Newcastle

Newcastle

It is also a perfect place for art enthusiasts, with multiple art museums to choose among. Like most cities, Newcastle provides a great atmosphere for shopping, clubbing, or just going to a local pub. And because of its relative closeness to York, it makes for the perfect weekend getaway!

Getting there:

As said before, Newcastle is fairly close to York, but planning in advance as always can save you money. I went on a coach, a cheap route that took around two hours, but trains are also available and make for even more convenient travel. If you plan ahead and buy tickets early with the railcard discount, you can get your tickets for less than £10 there and back!

When to go:

From what I experienced, Newcastle is relatively friendly, and everything is within walking distance or a short bus ride. That said, as with all cities with a large shopping district, the city is usually packed on the weekends, especially in nice weather. I went on a Saturday that was really chilly, but it meant the place was relatively deserted.

What to do:

There are many things to do in Newcastle, so truly you won’t ever get the chance to be bored!

• Historic sites: The Castle Keep I would highly recommend. Costing only £1 with your student card, it gives you the best view of the city. It is also interesting to discover a very well preserved Norman castle. If you feel like doing a bit more travelling to get away from the city, you can also visit the famous Hadrian’s Wall, a World Heritage Site,  which is picturesque and full of historic importance.

• Arts: Newcastle is home to some of the greatest art galleries in Europe. The BALTIC is the largest contemporary gallery in all of Europe and is currently featuring work by Yoko Ono. Located just outside the BALTIC is Gateshead Millenium Bridge, a stunning piece of architecture that is amazing to watch being raised, which happens every day at 12:30 pm. Also just next to the BALTIC is the Sage music centre, an odd construction that appears entirely made of glass and has wonderful acoustics - music fanatics may want to get a ticket just to have the experience! Inside the city centre and located just next to the Grey Monument is the Laing Art Gallery, featuring some beautiful watercolour galleries as well as some extremely famous pieces, and has many activities for anyone. And both the BALTIC and Laing were free to get into, providing hours of interesting free fun.

• Shopping: Newcastle is definitely a place to get your shopping on! If you are looking for a bargain, I recommend stopping in one of the covered markets like Green Market or Grainger Market, which contains one of the first and definitely the smallest ‘Marks & Spencer’s Original Penny Bazaar.’ These are located just near city centre and open up onto Grey Monument. If you are looking for the popular clothing shops, MetroCentre shopping complex is located just 10 minutes away from the city centre and has a wonderful selection to choose from.

Nightlife:

If you stick around until late evening, Newcastle won’t disappoint you! Choose from multiple pubs or clubs, and don’t forget your student card, you just might get a discount! Digital is a highly recommended club, but truly there are clubs of every variety and flavour.

The Bottom Line:

A day or weekend trip to Newcastle is definitely worth your while and highly recommended, whether you want to see historic sites, visit art galleries and see contemporary buildings, go shopping, or simply have a great time. Take advantage of being so close to such a thriving city!

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