Newcastle upon Tyne: Difference between revisions

Newcastle upon Tyne is a port city in the North East of England. It has a population of 250,000 but including the surrounding urban area its population is almost 1 million. It has among the best nightlife in all of Britain, and has a distinct Geordie vernacular.

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.

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.

All tourist information centres have been closed down, and tourists are requested to do research online instead. It's a good thing you found Wikivoyage!

There is a tourist information kiosk near the check-in hall at Newcastle Airport.

55.0375-1.6916671 Newcastle International Airport (NCL  ^IATA) (6 miles northwest of city on A68). 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 / 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:

• Tyne and Wear Metro Green Line takes 20 min from the airport via Jesmond to central stops such as Haymarket, Monument and Central (for Metro Yellow Line, mainline trains and buses) then continues south to Gateshead and Sunderland. The airport is in Zone 3 so a single adult ticket in 2021 is £3.70. Trains run M-Sa 05:40-23:10, Su 06:30-23:10, every 12-15 min. They're cramped for luggage space.
• Bus: Stagecoach Bus X78 runs every 30 min M-Sa and hourly Su from Darras Hall and Ponteland via the airport, taking 20 min to Eldon Square in city centre. The bus stop is by the airport Metro station on B6918.

Go Northeast Little Coaster 42A wanders the north burbs hourly, from Kingston Park Metro and the airport to Dudley, Killingworth, Benton, Wiltshire Drive and Wallsend.

• Taxis wait outside the airport and charge about £15 to city centre.
• By car follow A68, which brings you onto A1 in 5 min, then you hit the city traffic.

Wikivoyage has a guide to Rail travel in Great Britain

Newcastle is on the main east coast line and has trains every 30 min from London Kings Cross, taking 3 hours via Peterborough, York and Durham. These continue north to Morpeth, Berwick-upon-Tweed and Edinburgh, then fan out to Glasgow, Aberdeen or once a day to Inverness.

Trains run hourly from Bristol and the southwest via Birmingham, Sheffield, Leeds and York to join the east coast line to Newcastle and Scotland.

Trains run hourly from Liverpool Lime Street via Manchester Victoria, Leeds, York and Durham. In normal times there's a direct train from Manchester Airport via Piccadilly, but in 2022 this remains suspended.

Trains run hourly from Carlisle via Hexham to Newcastle, where alternate trains turn north to Cramlington and Morpeth.

They run hourly from Middlesbrough via Stockton-on-Tees, Hartlepool and Sunderland to Newcastle and Hexham.

Trains only run daytime: the London-Scotland sleeper runs via the west coast. For timetables, fares, disruptions and real-time running see National Rail - they don't themselves sell tickets but point you to the relevant operator. That will usually be LNER for trains from London, Cross Country Trains from the Midlands, Transpennine from Manchester, and Northern from Carlisle or Middlesbrough. Lumo since Oct 2021 are new competitors on the London-Edinburgh route, with teaser low fares, but see Edinburgh#Get in for the reality check.

54.9686-1.61712 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 (05:00-21:20), a coffee shop, The Centurion pub (see Drink), toilets, heated waiting rooms 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.

Central Station is on both lines of the Tyne and Wear Metro, with frequent trains to the airport, burbs, Gateshead and outlying towns - see below.

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.

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, eg from Berwick-upon-Tweed, Durham or Sunderland.

54.9675-1.62263 Newcastle Coach Station is little more than a 5-bay coach stop with a waiting room, but is near city amenities. It's on Churchill St a quarter mile west of Central mainline and Metro stations. The National Express ticket office is open M-Sa 08:30AM-5PM, Su 10AM-4PM.

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.

54°58′23″N 1°36′40″W

Map of Newcastle upon Tyne

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

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. (updated Dec 2021)

City Centre

Quaylink services run every few minutes between the city centre and the Newcastle/Gateshead quayside. Single fares are 80p and the distinctive yellow livery makes the service easy to recognise.

Suburbs

There are 2 bus stations in the city: Haymarket with services to the north of the city and Northumberland, and Eldon Square Bus Station mainly serves Gateshead, County Durham and Teesside. Some routes, including virtually all of those operated by Stagecoach, do not use the bus stations and instead use stops on streets in the city centre, such as Pilgrim Street or Blackett Street.

An extensive and efficient network of bus routes radiate out of Newcastle into the surrounding towns and suburbs. Though the services are operated by several different operators they are coordinated by Nexus, Tyne and Wear's transport authority. Maps and timetables can be found on the Nexus website, though it may be easier to use a personalised journey planner such as Traveline.

