Officially Newcastle stands on the north bank of the Tyne, Gateshead is on the south bank. But you’ll find both areas feel like one big city. You’ll soon discover that the locals are proud to be known as ‘Geordies’ and have a distinctive accent and vocabulary.
Down by the riverside
What was once a major industrial waterway has become the centre of much of the region’s blossoming arts and cultural life. It’s a great area to wander by day or night.
This is where you’ll find the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, an enormous art gallery inside an old riverside flour mill. Nearby you’ll see the striking modern shiny curves of the Sage Gateshead music centre. Along the northern bank you’ll find many of the most popular restaurants. Look out too for the Millennium Bridge, a modern curved pedestrian crossing that tilts dramatically to allow shipping to pass.
The best sights on Tyneside
Standing alongside the A1 to the south of the city, the Angel of the North sculpture has become a symbol of the whole area. Antony Gormley’s giant steel figure was erected in 1998 and is the UK’s largest sculpture.
An attraction of a very different kind stands a short way to the north. To most locals sport means football, and that means Newcastle United. The famous St James Park stadium to the north of the centre, is open for daytime tours.
A stronghold of a different type, Newcastle Castle is an imposing medieval fortress and gatehouse near the heart of the city that stands on the site of an earlier castle that was once considered so new that it gave the city its name.
Hit the shops
As a major regional centre, Newcastle and Gateshead offer a wide range of shopping to serve a wide area. The best known retail centre is the giant MetroCentre on the south bank of the Tyne. You’ll find more than 340 stores here, making it the UK’s largest shopping complex. Note that the central area of the complex is called the Platinum Mall and houses the more upmarket shops and restaurants.
In the centre of Newcastle, Northumberland Street is the main pedestrianised shopping stretch with a mix of the major high street stores and the grand old Victorian family-owned Fenwick Department store.
Nearby, Grey Street and the 19th-century buildings of Grainger Town form the heart of Newcastle. You’ll find the old covered market here and The Gate, a modern shopping, leisure and entertainment complex. Grainger Town is also home to Newcastle’s busy Chinatown.
Getting a taste for the area
This University City has also become renowned for its lively social scene. Some of this is found along the north bank of the Tyne in the Quayside area but it tend to be a bit more vibrant around the Bigg Market area. This wide piazza area is a little further north and you’ll find there are dozens of cafes and restaurants in a small area.
The city also offers a huge selection of live entertainment ranging from the live music to the grand old Theatre Royal and the acclaimed Dance City venue in Temple Street.