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Newcastle upon Tyne - city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England

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 302,820 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.

The city no longer has a tourist office - if you happen to be reading this page online you'll understand why - but it's an all-year destination with lots to see and do.

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.

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

Newcastle International Airport (IATA: NCL), 55.0375°, -1.691667°. This has flights from London Heathrow, Amsterdam, Paris CDG, Brussels, Copenhagen, Dublin, other European cities and the Med: 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. 2022-01-02

An alternative is Manchester Airport (IATA: MAN), 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.
  • 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

Newcastle is on the East Coast Main Line, with LNER trains running once or twice an hour between Edinburgh (90 min) and London Kings Cross (3 hours) via York (one hour). Lumo also operate a few trains between Edinburgh and London.

CrossCountry run hourly from the West Country via Birmingham (3 hours 30 min), Sheffield (2 hour 15 minutes), Leeds (90 min) and York.

TransPennine Express run from Liverpool via Manchester Victoria (2 hours 30 min). The direct train from Manchester Airport and 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 "Get around" section for further information. In most cases, few travellers benefit.

Newcastle Central Station is 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 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. 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.

Central Station is on both lines of the 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 Metro Yellow Line, as is Walkergate to the east. Heworth near Gateshead is the only P&R south of the Tyne: it's on both Metro lines but not particularly convenient for the A1.

City centre has multi-storey parks 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.

Car hire companies include Europcar (who have a desk in Central Station), Avis, National, Sixt, Budget and Enterprise. These also serve the airport and Gateshead.

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.

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 miles 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:

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. 2021-12-31

By bus

Go North East Q3 or Quaylink runs every 30 min south from Great Park P&R through Gosforth, Jesmond, Haymarket and Pilgrim St in city centre, then east along Quayside to St Peter's, Walker and Wallsend. Bus 33 also runs between Gosforth, Jesmond and the centre.

Bus 1 runs every 30 min from Gateshead to Market St in city centre, then east to Wallsend and the coast.

These city buses ply the streets and don't use the bus station. See Tyne and Wear#Get around for buses to the outlying towns, and individual towns' "Get in".

The bus companies offer day-tickets and longer passes, but these are only valid for the issuing company, with a variety of fare zones. For instance a Go North East day-ticket for city centre in 2022 is £5.30, more than separate there-and-back singles.

Plusbus is a supplement to your rail ticket, valid for local buses but not the Metro. A day ticket is adult £4, child £2. The travel area corresponds to Fare Zones A+B, so it costs more than an ordinary single, and only makes sense for multiple journeys. 7-day and longer tickets are available.

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, 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 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. 750px 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, 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 on 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 train

Latin signage at Wallsend Metro station You might use train rather than Metro or bus for a few districts, for similar fares:

  • north via Manors (for both universities) to Cramlington and Morpeth. Manors Metro is 100 yards north of Manors railway station so it's not mapped as an interchange, but a short walk.
  • west via Dunston (west edge of Gateshead) and Metrocentre to Prudhoe, Corbridge, Hexham and Carlisle.
  • southeast via Heworth to Sunderland, Stockton-on-Tees and Middlesbrough. A new line is under construction in 2022 through the northern suburbs to Blyth and Ashington. It might open in 2024.

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

  • River Tyne north bank has a footpath and cycleway. It's called "Hadrian's Wall Path" but is entirely modern, as the Roman original is lost under city centre.
  • Tyne Bridge, completed in 1928, has a striking steel arch similar to Sydney Harbour Bridge. It carries A167 and has sidewalks on both sides.
  • 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.
  • Newcastle Castle, Castle Garth NE1 1RQ, 54.96876°, -1.61056°, +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 2023-04-01
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Newcastle Cathedral (St Nicholas), St Nicholas Square NE1 1PF, 54.97005°, -1.61163°, +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 2021-12-30 St Nicholas Cathedral Chancel
  • 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.
  • 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

  • Gallery North, Northumbria University, Sandyford Road NE1 8QE, 54.97832°, -1.60868°, +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 2021-12-30
  • Great North Museum: Hancock, Barras Bridge NE2 4PT, 54.98°, -1.613°, +44 191 208 6765. M-F 10AM-5PM, Sa 10AM-4PM, Su 11AM-4PM. Contains fossils, mummies, stuffed animals and local history exhibits. Free 2021-12-15
  • Hatton Gallery, The Quadrangle, Newcastle University NE1 7RH (Opposite Great North museum), NA°, NA°, +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 2021-12-15
  • Seven Stories (National Centre for Children's Books), 30 Lime Street, Ouseburn Valley NE1 2PQ (half a mile east of Manors Metro), 54.97452°, -1.59206°, +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 2021-12-15
  • The Biscuit Factory, 16 Stoddart Street, NE2 1AN (Metro: Manors, 650 m), 54.97618°, -1.59811°, +44 191 261-1103, art@thebiscuitfactory.com. W-Su 10AM-5PM. Britain's biggest original art store is 35,000 square feet 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 2021-10-03
  • Life Science Centre, Times Square NE1 4EP (opposite bus station, west side of railway station), NA°, NA°, +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 2021-12-08
  • Discovery Museum, Blandford Square NE1 4JA (a block west of Central Station), 54.96903°, -1.62503°, +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 2021-12-08
  • Laing Art Gallery, New Bridge St NE1 8AG, 54.97503°, -1.60944°, +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 2021-12-08
  • Side Gallery, 5 & 9 Side NE1 3JE, 54.96907°, -1.60832°, +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 2022-12-07

