Newcastle Uncovered – The Ultimate Three-Day City Break

Newcastle upon Tyne is the largest city in North East England. As a result, it’s one of The North’s best destinations for a city break, whether you’re escaping the bustling south or coming from a local village in search of adventure. Here we have uncovered some of Newcastle’s best landmarks and attractions, so visitors can plan a great three-day holiday there.

Getting to Newcastle

First, you need to arrange travel to Newcastle. Your exact journey will depend on where you’re coming from, though you have many options to get there. If you’re nearby, driving or using local train lines is the fastest and most convenient option.

As a major city in the UK, Newcastle is also home to the Newcastle International Airport, a hub of Northern air travel. This means that travellers can book flights to Newcastle, either from Britain’ssouthern cities or from abroad. Frequent flyers can plan with Opodo trips to organise their quick city break, making use of any offers or savings they have available, which can vary depending on the time, season, or length of your stay.

Before you arrive at Newcastle, you should book a hotel ready for your stay. If you want to land in the lap of luxury, hotels like the Jesmond Dene House or the Great North Hotel are your best options. There’s also the Hotel du Vin Newcastle, located on the city’s famous Quayside, or the Malmaison Newcastle in the city centre.

Day One: Explore the Quayside & River Tyne

The Quayside along the River Tyne is the heart of the city, with many activities available along its promenade. This is where you should start your Newcastle holiday, especially if it’s right outside the hotel you have chosen.

For the first day, it’s a good idea to explore this area and become familiar with Newcastle. A visit to the Tyne Bridge is a must – it’ll be hard to miss it – but you’ll explore some of the city’s other historic landmarks tomorrow.

Travel makes everybody hungry, so let’s start with food & drink. Consider checking out Quayside’s restaurants where you can find a wide selection of cuisine. Hit the Rio Brazilian Steakhouse for meat with a Latin American twist, or the local Hard Rock Café. The Tomohawk Steakhouse is also nearby, specialising in steak but also seafood too.

There’s also a small brewery and food market at By The River Brew Co., which includes the Träkol restaurant and the Tap Room where you can buy craft beer. There’s also the Urban Garden, owned and operated by BrewDog, and Wine Unearthed in nearby Pandon Street.

As for Newcastle’s nightlife, you can find a unique art deco cocktail bar at Tiger Hornsby. For more of a traditional British pub experience, the Pitcher & Piano or The Bridge Tavern are always lively in the evenings. There’s also the Crown Posada, which has a richer history than most Newcastle pubs, but we’ll focus on history in day two.

For partygoers, you’ll want Livello or Aveika, both Quayside clubs that frequently host performances. For more options, check out other Newcastle clubs that are deeper into the city. 

Day Two: Historic Landmarks & Shopping

Now that you’re settled into Newcastle, you can spend your second day visiting the city’s historic landmarks and learning the story of Newcastle. You can also use this time to gather some souvenirs, so we’ll highlight interesting shops nearby. 

What better place to start than the Newcastle itself? Often called the Newcastle Castle nowadays, this is the fortress that expanded to become the modern city you see today. The name stuck, despite the existing stone construct being built some 900 years ago. When the English Civil War erupted in the 1600s, the castle held out for three months against the Scottish army during a siege – singlehandedly delaying their advance southward. Visitors here can picnic by its Black Gate, tour its old chambers in a 90-minute walking tour and shop at the nearby Newcastle Souvenir Shop.