There certainly aren’t any prizes for anyone who can guess where most tourists go when visiting the UK. London has essentially become the British brand, with millions of people coming to the country to experience London. In 2023, over 20 million people visited London and stayed one night at least. The figure dwarfs that of all other towns and cities. Edinburgh is the next closest at 2.3 million, while Newcastle upon Tyne clocks around 209,000.
As anyone who lives outside of London but has been to the capital and its sprawling greater area will know: the best of Great Britain isn’t concentrated in one city. This isn’t to say that there aren’t a lot of great things to experience — after all, it’s become a glutinous tourist hub for a reason. Still, exploring other parts of the country as a tourist is how you’ll find more authentic experiences and alternate ways to enjoy a trip to the UK, alongside some superb food options.
The Draw of the Capital
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The draw of London to tourists is undeniable. It ticks all the boxes and hosts the majority of the sights and experiences that people overseas know are stereotypically British. The Royal family, London Eye, black taxis, double-decker red buses, the underground, and more are all concentrated in a still rather large area of London. On top of these aspects, there’s also the hefty slate of entertainment to consider.
Even people who live in the UK will often find themselves flocking to London for live entertainment. Pull together The O2, Wembley Stadium, Queen Elizabeth Hall, the West End, The Hippodrome, and Leicester Square in general, and London is teeming with entertainment venues. People can even get a taste of some of them online. The Hippodrome, for example, has its own live online casino that streams games directly from the venue. Through the website, anyone can bet and win in real-time at tables in the famed London gaming house, regardless of where they are in the world.
In Newcastle, there are also plenty of entertainment venues. You can always enjoy live music at the Utilita Arena, O2 City Hall, Boiler Shop, the Prohibition Cabaret Bar, and more. Theatre Royal and The Journal Tyne Theatre are also iconic local entertainment venues, but few beyond the UK know them by name.
Enjoying Authentic British Food
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Newcastle upon Tyne is nationally renowned for its food, producing authentic and creative British dishes as well as offering unique takes on global cuisines. In London, you’ll find just about any dish, as well as over 100 Michelin-rated restaurants, but there’s a sense of fabrication to it, with the eateries more just being there because of the tourist industry.
In Newcastle, there are five restaurants rated by Michelin, which are the reasonably priced Broad Chare and Haveli as well as the more upmarket Pine, House of Tides, and Solstice by Kenny Atkinson. Still, foodies can’t go wrong exploring everything Newcastle has to offer. The Saltwater Fish Company perfectly capitalises on Newcastle’s proximity to the sea, and Blackfriars Restaurant combines superb European dining with a medieval venue.
Hailed as a foodie paradise by the Brits, any tourist looking to explore British cuisine in a more authentic setting — with the chance to encounter lesser-known British dishes — should look to Newcastle over London.