Travel

Forget old preconceptions of a gritty northern sprawl: NewcastleGateshead, as it now calls itself, is emerging from the ashes of its industrial past as a cultural force to be reckoned with. Not only does this city of bridges brim with entrepreneurial spirit, it sits in lovely countryside. No wonder the Northeast has been rated one of 30 must-see places to visit in the world.

Once an industrial powerhouse, majoring on coal and shipbuilding, Newcastle prides itself on its rich heritage. The good news is that it’s moving forward while retaining its feisty spirit and rough edges. It’s a young, disarmingly friendly city with two universities and a high graduate retention rate.

Dynamic new venues are setting new artistic standards and, already world-renowned for scientific research, Newcastle is creating a multi-million-pound new science quarter over the next decade.
You can walk everywhere, while an efficient Metro makes the outskirts accessible. And the city’s far better-looking than it’s given credit for, with many Georgian buildings. Meanwhile planners are getting to grips with architectural atrocities from the 1960s.

Where to stay

In style
Set on the edge of a leafy valley ten minutes from the city centre, Jesmond Dene House (Jesmond Dene Road, 0191 212 3000, jesmonddenehouse.co.uk) may look austere, but inside it’s anything but. This tranquil hotel has stylish contemporary rooms and a superb restaurant. Get there early for a terrace table for lunch on sunny days. The Great Hall seats up to 100 for meetings and receptions.

A home from home, Kensington House Aparthotel (5 Osborne Road, 0191 281 8175, kensington aparthotel.com) consists of 23 spacious and well kitted-out serviced apartments. It’s minutes from the town centre, and there’s a string of lively bars and eateries up the road in studenty Jesmond. From £250 per night for a two-bed with kitchen.

On a budget
A former shipping company warehouse was converted into a Hotel du Vin (Allan House, City Road, 0191 229 2200, hotelduvin.com) last year. With luxurious bedrooms, many with river views, this is far from your regular budget option — and yet there are £99 room deals if you’re quick off the mark. The sommelier and state-of-the-art wine tasting room are serious bonuses, as is the cigar shack complete with log fire. Handy for the Quayside.

New boutique hotel The Townhouse (1 West Avenue, Gosforth, 0191 285 6812, thetownhousehotel.co.uk) has ten swish rooms. Gosforth is a peaceful suburb ten minutes out of the city centre with decent cafés and restaurants; try the Opus Art Gallery café.

Where to eat

In style
Now in its 21st year, Café 21 (Trinity Gardens, Quayside, 0191 222 0755, cafetwentyone.co.uk) excels in the best local produce, beautifully cooked. Try Craster kippers, a speciality from just up the coast (and mains such as scallops with slow-roast tomatoes, thyme, garlic and browned butter. It’s unpretentious and buzzing; a business lunch here is a definite perk of the job. Lunch is £15 for two courses.

The second-floor restaurant at Secco (86 Pilgrim Street, 0191 230 0444, gustouk.com) is a chic but lively spot for southern Italian specialities, from pizza and pasta to chicken oozing with pecorino cheese and sage. Don’t miss next-door Popolo, whose relaxed, New York-style vibe and first-rate cocktails make it one of the best bars in town.
 
On a budget
For a sense of occasion it’s hard to beat Six, with its dramatic location on the top floor of the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art (Gateshead Quays, South Shore Road, 0191 440 4948, sixbaltic.com). Make time for drinks or coffee in the bar, where the views are show stopping. Lunch is a bargain and there are plenty of wines under £20, too. Northumbrian beef is always a good bet.

Café Royal (8 Nelson Street, 0191 231 3000, sjf.co.uk) is a light, airy city-centre café/deli for excellent coffee and homemade cakes, a full English breakfast or a hearty steak sandwich or steaming bowl of mussels. The plump berry and ricotta muffins are a meal in themselves. The restaurant upstairs is a quieter option during the lunchtime rush.

Doing business

You’ll find real northern passion in the Northeast: people are fiercely proud of their revitalised city, and a bit of appreciation of this goes a long way. Geordies tend to work hard and party hard. And you’ll find no English reserve here — people are disarmingly friendly, happy to chat and without airs and graces. The main religion here is football — it’s no accident that St James’ Park stadium sits slap-bang in the centre of the city — which can be a real icebreaker. Unless you support Sunderland, that is… there’s a long-standing rivalry between the neighbouring towns. On a practical note, leave plenty of time if you’re travelling from Newcastle to Gateshead around rush hour — it’s a real bottleneck crossing the river.  

Downtime

Keeping Fit
Jog along the Quayside and see the ‘winking eye’ of Gateshead Millennium Bridge in action daily at noon, when it tilts up to let ships pass underneath. Or speed past the joggers on a bike from the nearby Guildhall (0191 277 2441, tynebridgebikehire.co.uk). Try to locate your inner calm at a lunchtime Pilates, t’ai chi or yoga class at Dance City (Temple Street, 0191 261 0505, dancecity.co.uk).

Lunch hour
Locals often tuck into a stottie — a huge pillowy roll piled high with various fillings (traditionally pease pudding). Try one out at Grade I-listed Grainger Market). Wander down Georgian Grey Street, which was praised by Betjeman for its beauty: the towering monument at the top of its elegant curve depicts Earl Grey and celebrates the passing of the Great Reform Act of 1832. Avoid manic Northumberland Street and explore the ancient city walls, built around 1280, in the Chinatown area. If you’re near the Quayside, the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art is free to visit. The converted flour mill makes a dramatic exhibition space; recent exhibitors include Yoko Ono and Sam Taylor-Wood. Rather more prosaically, its café has a sunny terrace and the shop is packed with quirky gifts.

Overnight stop
Plan an evening at Norman Foster-designed music centre The Sage Gateshead (Gateshead Quays, 0191 443 4661,sage.org) — the giant metallic curve clinging to the side of the Tyne. Upcoming performers range from David Byrne to the Northern Sinfonia. Or catch the latest film at the Tyneside Cinema (0845 217 9909, tynecine.org). Recently restored to its 1930s glory, this is one of the oldest surviving newsreel cinemas. And sample local brew Newcastle Brown by squeezing into the traditional Crown Posada (31-33 The Side, 0191 232 1269) — it’s so narrow it’s known as “the coffin”.

Weekend
Northeast England’s coastline and unspoilt countryside is full of drama and empty of crowds. Get a taste of it at nearby Tynemouth, just 20 minutes away by Metro. The well-preserved clifftop Priory was founded here in around 1090. It’s a popular surfing spot, so hire the gear and brave the North Sea (lessons from £25, 0191 258 2496, tynemouthsurf.co.uk). Equally bracing is a trip to Hadrian’s Wall (hadrians-wall.org). Cycle or walk a route, or climb Segedunum’s (twmuseums.org.uk) viewing tower at Wallsend to take in the UK’s finest Roman monument.