Bus operators include:

• Arriva North East, 21 Bridge St, Blyth, ☏ +44 167 036-3300. Services to North Tyneside, Northumberland, and the north of Newcastle, as well as one route to Durham and Middlesbrough. (updated Jan 2021)
• Go North East, 117 Queen St, Gateshead, ☏ +44 1207 282288. Services to Gateshead, South Tyneside, Sunderland, the Tyne Valley, and County Durham, as well as a coach service to Middlesbrough. (updated Jan 2021)
• Stagecoach Newcastle, Shields Road, Walkergate, ☏ +44 871 200 22 33. Local services around the city, as well as to Wallsend, the MetroCentre, and Ponteland. Stagecoach also provide links to parts of South Tyneside, Sunderland city centre, and Carlisle via Hexham. (updated Jan 2021)

The participating bus operators for the Plusbus ticket are: Stagecoach, Go-North East and Arriva.

The Tyne & Wear Metro is a fast, safe and reasonably cheap way of getting around the city and also to outlying suburbs and surrounding towns including Whitley Bay, Tynemouth, North and South Shields, Sunderland and Newcastle International Airport.

There are two lines: the Green Line runs from Newcastle Airport to South Hylton (in Sunderland) and the Yellow Line runs from St James Park to South Shields via a lengthy loop via the coastal towns of North Shields, Whitley Bay and Tynemouth. Note that the east-west and north-south sections of the Yellow Line cross at Monument Station, so if, for example, you are travelling from St James Park to South Shields, it is much quicker to transfer to the southbound Yellow Line at Monument rather than riding along the entire route. The Green Line shares tracks with the Yellow Line for the majority of the section through central Newcastle and Gateshead.

Services run approximately every 6–10 minutes between 6AM and 11PM. Single tickets range from £1.80 to £3.40 depending on the distance travelled, return fares and day passes are also available. The DaySaver allows for unlimited travel on one day and costs £2.70 (one zone), £3.70 (two zones) and £4.60 (all zones). Some ticket machines only accept coins (10p, 20p, 50p, £1 and £2) although change is given; most stations have been fitted with new ticket machines that accept notes and credit/debit cards. Although there are no ticket barriers at many stations, the appropriate fares are still payable , it is advisable to keep your ticket handy as trains and stations are patrolled by ticket inspectors. Major stations have automatic ticket gates, but these may be left open at quiet times.

Smoking is banned on the entire system, including open-air stations. However, this rule is often overlooked and it's not uncommon to see people smoking on the trains, particularly late at night, despite the CCTV surveillance cameras.

The Plusbus ticket is not valid on the Metro.

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.

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.

• 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.
• 54.968189-1.6062541 Tyne Bridge , completed in 1928, has a striking steel arch similar to Sydney Harbour Bridge. It carries A167 and has sidewalks on both sides.
• 54.969444-1.5997222 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.
• 54.96876-1.610563 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 £8.75, conc £7.75, child £5.25. (updated Dec 2021)
• 54.9725-1.61144 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.
• 54.973833-1.6131675 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.
• 54.9731-1.613266 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.
• 54.97005-1.611637 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 Perpendiicular 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)

• 54.9723-1.620238 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.
• 54.99-1.599 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.

• 54.97832-1.6086810 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)
• 54.98-1.61311 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)
• 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)
• 54.97452-1.5920612 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)
• 54.97618-1.5981113 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 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. (updated Oct 2021)
• 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)
• 54.96903-1.6250314 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)
• 54.97503-1.6094415 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)
• 54.96907-1.6083216 Side Gallery, 5 & 9 Side NE1 3JE, ☏ +44 191 232 2208. W-Su 11AM-5PM. Documentary photography gallery and archive, also has a 50-seater cinema showing independent films. Free. (updated Dec 2021)

• 54.988-1.53117 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.

• 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. (updated Dec 2021)

• 54.9728-1.611941 Theatre Royal, 100 Grey St NE1 6BR, ☏ +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)
• 54.97054-1.621152 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)
• 54.969845-1.6048153 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)
• 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)
• 54.9904-1.58484 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)

• See Gateshead for Sage Music Centre. It's easiest accessed from Newcastle by walking across the low-level swing bridge.
• 54.9637-1.62385 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)
• 54.9706-1.618616 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)
• 54.9774-1.610467 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

• 54.992-1.6338 The Hoppings, Town Moor. every June. The largest travelling fair in Europe, taking place most years in late June. (updated Apr 2018)
• The annual MELA held every August bank holiday weekend is a celebration of Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi cuisine, music and art.
• The city hosts popular Chinese New Year celebrations every year.
• At Christmas the city centre has decorations, the large department store Fenwick hosts a famous window display and there is a Continental Christmas Market.
• The city hosts a summer gay pride event called Northern Pride.
• Great North Run is a half marathon, staged between Newcastle and South Shields in September. The next is 10 Sept 2022.

