Newcastle has a well-earned reputation as a party town, but less well known are its serious good looks and wealth of arts and culture, writes James Helm
BEFORE YOU GO to Newcastle, get some rest. You might have to do the same thing on your return. Newcastle has a strong claim to be the UK's leading party town, but whatever pulls you towards the River Tyne - the nightlife, the arts and culture, or the football team perhaps - you are guaranteed a full itinerary and a lively stay.
First-timers in Newcastle usually notice a couple of things. The first glimpse of the Tyne and the cityscape around it is breathtaking. That may not be a word you would associate with an urban centre in northeast England, but Newcastle's good looks can surprise. The best way to arrive, if possible, is by train, or by road across the Tyne Bridge. The vista of the river, its bridges, the Quayside far below, and its rejuvenated buildings shelving steeply on either side, is quite something.
Then there's the buzz of the place. It's bursting with life and vibrancy, and has a sense of fun - reflecting, perhaps, the Geordies themselves. On Saturdays especially, Northumberland Street is packed with shoppers, as are the streets that fan out from the lofty Grey's Monument. Close by is the proud facade of the Theatre Royal.
A friend calls Grey Street "the finest curved street in Europe", and, even if it's not a widely recognised category, he can't be far wrong. The streets that link the main shopping area to the river are steep, but they are also handsome and worth exploring on foot, with plenty of refreshment stops on the way.
You might have seen Newcastle on TV or film: remember Get Carter, Our Friends in the North, The Likely Lads, or Auf Wiedersehen, Pet? The area has its challenges, but parts of it have been transformed, and nowhere more so than the Quayside. Looming above the river, posing for photographs, is the familiar span of the Tyne Bridge, which was partly modelled on Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Below, the huge and impressive Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art is one of the recent additions, although it is, admittedly, on the south side of the river in Gateshead, as is the Sage music venue. You can cross the Tyne from the Newcastle side on the smart new footbridge.
Newcastle has so many cultural options, with fine museums and a constant choice of plays and concerts, that you won't struggle to fill your time.
Gazing down on Newcastle is St James's Park, the revered home to the team in black and white stripes, the Geordies' beloved Newcastle United. If you can get a ticket, make sure to have a drink in one of the heaving pubs on the way up the hill to the match, and marvel at the passion the locals have for their club, despite its years of underachievement and upheaval. You don't have to be a football fan to notice the club shirt, which is worn everywhere.
A survey a few years ago named Newcastle one of the world's top 10 party towns, an honour the locals welcomed with pride but no surprise. Packed full of pubs, clubs and restaurants, the city centre rocks by night. And if you venture out on a winter's evening, you'll wonder how the local lads and lasses don't get hypothermia as they parade through the crowded Bigg Market or along the Quayside in the skimpiest of outfits.
A coat might be surplus to requirements if you want to blend in, but taking along a pair of walking shoes - and your dancing shoes - is a good idea.
Go thereRyanair (www.ryanair.com) flies from Dublin to Newcastle Airport. Aer Lingus (www.aerlingus. com) flies from Dublin to Newcastle Airport from October to March
Where to stay, where to eat and where to go
5 places to stay
The Malmaison. Quayside, 00-44-191-2455000, www.malmaison-newcastle.com. Smart, with renowned style, and fine views of the river. Doubles from £160, sometimes cheaper.
Jesmond Dene House. Jesmond Dene Road, Jesmond 00-44-191-2123000, www.jesmonddenehouse.co.uk. Tucked away in Jesmond, a leafy suburb not far from the city centre, this is a grand house amid the greenery, and a special place to stay. Great food too. Doubles from £170.
Greystreethotel. Grey Street, 00-44-191-2306777, www.greystreethotel.com.
This place bills itself as the first boutique hotel in Newcastle city centre, and is well-placed for the shops, the theatre, and virtually everything else. Doubles from £145.
Copthorne Hotel.
The Close, Quayside, 00-44-191-2220333, www.millenniumhotels.co.uk. A big hotel upriver from the Tyne Bridge, but within easy enough reach of the heart of things. Rates vary: Friday doubles from about £75, Saturdays from about £125.
