Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle-upon-Tyne City Guide
Introduction
Formerly a major industrial city, Newcastle-upon-Tyne is currently undergoing somewhat of a cultural renaissance. The industries that powered the city for generations – mainly shipbuilding and coal mining – have all but disappeared since the 1970s and 80s, but the city survived its late 20th century decline to emerge as the cultural capital of the north east of England.
Newcastle-upon-Tyne lies on the north bank of the River Tyne, with the city of Gateshead lying to the south, which has just as many attractions for visitors as its northerly neighbour. The two are so close that they can both be explored easily on a weekend break.
Attractions
Cultural Newcastle
The opening of several art galleries in Newcastle-upon-Tyne has helped to fuel the regeneration of the city centre. The Laing Gallery on New Bridge Street is undoubtedly the biggest and best art collection in the north east. It has a brilliant watercolour section and some fantastic 18th and 19th century works as well as an excellent area for young children to help them explore the world of art through play.
The massive Baltic Contemporary Arts Centre on the Gateshead side of the Tyne is the latest and most prestigious art gallery in the north east, second only to the Tate Modern in London. It’s housed in an enormous converted 1950s grain warehouse and is one of the biggest art spaces in Europe. And it’s not just a modern art gallery – it also has bars, cafes, bookshops and a restaurant.
The university galleries are definitely worth a visit. Newcastle University’s Hatton Gallery has some exquisite African sculpture as well as work by local students, while the University of Northumbria’s University Gallery on Sandyford Road has a very good collection of 20th century art.
Some of the best museums are also those owned by Newcastle University, around the King’s Walk area. The Greek museum has an excellent display of ancient Greek pottery and jewellery, and the
The Museum of Antiquities provides an interesting account of the history of Hadrian’s Wall. And don’t miss the Hancock Museum – an enormous collection of natural history artefacts, including thousands of insect specimens.
Historic Newcastle
The city’s namesake is the fortified Norman keep on the hill near the river. With thick stone walls, winding staircases and hidden passageways, it’s great to explore, and panorama of the city and river from the top is magnificent.
Only small sections of the city walls remain, around Stowell Street and Hanover Street. Great views can be had from Hanover Gardens.
The Cathedral, also down by the river in the medieval part of the city, is another of Newcastle’s oldest buildings. The gothic church dates from the 15th century, although the present interior was extensively refurbished in sympathetic neo-gothic style in the 19th century.
Bessie Surtee’s House is an excellent example of a restored medieval residence and the Guildhall demonstrates how city buildings have evolved over the centuries. It was originally built in the 13th century, but has been continually updated and adapted to suit the needs of the times.
Uphill from the river is the newer Victorian part of the city, a neatly planned and designed streetscape focused around the magnificent Grey Street, extolled by Prime Minister William Gladstone in 1862 as the best modern street in the county. There are several important listed buildings in this area, including the beautiful Theatre Royal.
Maritime Newcastle
Down at the Quayside, several bridges span the river over to Gateshead. The two most famous landmarks are the Tyne bridge, built in 1929, and the High Level Bridge, built in 1849.
There are still many reminders of Newcastle’s seafaring heyday. Trinity House is the magnificent 16th century guild hall of an organisation dedicated to the welfare of seafarers. The collections of paintings, ship equipment and other artefacts trace the evolution of England’s maritime heritage, and there’s a very interesting history of the guild itself. The entrance hall, Brethern’s Chapel, Great Hall and Banqueting Room can be viewed on guided tours.
Next door to Trinity House is the Trinity Maritime Centre, which has some impressive model ships and other maritime antiques, as well as a model of how the medieval Quayside looked before it was destroyed by fire in the mid 19th century.
Eating Out
There are great restaurants scattered all over the city. Café Paradiso on Market Lane is an excellent place for informal, high quality dining. Slink back in the comfy booths and relax in the mellow atmosphere, or sit outside on the fabulous terrace in the summer.
Spice Cube on Newgate Street is an ultra modern Indian restaurant with chic décor and an exciting menu with a twist on the usual Indian favourite dishes. Pop in early for the excellent value pre-theatre deals.
Newcastle has a small Chinatown area around Stowell Street, where there’s a scattering of Chinese grocery stores and restaurants, all with their own specialities from Cantonese to Szechuan.
For a real treat, book a table at the Rooftop Restaurant of the Baltic Centre. It’s suave and sophisticated with a modern British menu and wonderful views across the city.
Nightlife
The city goes wild in June during the ‘Hoppings’ festival on the Town Moor, where there are fairground attractions and other fun activities to keep people partying into the wee small hours.
However, it’s pretty safe to say that you’re just about guaranteed to have a loud and lively night out whatever time of year you visit Newcastle. The main drinking haunts are around the down-to-earth Bigg Market area, near Grey Street, and the more upmarket Quayside. The Pitcher and Piano in Quayside is a very trendy bar with wonderful views of the Baltic Centre, while Turks, Bewicks and The Groat House on Biggs Market are good traditional English pubs.
There are too many clubs to list, but one or two worth a mention are Foundation on Melbourne Street, famed for its brilliant house music, and Powerhouse, a lively gay club playing mainly 80s techno.
There’s a listings magazine called The Crack, published monthly, which provides details of live music, clubs, exhibitions and other events in the city.
