +44 191 232-6865. Daily 11AM-11PM. A shrine to next-door Newcastle United, displaying a huge amount of club memorabilia from down the years, and packed around home games. It has real ales and bar meals, big screen TVs, a jukebox, pool table and a roof terrace. (updated Dec 2021)
• 37 The Trent House, 1-2 Leazes Lane NE1 4QT (just south of Newcastle University), ☏ +44 191 261-2154. M-Sa 11AM-11PM, Su noon-11PM. Friendly pub with a great selection of real ales, beers and spirits, but most famous for their free jukebox playing soul, rock and 1970s music. It's heaving when Newcastle Utd are playing at home. (updated Dec 2021)
• 38 World HQ, Curtis Mayfield House, Carliol Square East NE1 6UF. Sa-Th 24 hrs. Great place to go clubbing for the night with cheap drinks and a crazy audience. (updated Dec 2021)

Breweries

• Lots! There are nowadays no big commercial breweries hereabouts, but small independents include Newcastle Brewing, Brinkburn Street, Full Circle, Northern Alchemy, Wylam, Almasty, Anarchy, and Tyne Bank.
• Gateshead just across the bridge has several more.
• Newcastle Brown is the city's flagship ale but local production ended in 2005. Now owned by Heineken, the domestic product is brewed in Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, and the export product is made in Zoeterwoude near Leiden in the Netherlands. It's 4.7% ABV; in 2015 the red-brown colouring agent was switched from caramel to roasted malt. It's traditionally sold in pint (568 ml) clear bottles, served cold but not chilled. It pours quietly without a head, so you can fill your glass to the brim without froth escaping down your pants. In Britain it's marketed as a trad, no-nonsense, working-man's budget pint, while other markets get jazzier treatments. Some find it insipid and gassy (what doesn't bubble out as a head is sure to make its presence known elsewhere) but it's a question of the right drink for the right occasion. On a dreary day with the drizzle blowing in from the North Sea, you'll be grateful to sit down to a meat casserole or pie with a bottle or three of Nookie Broon within reach.

Sleep

Earl Grey on the town with King William IV

See Gateshead for accommodation south bank of the river, and Tynemouth for the strip along A19 the eastern bypass.

If your schedule allows, staying mid-week rather than at the weekend. Some hotels charge more for a two night Friday and Saturday stay than for five nights from Sunday to Thursday.

Budget

• 1 Albatross Hostel, 51 Grainger St NE1 5JE, ☏ +44 191 233-1330, info@albatrossnewcastle.co.uk. Large youth hostel in a former bank near Central Station. Basic but clean, 24 hr reception. Dorm from £17 ppn. (updated Dec 2021)
• 2 Leonardo Hotel (formerly Jury's Inn), Scotswood Rd NE1 4AD (west side of station), ☏ +44 191 201-4400. Boxy modern hotel, usually clean. They have another in Gateshead. B&B double £60. (updated Dec 2021)
• 3 Premier Inn Quayside, Quayside NE1 3AE, ☏ +44 333 321 1347. Budget chain offering, very central, a bit grubby. They also have two other city hotels, one in Gateshead, one at Metro Centre and two next to the airport. Double (room only) £70. (updated Dec 2021)
• 4 Rooms Inn, 40 West Parade NE4 7LB, ☏ +44 191 273-3034. Basic hotel in a residential area, value for what you're paying. Double (room only) £45. (updated Dec 2021)
• 5 Hansen Hotel, 131 Sandyford Road NE2 1QR, ☏ +44 191 281-0289, hansenhotel2002@hotmail.co.uk. Small budget hotel near Jesmond metro station. Poor reviews 2021-23. (updated May 2023)
• 6 YHA Hostel, 17 Carliol Square. Hostel with dormitories, private rooms and cafe. There is no self-catering kitchen. (updated Dec 2021)

• 7 Sleeperz, 15 Westgate Road, NE1 1SE (Rail & Metro: Newcastle Central, 300 m). Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Basic, but smart and comfy, city centre hotel. Ask for a room with a view, as the castle, Tyne Bridge and railway tracks are all in sight. Good buffet breakfast, but very limited vegan and vegetarian options. £50 pppn. Breakfast £9. (updated May 2023)

