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Because of its strategic location at the North Coast of England between Scotland and Yorkshire, Newcastle, which is actually short for Newcastle upon Tyne, is developing into one of the most appealing tourist destinations in Britain. Historically known as the county town of Northumberland, Newcastle upon Tyne was founded during the Roman times as Pons Aelius, but its current name was adopted from 1080 onward. What used to be a shipbuilding center and a generally industrial town, Newcastle has dramatically changed physically and culturally because of a revitalization program over the last two decades.

Newcastle natives are technically called Novocastrians, which is actually a Latin term that could correctly pertain to a resident of any place named Newcastle; but locals prefer to call themselves “Geordies”—this would include Sting, the most famous Geordie.

The city boasts of a large neoclassical center largely developed by Richard Grainger and John Dobson in the 1830s and is recently being restored. Voted as the finest street in England in a survey among the listeners of BBC Radio 4 is the famous Grey Street. Some areas in Granger Town were recorded to have been demolished during the 1960s to accommodate the building of a shopping center in Eldon Square.

For nature lovers, a stroll or a picnic at Newcastle’s greeneries should not be left out in the things-to-do list while on vacation at Newcastle. There’s the famous Leazes Park, which came into being because of some three thousand men’s petition to be given free access to open grounds for health and recreation purposes. St. James’s Park, the home of United Football Club, is also just around the corner. Located north of the city center is another green space—Town Moor. Newcastle locals are actually allowed to graze cattle on Town Moor, which is larger and wider than Hampstead Heath and Hyde Park put together.  Another popular Newcastle recreational area is the Jesmond Dene, which is connected to the Ouseburn Valley by the Heaton Park and Armstrong Park.

Home to the world-renowned football team Newcastle United and premiership rugby team Newcastle Falcons—where Jonny Wilkinson played for—the city has an extraordinarily powerful sporting tradition. The city’s Eagles basketball team and Vipers hockey team are both based at Newcastle’s Metro Radio Arena, while the Diamonds speedway team is at Brough Park, Byker. It should be noted that Ivan Mauger, the world’s greatest Speedway rider and six times world champion, rode with the Diamonds in 1960s. High Gosforth Park is home to the city’s Racecourse, which holds regular events such as the prominent annual race for the prestigious Northumberland Plate. And if that’s not enough, the city also serves host to the world’s greatest half-marathon, the BUPA Great North Run, which is held annually. Also worthy of mention is the 10-km Blaydon Ride, another grand athletic event.

With the rampant spread of restaurants, bars, and nightclubs, Newcastle upon Tyne is known for being the city where everybody wants to have fun. It has recently become the no.1 spot for stag and hen parties and won seventh place in the search for the World’s Perfect Place for a Night Out. A notable concentration of bars and nightclubs can be found at the Bigg Market, Neville Street, Collingwood Street, Osborne Road, and the area around the Central Station. The Gate, a commercial complex of upmarket clubs, bars, and restaurants and the Empire cinema with its twelve screens, just recently opened in the city center.

The city center also caters to the needs of those who are itching to spend their money aimlessly and just shop. The Eldon Square shopping center is the largest and is currently undergoing an extensive redevelopment including the use of more modern materials to match its architectural surroundings. Despite a 2004 report naming Northumberland Street the most expensive for-rent shopping road in UK, it remains to be the city’s main shopping street. The Newgate Centre, the Monument Mall complexes, the traditional Grainger Market, and the Central Arcade are some other places for the shopaholics.

A memorable theatrical performance and great music can likewise be experienced in Newcastle with the big number of theaters—Theatre Royal, the Gulbenkian Studio, Tyne Opera House, the Live Theatre, the Northern Stage, the People’s Theatre—and musical events such as the Orange Revolution, the Hi FI Festival, Spring Bank Holiday, and the MOTFest or the Mouth of Tyne Festival gracing the city regularly.

It definitely is not a bad idea to plan on having a grand vacation at the magical city of Newcastle with all the fun that the city promises on every visit.

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