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

• 55.0316-1.6049 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.
• Watch football: Newcastle United play at 54.97546-1.6217510 St James Park, half a mile north of the railway station. They play soccer in the Premier League, England's top tier. Since Oct 2021 they are by some distance the world's richest club, having being bought by the Saudi Arabian sovereign investment fund. Great things are expected of them once this largesse translates into talent on the field.
• Watch Rugby Union (15-a-side) at Newcastle Falcons. They were promoted in 2020 so they now play in the Premiership, the top tier of English rugby union. Their home ground is 55.0187-1.672111 Kingston Park in the north of the city.
• Watch Rugby League (13-a-side) at Newcastle Thunder, who also play at Kingston Park. They're in the Championship, that game's second tier; the RL season is Mar-Sept.
• Watch basketball at Newcastle Eagles who play at Northumbria University's "Sport Central".
• Watch motorcycle speedway at Newcastle Diamonds. Their home track is 54.97783-1.5649912 Brough Park Stadium in Byker in the city's east end.
• Go to the dog track, also at Brough Park - the dogs chase round the outer track, the bikes race within.
• Watch athletics at 54.96096-1.5796213 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.

• 54.97243-1.6181914 Cineworld, The Gate, Newgate St NE1 5TG, ☏ +44 330 333 4444. Chain multiplex showing mainstream releases. (updated Dec 2021)
• Tyneside Cinema, 10 Pilgrim St NE1 6QG (50 yards east of Monument), ☏ +44 191 227 5500. Art-deco cinema with 3 screens showing independent and mainstream films. (updated Dec 2021)
• 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.
• 54.979-1.59515 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.

• 54.978-1.6151 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)
• 54.9764-1.6082 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)
• 54.9672-1.628613 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)

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.

• 54.9758-1.612781 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 in 2021.
• 54.9569-1.66892 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 and House of Fraser. 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)

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

• 54.991-1.5981 Francesca's, 134-136 Manor House Road, Jesmond NE2 2NA, ☏ +44 191 281 6586. M-Sa noon-2:30PM, 5PM-9:30PM. Friendly budget Italian. (updated Dec 2021)
• Pani's Cafe, 61-65 High Bridge NE1 6BX, ☏ +44 191 232 4366. M-F noon-3PM, 5PM-9PM, Sa noon-10PM. Budget Italian specialising in Sardinian. (updated Dec 2021)
• Uno's, 18 Sandhill NE1 3AF, ☏ +44 191 261 5264. Daily noon-10PM. Cheerful trattoria on Quayside. (updated Dec 2021)
• El Coto, 21 Leazes Park Rd NE1 4PF, ☏ +44 191 261 0555. Daily 11AM-11PM. Lively tapas restaurant near the football stadium. (updated Dec 2021)
• Lau's Buffet King, 92-98 Newgate Street,, ☏ +44 191 261-8868. Daily 11:45AM-10:30PM. Chinese all-you-can-eat buffet, offering a choice of over 60 dishes. 
• Zapatista Burrito Bar, 28 Ridley Place NE1 8JW, ☏ +44 191 261 7769. M-Sa 11AM-8PM, Su 11:30AM-7PM. Good quality Mexican, great value. There's another branch within County Hotel by the station. (updated Dec 2021)
• Pizza Express, 7 St George's Way NE1 7JD (within Eldon Sq Shopping Centre), ☏ +44 191 232 3228. Daily 11:30AM-9PM. Reasonably priced Italian chain. (updated Dec 2021)

• Zizzi, 42 Grey St NE1 6AE, ☏ +44 191 261 8360. Daily 11:30AM-11PM. Reliable mid-price Italian chain. (updated Dec 2021)
• Marco Polo, 33 Dean St NE1 1PQ, ☏ +44 191 232 5533, manager@marcopolonewcastle.com. M-Th noon-11PM, F Sa noon-midnight. Stylish and popular Italian. (updated Dec 2021)
• Khai Khai opened in 2021 is Indian at 29 Queen St, open M-F 12:30-2:30PM, 5-10:30PM, Sa noon-11PM, Su noon-9:30PM.

