Newcastle was founded around 2,000 years ago as a Roman fort called Pons Aelius along Hadrian's Wall, a ruin of which remains at Segedunum, a short walk from Wallsend Metro station. The city developed into an important port and was at the centre of the Industrial Revolution during the 18th and 19th centuries. As heavy industry declined, Newcastle's fortunes took a dip. The city has now re-invented itself as a cultural centre and Science City, and is possibly one of the trendiest places in the UK.

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) (10 km (6.2 mi) north-west of the city). Flights are available to the interchange hubs of Heathrow-British Airways, Amsterdam-KLM and EasyJet, Paris-Air France/CityJet, Dubai-Emirates and a lesser extent Brussels-Brussels Airlines and Copenhagen-SAS. There are domestic services operated by easyJet and Eastern Airways, as well as low-cost carrier flights to Ireland and many European cities such as Nice, Barcelona and Rome. (updated Oct 2021)

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 kinda 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 are readily available outside the airport and it costs about £15 to get to the city centre.
• By car the distance to the city centre is 9.7 km (6.0 mi) and takes up to half an hour to get in. There are several car rental firms with offices in the airport terminal building, although you'll generally pay a premium over city rates. See "By car" for car rental listings.

Wikivoyage has a guide to Rail travel in Great Britain

54.9686-1.61712 Newcastle Central station. Served by three long-distance rail operators:  

• LNER trains frequently connect Newcastle with London King's Cross, Edinburgh and principal destinations between (including York, Doncaster and Peterborough). Some services extend on to Glasgow, Aberdeen or Inverness.
• Cross Country Trains run every 30 minutes from Newcastle to Birmingham via Leeds/Doncaster, Sheffield and the East Midlands. Some services extend on to Reading and the South Coast, or through Bristol to South Wales or South West England. Cross Country also run north of Newcastle to Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen.
• Transpennine Express runs direct services from Newcastle to Leeds, Manchester and Manchester Airport.
• Lumo runs twice Su-F and once Sa from London King's Cross, taking 3 hours non-stop, and continuing to Morpeth and Edinburgh. As a newcomer from Oct 2021 it's much hyped, but see Edinburgh#Get in for the reality check.

The local rail network is operated by Northern Rail, with relatively frequent services to destinations such as Carlisle, Middlesbrough, Hexham and Morpeth.

Newcastle Central Station is also served by the Tyne and Wear Metro system, for frequent services into the Newcastle suburbs, and other destinations in Tyne and Wear.

In the UK, tickets can be bought on the day at the station using cash or debit/credit card, but long-distance tickets are cheaper to book in advance. Times and fares information is available from National Rail, +44 8457 484950, or the station booking office.

Newcastle upon Tyne is well signposted from the north, south and west. The city lies at the joining of the A1 (the main East Coast route from London to Edinburgh) and the A69 (a major east-west route to Carlisle and the M6). The A1 bypasses the city to the west.

There are a number of 'park-and-ride' National Park and Ride Directory points around the city to avoid the hassle of parking in the city centre. From these points, the Metro or bus will take you into the city for between £1 and £3. Otherwise, there are over 10,000 spaces in the city centre, though for stays of more than a few hours this may prove expensive. Generally, parking in the city centre costs between £1 and £2 per hour, while parking about 10 minutes walk from the centre will set you back about £0.50 per hour.

• Alamo Rent A Car, Newcastle Airport, Woolsington (Arrivals Hall), ☏ +61 24 965-0162. M-F 7:30AM-11PM, Sa 9AM 10PM, Su 9AM 1PM. 
• Avis, 7 George Street, Newcastle, NE4 7JL, ☏ +44 870 6086350. M-F 8AM-6PM, Sa 8AM-1PM, closed Sunday. Avis car rentals are also available at the Newcastle airport 
• National, 90 Westmoreland Road, Newcastle, NE1 4DZ, ☏ +44 191 219-9102. M-F 8AM-6PM, Sa 8AM-1PM, closed Sunday. National car rental is also available at the Newcastle airport 

• 54.9675-1.62263 Newcastle Coach Station, Churchill St, NE1 4EE (at the southern end of St James' Boulevard, near the Centre for Life, a short walk from the centre of town), ☏ +44 371 781 8181. Ticket office: M-Sa 8:30AM-5PM, Su 9AM-4PM, open 24 hr for coach departures. 5 bay coach station served by National Express (updated Sep 2018)
• Megabus, John Dobson Street (outside the City Library), ☏ +44 900 1600900 (premium rate). Discount coach operator - coaches must be booked in advance. (updated Sep 2018)

North Shields, 7 miles east of the city centre, has a daily ferry service to Amsterdam in Holland. Special buses run from the Central Station to the ferry terminal and are charged at £3.50 (one way). Much cheaper are local stopping buses to the Royal Quays shopping outlet down the road or the Metro (15-min walk to Meadow Well station).

Taxis are available from outside the Ferry Terminal operated by BlueLine Taxis and EastCoast Taxis. A taxi from the Terminal direct into Newcastle city centre is £11.50 for up to 4 passengers.

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 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.

Newcastle city centre is relatively compact and is therefore easy to navigate on foot. Many areas are pedestrianised. Being on the banks of the River Tyne, some areas slope quite steeply. Buses and taxis are fairly cheap and plentiful should this pose a problem.

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 Universities) to Cramlington and Morpeth.

west via Dunston (west edge of Gateshead) and Metrocentre to Prudhoe, Corbridge, Hexham and Carlisle.

southeast via Heworth to Sunderland, Stockton and Middlesbrough.

• 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.

• 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.

• Watch football: Newcastle United play at 54.97546-1.621759 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 55.0187-1.672110 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".
• 55.0316-1.60411 Newcastle Racecourse is in the north of the city 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 metro station.
• 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)
• 54.974-1.61215 Tyneside Cinema, 10 Pilgrim St NE1 6QG, ☏ +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.
• 54.979-1.59516 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.

• 54.991-1.5981 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.

• 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.

• 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)