Newcastle is a lively and diverse city, known for its nightlife, art, music and sports. Compact, attractive and friendly, it is one of England's core cities and is a centre of culture, architecture and business. Newcastle is a starting point for tours of the Northumberland coast and Hadrian's Wall. The town is also home to the Geordie culture, with a rich heritage of folk music and dance and its own dialect.
North East England has established is refered to as one of the most beautiful regions in Britain. And Newcastle is currently becoming more and more of a popular tourist destination thanks to regeneration within the city and also its close proximity to areas of outstanding natural beauty such as the Northumberland coastline and the Pennine hills.
PLACE TO VISIT
The River Tyne - is a short walk from the station, and has a pedestrian path on the near side reminiscent of the Queen's Walk in London. There are also city walks along the river, running from May to November.
The Tyne Bridge - a good example of a compression arch suspended-deck bridge famous the world over.
The Gateshead Millennium Bridge - acclaimed worldwide for its physical and aesthetic beauty. Tilting times are announced regularly at the Gateshead Council web site.
Remains of the the Castle Keep and the surrounding castle garth, the "new castle" of the city's name. Parts of it were built in the 13th century.
Central Arcade - a beautifully preserved traditional shopping arcade, which houses the Tourist Information Bureau and Windows of the Arcade, one of Newcastle's oldest music shops.
Grainger Town - is the beautiful and historic heart of the city. Based around classical streets built by Richard Grainger between 1835 and 1842, some of Newcastle upon Tyne's finest buildings and streets lie within the Grainger Town area of the City center including Grainger Market, Theatre Royal, Grey Street, Grainger Street and Clayton Street. Grey Street was voted as England's finest street in 2005 in a survey of BBC Radio 4 listeners.
Grey's Monument - located at the heart of Grainger Town is a Grade I listed monument to Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey built in 1838. The wide base of the monument is a popular spot for people-watching, and often acts as a venue for buskers (most notably Apu with their Andean music), religious speakers and political activists/protesters.
The Angel of the North, a modern sculpture designed by Antony Gormley, is just a short drive from Newcastle city centre in Gateshead.
There are remains of Hadrian's Wall, a stone and turf fortification built by the Roman Empire across the width of England, in the west of the city and further out in Northumberland.
The Vampire Rabbit - is a gargoyle located above the door of an office block next to St. Nicholas's Church. The grey rabbit has red pupils, fangs, and nails. Its origin and meaning has remained an unsolved mystery for years, though it is rumored to protect the building's occupants.
The 'Evolution Festival - is a free music festival held on the Newcastle and Gateshead Quaysides every Spring Bank Holiday since 2005. It has performances from local and national rock, indie and dance.
Tynemouth Castle and Priory - The Tynemouth Castle and Priory is a fortress and religious site that is perched on a rocky headland overlooking Tynemouth Pier. The moated castle-towers, gatehouse and keep are combined with the ruins of the Benedictine priory where early kings of Northumbria were buried. Admission is £4.00 for adults, £2.00 for children and £3.40 for concession.
Shipley Art Gallery - Popular art gallery in Gateshead. Relax, unwind and discover the fantastic range of art and design on show in the friendly surroundings of the Shipley. During the last 25 years the venue has become established as a national center for contemporary craft and has built up one of the best collections outside London, including ceramics, wood, metal, glass, textiles and furniture. Admission is free.
HOW TO REACH
By plane - Newcastle International Airport which offers scheduled flights throughout the UK and Europe and also Dubai, is located 9.7 km (about 6 miles) north-west of the city.
By Train - 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.
By car - 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.
By bus - Newcastle Coach Station is located at the southern end of St James' Boulevard, near the Centre for Life and is just a short walk from the centre of town. National Express is the main intercity operator, offering regular services to several UK towns and cities. Most National Express tickets include free travel on the Metro system, but check this before you board the Metro.
By boat - North Shields, 7 miles east of the city centre, has daily ferry to Amsterdam in Holland. Special buses run from the Central Station to the ferry terminal and are charged at a premium.