Further afield

  • 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's main metro station. (Don't get off at Hadrian Road, a nondescript burb. Some Metro signage is in Latin: have your ticket ready for the vomitorium.) 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 A1 and A167.
  • 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 or see the Shows in Newcastle website.
  • 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. 2021-12-20

Theatre

Tyne Theatre and Opera House

Music

Sage Music Centre

  • See Gateshead for Sage Music Centre. It's easiest accessed from Newcastle by walking across the low-level swing bridge.
  • Utilia Arena (formerly Metro Radio Arena), Arena Way NE4 7NA, 54.9637°, -1.6238°, +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. 2021-12-30
  • O2 Academy Newcastle, Westgate Rd NE1 1SW, +44 191 260 2020. 2000-capacity venue in a former bingo hall hosting musical acts. 2021-12-30
  • O2 City Hall, Northumberland Road NE1 8SF, 54.9774°, -1.61046°, +44 191 277-8030. This concert venue is now managed by Academy Music. 2021-12-30
  • 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

  • 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 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 Kingston Park 📍 in the north of the city.
  • Rugby League (13-a-side): Newcastle Thunder also play at Kingston Park. They're in the Championship, that game's second tier; the RL season is Mar-Sept.
  • Basketball: Newcastle Eagles play at Northumbria University's "Sport Central".
  • Go to the dog track, also at Brough Park - the dogs chase round the outer track, the bikes race within.
  • Athletics at 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.
  • Watch cricket at the Riverside Ground in Chester-le-Street, 10 miles south. This is home to Durham County Cricket Club, one of the 18 First Class Counties, the top tier of English cricket. County matches normally last 3-4 days. The stadium also hosts international or Test Matches, lasting up to five days. The stadium is half a mile east of the railway station, frequent trains take ten min from Newcastle.

Cinema

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

Events

  • Chinese New Year follows a lunar calendar, so the next is Sunday 22 Jan 2023, starting the Year of the Rabbit. 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 17-25 June 2022.
  • Northern Pride is a gay pride festival on Town Moor in July, with the next on 22-24 July 2022.
  • 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 Sunday 28 - M 29 Aug 2022.
  • Great North Run is a half marathon, staged between Newcastle and South Shields in September. The next is Saturday 10 Sep 2022.
  • Christmas Market is held through December to Christmas Eve, centred on Monument. In bygone years this had a funfair and extended down Northumberland St, but the scale of the 2022 market is not yet known.

Learn

Newcastle College: the Ofsted inspectors afterwards needed counselling

  • Newcastle University, 54.978°, -1.615°, +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. 2021-12-31
  • Northumbria University, 54.9764°, -1.608°, +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. 2021-12-31
  • Newcastle College, 54.9672°, -1.62861°, +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. 2021-12-31

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

  • Northumberland Street is the city's pedestrianised main shopping mall. The flagship is Fenwicks; others include JD Sports, Primark and Marks and Spencer.
  • Eldon Square is the block west of Northumberland St. It has John Lewis, Argos, Boots and Next.
  • Grainger Market on Grainger St is a bustling indoor market in a hall from 1835, open M-Sa 9AM-5:30PM.
  • 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.
  • 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. 2021-12-31

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

North Newcastle

Mid-range

Splurge

The 13th century Blackfriars Restaurant

Drink

Newcastle Brown is now brewed in Tadcaster The main drinking strips are Bigg Market, Quayside and around Central Station.

Bigg Market

  • City Vaults (Idols), 13 Bigg Market NE1 1UN, 54.97121°, -1.61460°, +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. 2021-12-29
  • 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. 2021-12-29

