English cities are famous the world over for quite distinct reasons. Firstly, there is London, the capital city and home to Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Tower Bridge and countless other iconic structures. Then there is Liverpool, home to perhaps the biggest and most successful band of all time, the Beatles. Even Manchester receives world-wide recognition due to the exploits of Manchester United, one of the most successful football teams on the planet.

Newcastle, on the other hand, is a city that doesn’t quite receive the accolades it perhaps deserves. Situated in the north-east of England on the banks of the River Tyne, Newcastle is big enough to appeal to city-lovers and small enough to appeal to those who may not enjoy the often impersonal aspect of the larger metropolises of the world.

Indeed, Newcastle is renowned as being an extremely warm and welcoming place with an excellent nightlife. In fact, it was recently voted the number one place to go in the UK for a good night out, due to its abundance of great bars, restaurants and nightclubs.

The Quayside area of the city centre is perhaps the most striking, for both its wealth of daytime and night-time activities. Situated on the banks of the River Tyne, the impressive setting offers an excellent environment to enjoy all kinds of arts, music and culture as well as a myriad of bars and clubs. Spanning the river is the Gateshead Millennium Bridge, which is a remarkable tilting structure for use solely by pedestrians and cyclists, and is a symbol of the heavy investment the area has received in recent years.

Newcastle is also home to numerous festivals and fairs. Chinatown hosts an annual carnival to celebrate the Chinese Year, and sees Newcastle become a beacon of colour and noise for a whole day. Then there is the Newcastle Mela, which is a 2-day multicultural event held on the August bank holiday weekend, and brings together drama, music and food from Punjabi, Pakistani, Bengali and Hindu cultures.

And for those who like to engage in a spot of retail-therapy, Newcastle has several major shopping malls located in the city centre, such as Eldon Square shopping centre and the Eldon Garden and Monument Mall complexes. But for those looking for the ultimate retail heaven, then there is the Metro Centre, which is located just outside of Newcastle and is the largest indoor shopping centre in Europe.

In terms of transport, Newcastle is served by they Tyne and Wear Metro, which is an extensive urban light rail transit system serving the city and much of the surrounding Tyne and Wear area. Furthermore, flights to Newcastle arrive at Newcastle International Airport which is just six miles from the city centre, and it is the fastest growing regional airport in the UK, handling as many as five million passengers each year.

So, Newcastle is the perfect sized city, merging the best qualities of a big city with those of a small town; and whether it’s dining, clubbing or shopping, Newcastle should have something for everyone.

Disclaimer:
The information contained within this article is the opinion of the author and is intended purely for information and interest purposes only. It should not be used to make any decisions or take any actions. Any links are included for information purposes only.