Mid-range

Grey Street and Monument

• 8 Britannia Hotel, Ponteland NE13 8DJ (by the airport), ☏ +44 871 222 0028. A business hotel equipped with wireless internet and a 400-person conference hall. Double (room only) £40. (updated Dec 2021)
• 9 Holiday Inn Express, Waterloo Square, St James Blvd NE1 4DN (west side of station), ☏ +44 191 224 685, fax: +44 870 428 1477, info@expressnewcastle.co.uk. Comfy central place, pet-friendly. Parking is in the public multi-storey. B&B double £50. (updated Dec 2021)
• 10 Hotel Novotel Newcastle Airport, Ponteland Road, Kenton NE3 3HZ (junction of A1 and A696, 3 mi (4.8 km) from airport), ☏ +44 191 214-0303, H1118@accor.com. In 2021 this is acting as asylum-seeker accommodation. (updated Dec 2021)
• 11 Royal Station Hotel, Neville St NE1 5DH (at Central Station), ☏ +44 191 232-0781, info@royalstationhotel.com. Opened by Prince Albert and Queen Victoria in 1858, this is a grand old Victorian railway hotel. Modern interior, gets good scores for comfort and service. B&B double £90. (updated Dec 2021)
• 12 County Hotel (formerly Thistle), Neville Street NE1 5DF (by Central Station), ☏ +44 191 731-6670. Comfy place in Victorian pile, very central, the downside is street noise and lack of parking. B&B double £80. (updated Dec 2021)
• 13 Travelodge (Newcastle Central), Forster Street, Quayside NE1 2NH, ☏ +44 871 984 6164. Reliable chain hotel, inevitably they get a lot of stag and hen parties. Travelodge have two other central sites plus one in Gateshead and three further out by racecourse, airport and Seaton Burn. Double (room only) £80. (updated Dec 2021)
• 14 Vermont Hotel, Castle Garth, Quayside NE1 1RQ (by castle), ☏ +44 191 233-1010. Decent central mid-price hotel. They don't accept stag / hen parties. B&B double £120. (updated Dec 2021)

Splurge

• 15 Copthorne Hotel, The Close, Quayside NE1 3RT (one block south of station), ☏ +44 191 222-0333, sales.newcastle@milleniumhotels.co.uk. Good central hotel with river views, some railway noise. B&B double £110. (updated Oct 2021)
• 16 Grey Street Hotel, 2-12 Grey St NE1 6EE, ☏ +44 191 230-6777, fax: +44 191 230-6888, enquiries@greystreethotel.com. Great value in this central hotel on elegant Grey St. B&B double £145. (updated Oct 2021)
• 17 Jesmond Dene House, Jesmond Dene Rd NE2 2EY, ☏ +44 191 212-3000, info@jesmonddenehouse.co.uk. A leafy boutique hotel, great reviews for service, comfort and cuisine. B&B double £160. (updated Oct 2021)
• 18 Malmaison, 104 Quayside NE1 3DX, ☏ +44 191 389-8627, theteam@malmaison.com. Smart upscale hotel, very central. B&B double £160. (updated Oct 2021)

Connect

Stained glass in Laing Art Gallery

As of July 2021, Newcastle has 5G from EE and 4G from the other UK carriers.

Stay safe

Newcastle is a safe city, and friendly in its hard-faced northern way. Watch for traffic, avoid drunks and boisterous revellers, safeguard valuables, you'll do fine. There are rough outlying areas where you have no reason to go.

Historically there was a sharp rivalry between Newcastle Utd and Sunderland, but the disparity in league standings and club wealth means that anyone taken to be a Sunderland supporter nowadays won't get more than derisory banter. Nevertheless, you should avoid wearing Sunderland shirts while in Newcastle unless you want to risk inviting harassment from local football fans.

Cope

Medical: only go to Hospital for outright emergencies. Otherwise try the walk-in centres at Westgate or Molineaux St, or phone 111.

Pharmacies: 5 Boots in Eldon Square is open M-Sa to 8PM, Su to 5PM. The others keep standard shop hours.

Laundrettes: 6 Swiss Wash on Fenham Rd is open M-Sa 9:30AM-5PM. Coin-op on Heaton Rd is open M-Sa 9AM-6PM.

Go next

• Tynemouth, a short Metro ride east, stands on the coast with a ruined priory and castle.
• Hadrian's Wall starts just east of the city at Wallsend, but the best of it is 25 mi (40 km)-40 mi (64 km) west between Hexham and Brampton, with sites such Vindolanda and Housesteads.
• Alnwick is a charming small town with a fine castle and gardens, and Alnmouth is a picturesque village on the coast. The railway station is between them, with a connecting bus.
• Durham is only 20 min by train. Its castle and cathedral are set in a well-preserved old town centre.
• Beamish has an extensive Open Air Museum depicting northern town life circa 1913.
• Northumberland's coastal highlights are Dunstanburgh Castle north of Alnwick, Bamburgh castle near Seahouses, and the tidal Holy Isle of Lindisfarne.
• Northumberland National Park has forests centred on Kielder reservoir, with activities such as abseiling, canoeing, hiking and mountain biking.

Routes through Newcastle upon Tyne

Edinburgh ← Morpeth ←	N  S	→ Washington → Leeds
Edinburgh ← Berwick-upon-Tweed ←	N  S	→ York → London