Central Station

  • Centurion, Neville St NE1 5DG (within Central Station), 54.96897°, -1.61643°, +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. 2021-12-29
  • ChachaBuchi (formerly Floritas), 28 Collingwood St NE1 1JF, 54.96992°, -1.61373°, +44 191 261 8271. Su-Th 11AM-1AM, F Sa 11AM-3AM. Split-level cocktail bar with outdoor garden bar. 2021-12-29
  • The Dog And Parrot, 52 Clayton St West NE1 4EX, 54.96859°, -1.62085°, +44 7512 350561. Daily 11AM-1AM. Rock n' roll themed bar with good live music and cheap drinks. 2021-12-30
  • 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. 2021-12-29
  • The Bodega, 125 Westgate Road NE1 4AG (next to Tyne Theatre), 54.97060°, -1.62136°, +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. 2021-12-29
  • Forth Hotel, 17-23 Pink Lane NE1 5DW (by St Mary's Cathedral), 54.96959°, -1.61841°, +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. 2021-12-29
  • The Head of Steam, 2 Neville St NE1 5EN (within Hampton by Hilton), 54.96957°, -1.61553°, +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. 2021-12-29
  • The Telegraph, Orchard St NE1 3NY (south flank of Station), 54.96815°, -1.61411°, +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. 2021-12-29
  • Tilleys, 105 Westgate Rd NE1 4AG (next to Tyne Theatre), 54.97047°, -1.62062°, +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. 2021-12-29
  • Tokyo, 17 Westgate Rd NE1 1SE, 54.96923°, -1.61323°, +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. 2021-12-29
  • The Mile Castle, 19–25 Westgate Road NE1 5XU (corner of Grainger St), 54.96924°, -1.61345°, +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. 2021-12-29
  • Rusty's (formerly Baron and Baroness), Times Square NE1 4EP, 54.96781°, -1.62052°. Daily 8PM-3AM. Lively gay bar near the station. 2021-12-31
  • Powerhouse, 7-19 Westmorland Rd NE1 4EQ, 54.96829°, -1.62282°, +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. 2021-12-31

Quayside

Theatre Royal

  • Quilted Camel, 36 Sandhill NE1 3JF, 54.96877°, -1.60813°, +44 191 221 1885. F Sa 6PM-1AM. Quirky cocktail bar with a range of 30 cocktails, with retro-chic interior. 2021-12-31
  • Bridge Tavern, 7 Akenside Hill NE1 3UF (beneath Tyne Bridge), 54.96943°, -1.60754°, +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. 2021-12-31
  • Charts (formerly Flynn's), 63 Quayside NE1 3DE, 54.96933°, -1.6044°, +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. 2021-12-31
  • Pitcher & Piano, 108 Quayside NE1 3DX (by Malmaison), 54.97052°, -1.59953°, +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. 2021-12-31
  • Akenside Traders, Dean St NE1 1PQ, 54.96943°, -1.60805°, +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. 2021-12-31
  • Crown Posada, 31 The Side NE1 3JE, 54.9692808°, -1.60884°, +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. 2021-12-31

Ouseburn

Jesmond

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

Others

The railway carves through the "new castle"

  • Bacchus, 42-48 High Bridge NE1 6BX, 54.97233°, -1.61114°, +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. 2021-12-31
  • Bar 52, 55 Degrees North, Pilgrim St NE1 8BJ, +44 191 261 1066. Daily noon-midnight. Chain sports pub, okay-ish food. 2021-12-31
  • The Five Swans, 14 St Mary's Place NE1 7PG, 54.97765°, -1.61195°, +44 191 211 1140. Daily 8AM-midnight, F Sa 8AM-1AM. JD Weatherspoons chain pub, good value for drinks and food. 2021-12-31
  • The Hancock, 2a Hancock St NE2 4PU, 54.97998°, -1.61132°, +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. 2021-12-31
  • The Strawberry, 7-8 Strawberry Place NE1 4SF (east side of football stadium), 54.97481°, -1.61955°, +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. 2021-12-31
  • The Trent House, 1-2 Leazes Lane NE1 4QT (just south of Newcastle University), 54.97709°, -1.61838°, +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. 2021-12-31
  • 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. 2021-12-31

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

Mid-range

Grey Street and Monument

  • 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 2021-12-05
  • Holiday Inn Express, Waterloo Square, St James Blvd NE1 4DN (west side of station), +44 191 224 685, info@expressnewcastle.co.uk. Comfy central place, pet-friendly. Parking is in the public multi-storey. B&B double £50 2021-12-05
  • Hotel Novotel Newcastle Airport, Ponteland Road, Kenton NE3 3HZ (junction of A1 and A696, three miles from airport), 55.008°, -1.668°, +44 191 214 0303, H1118@accor.com. In 2021 this is acting as asylum-seeker accommodation. 2021-12-05
  • 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 2021-12-05
  • 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 2021-12-05
  • 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 2021-12-05
  • 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 2021-12-05

Splurge

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 St James Hospital for outright emergencies. Otherwise try the walk-in centres at Westgate or Molineaux St, or phone 111.

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

Laundrettes: 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 25-40 miles 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.

Newcastle upon Tyne

newcastle.gov.uk
Postal code:NEDate Time:Please wait...Timezone:Europe/LondonPopulation:300,196Coordinates:54.98, -1.61

Newcastle upon Tyne

2nd-order administrative division

England

Primary administrative division

United Kingdom

gov.uk
Population:66.5 MDial code:+44Currency:Pound (GBP)Voltage:230 V, 50 Hz