Hilton. Bottle Bank, Gateshead, 00-44-191- 4909700, www.hilton.co.uk/newcastlegateshead. Overlooks the span of the Tyne Bridge. The hotel is on the Gateshead side of the river but it's only a short walk to the centre of Newcastle. Rates vary, with weekend doubles about £118.
5 places to eat
Cafe 21. Trinity Gardens, 00-44-191-2220755, www.cafetwentyone.co.uk. Chef Terry Laybourne's place is sleek, stylish, but relaxed, and close to the Quayside.
Blackfriars Restaurant. Friars Street, 00-44-191-2615945, www.blackfriarsrestaurant.co.uk. The building's history stretches back to the 13th century, but the restaurant itself is cutting-edge.
Secco. 86 Pilgrim Street, 00-44-191-2332238, www.gustouk.com. Popular city-centre Italian venue with a cafe, restaurant and bar.
The Crown Posada. 31 The Side, Quayside, 00-44-191-2321269. Okay, so it's not a restaurant, but this pub is an old favourite that has stood the test of time - small but perfectly formed.
Free Trade Inn.
St Lawrence Road, Byker, 00-44-191-2655764. Newcastle has lots of stylish, swanky, even brash bars, but at the other end of the spectrum is this pub in Byker, to the east of the city centre. Great views of the river, real ales, and definitely not flash. One for the connoisseurs.
5 places to go
Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art. Gateshead Quays, 00-44-191-4781810. www.balticmill.com. An innovative place, set in a dramatic former industrial building on the south bank of the Tyne. There is no permanent collection, but an ever-changing array of exhibitions and special events.
Grey's Monument. Earl Grey tea is named after Charles Grey, who stands on top of this 41m column. A great place to sit and watch, and get a sense of the city. Surrounded by listed Georgian buildings, this is also a perfect starting point for wandering the city centre, and for a foray into the busy shops, such as those on nearby Northumberland Street.
Newcastle United FC, St James's Park. 00-44-191-2611571, www.nufc.co.uk. It's not easy to get a match ticket, but this place is the beating heart of the city, and the focus of much passion. There are also museum and stadium tours.
Seven Stories - The Centre for Children's Books. 30 Lime Street, 00-44-845-2710777, www.sevenstories.org.uk. This centre, quite new on the scene, celebrates children's books with storytelling events and lots of lively activities for youngsters, featuring the likes of Kipper and Horrid Henry.
If you have time, head for Newcastle Central station and explore beyond the city. The excellent Metro will whisk you out along the Tyne towards the sea, to historic places such as North Shields and Tynemouth, and beyond to Whitley Bay. Jesmond, a lively suburb much closer to the city centre, is a great alternative for a night out.
Hot spot
The Cluny Bar. 36 Lime Street, 00-44-191-2304474, www.theheadofsteam.co.uk.
In the up-and-coming area known as Ouseburn, close to the Tyne, just east of the centre, this great bar has quality live music and food in an old warehouse setting, and pulls in lots of local arty types.
Coffee break
Blake's Coffee Shop, 53 Grey Street. This central cafe does good breakfasts.
What to avoid
The Bigg Market is an old square that, by night, turns into a raging hub of raucous fun that might not be everyone's cup of Earl Grey - unless you're on a stag night.
A good night out
Available almost anywhere in Newcastle. The bright lights and busy bars in the shadow of the Tyne Bridge down on the revamped Quayside are worth exploring. There's a studenty scene up by the Haymarket. The Gate complex on Newgate Street contains bars, restaurants and a cinema. Or match a good pub or early meal, perhaps in the city's Chinatown, with a concert at the Sage or one of the other music venues.
Get in the mood
Stick on some Sting, a Geordie boy, track down a DVD of Our Friends in the North or Get Carter (the original, starring Michael Caine), grin through some Ant and Dec, or buy the book Larn Yersel' Geordie to get a hang of the local slang.
More information
www.visitnortheastengland.com