• Blackfriar's Restaurant, Friars St NE1 4XN, ☏ +44 191 261 5945. M-F noon-2:30PM, 5:30PM-10PM, Sa 09:30AM-10PM, Su 09:30-4PM. 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 Black Friars got to eat. (updated Dec 2021)
• Sachins, Forth Banks NE1 3SG (south side of Central station), ☏ +44 191 232 4660, info@sachins.co.uk. M-Sa noon-1:30PM, 5PM-9:30PM. Upscale Punjabi restaurant, gets very busy with the post-match crowd. (updated Dec 2021)
• 21, Trinity Gardens, Quayside NE1 2HH, ☏ +44 191 222 0755. Tu-Sa noon-2:30PM, 5:30PM-9PM. Slick restaurant serving quality British and French bistro food. The same group runs Café 21 within Fenwick's on Northumberland St. (updated Dec 2021)
• Landmark Oriental, 20 Stowell St NE1 4YB, ☏ +44 191 261 0882. Tu-Th 5PM-9PM, F Sa noon-2:30PM, 5PM-9:30PM, Su noon-8PM. Great reviews for this high-class Chinese restaurant and bar in Chinatown. (updated Dec 2021)
• And see Sleep for Jesmond Dene House.

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

• 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)
• 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)

• 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)
• 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)
• 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)
• 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 flavored 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)
• 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)
• 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)
• The Head of Steam, 2 Neville St NE1 5EN (within Hampton by Hilton), ☏ +44 191 230 4236. 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)
• 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)
• 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)
• 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)
• 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)
• Rusty's (formerly Baron and Baroness), Times Square NE1 4EP. Daily 8PM-3AM. Lively gay bar near the station. (updated Dec 2021)
• 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)

• 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)
• 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)
• 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)
• 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)
• 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)
• 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)

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

• 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)
• 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)
• The Lonsdale, Lonsdale Terrace, West Jesmond NE2 3HQ, ☏ +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)
• 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)
• 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)
• 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)

• 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)
• 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)
• 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)
• 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)
• 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)
• 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)
• 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)

• Lots! There are nowadays no big commercial breweries hereabouts, but small independents include Newcastle Brewing, Brinkburn Street, Full Circle, Northern Alchemy, Errant, 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: 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 come 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. Sitting down to a meaty casserole or pie on a dreary day with the drizzle blowing in from the North Sea, you might be grateful to have a bottle or three of Nookie Broon within reach.

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

• 54.97085-1.615841 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)
• Jurys Inn, Scotswood Rd NE1 4AD (west side of station), ☏ +44 191 201 4400. Boxy modern hotel, cleanliness erratic. They have another in Gateshead. B&B double £60. (updated Dec 2021)
• 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)
• 54.96824-1.631852 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)
• Hansen Hotel, 131 Sandyford Road NE2 1QR, ☏ +44 191 281 0289, hansenhotel2002@hotmail.co.uk. Small budget hotel near Jesmond metro station. Poor reviews in 2021. (updated Dec 2021)
• 54.97338-1.6080383 YHA Hostel, 17 Carliol Square. Hostel with dormitories, private rooms and cafe. There is no self-catering kitchen. (updated Dec 2021)

• 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)
• 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)
• 55.008-1.6684 Hotel Novotel Newcastle Airport, Ponteland Road, Kenton NE3 3HZ (junction of A1 and A696, three miles from airport), ☏ +44 191 214 0303, H1118@accor.com. In 2021 this is acting as asylum-seeker accommodation. (updated Dec 2021)
• 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)
• 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)
• 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)
• 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)

• 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)
• 54.971-1.615 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)
• 54.999-1.6046 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)
• 54.97-1.67 Malmaison, 104 Quayside NE1 3DX, ☏ +44 191 389 8627, theteam@malmaison.com. Smart upscale hotel, very central. B&B double £160. (updated Oct 2021)

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

Newcastle is generally quite a safe city to stay in. As with all other cities around the world, one needs only to use one's common sense and to keep a low profile. Beware of the usual nuisance of petty theft in crowded places. The whole city can get rowdy on Fridays and Saturdays but is still quite safe. Take care after a big football match; though there has been no significant violence for some years, emotions tend to run high amongst supporters. It is a good idea not to wear the colours of Sunderland football club when in central Newcastle, and vice-versa so as not to attract any unwanted attention. Also, confusing a Geordie and a Mackem (a Sunderlander) could potentially lead to some abuse and is easily done.

Still, the crime in this city is generally lower than other cities the same size in Britain, but some inner-city areas in the west and east ends are best avoided at night, but those areas are far from any tourist attractions.

Newcastle folk are generally very friendly and safe. In fact, Newcastle is renowned throughout Great Britain for its 'family-like atmosphere' and can totally shatter the classic stereotype of 'reserved English' . A peculiarity among Geordies is that they can be found to wear t-shirts and mini-skirts in the middle of freezing winter, so just go with the flow - tourists are spotted by how much clothing they wear but will probably be most welcomed with a big smile or a kiss.

• 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 Houseteads.
• 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.
• Rothbury, Cragside and Blinkburn Priory: see Alnwick.
• 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.

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