How to Celebrate English Tourism Week in Newcastle

Visit a museum

With three museums all within walking distance of each other, you could make a day of museum visits in Newcastle for English Tourism Week!

Stop by Life Science Centre at Times Square for all things science and fun for the whole family including planetarium shows, science shows and crafty fun its in Making Studios.

The science theme continues at Discovery Museum which is devoted to celebrating industry and innovation in the North East region and is home to Turbinia, the world’s first steam turbine-powered ship built in 1894.

If natural history is more your thing, a visit to Great North Museum: Hancock is a must. Explore collections boasting artefacts from Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire and stop by the popular Fossil Strories gallery to say hi to “Big Mike” – the museum’s resident replica T-rex skeleton.

Visit an art gallery

Whether you’re a fan of classical art or your tastes skew more contemporary, there’s an art gallery to explore in Newcastle.

Head to Laing Art Gallery and witness world-famous works by artists like William Holman-Hunt, Paul Gaugin and Lawrence Alma-Tadema in the flesh or discover art created by local talents including Thomas Bewick and Ralph Hedley in the Northern Sprits gallery.

Located within Newcastle University’s campus, Hatton Gallery boasts a similarly impressive collection of works from the 14^th to 20^th centuries with highlights that include German artist Kurt Schwitters’ Merz Barn Wall and art by the likes of Francis Bacon, Prunella Clough and Richard Hamilton.

Over the river in Gateshead, there’s the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art featuring four floors of art and a packed programme of exhibitions by contemporary artists from across the globe.

Go sightseeing

As a city steeped in history, Newcastle has lots of fabulous local landmarks to marvel at during English Tourism Week.

The towering Grey’s Monument – built to honour Northumberland-born former prime minister Charles Grey – is one of the city’s most iconic and recognizable landmarks and the street on which it resides, Grey Street, is renowned for beautiful Georgian architecture that earned it a spot among the UK’s Most Instagrammable Streets.

Heading away from the centre of the city, there’s the magnificently gothic Newcastle Cathedral with its imposing bell tower. Dating back to the 12^th century, the cathedral is not only a spiritual but historical and cultural hub too and well worth a wander around for fans of architecture and history buffs.

Of course, what sightseeing stroll of Newcastle would be complete without a stop off at Newcastle Castle, the landmark that gave the city its name? Learn about its long and tumultuous history in the Black Gate museum and hike it up to the Castle Keep roof for breathtaking views of Newcastle and beyond.

Take a tour

If you’d rather someone else sort out your sightseeing adventures, then why not book a tour of the city instead?

There are several fantastic tour companies operating in Newcastle that offer unique ways to see the city and soak up local culture. Newcastle City Guides host regular walking tours exploring Newcastle’s heritage that are ideal for history buffs and culture vultures, while Triple A Food Tours offer a range of food-focused tours visiting local restaurants and places like Grainger Market (a veritable foodie utopia!).

Bus operator Go North East runs hop-on, hop-off open-top bus tours of Newcastle and Gateshead from May to October that are perfect for seeing all the local sights and but if you’re looking for something a little more hands-on, how about a tour of the River Tyne by kayak courtesy of CBK Adventures?

Eat local

It’s no secret that Newcastle has an amazing dining scene – in fact, it was voted the best city in the UK for food and drink in a recent Which? survey – and English Tourism Week is the perfect excuse to indulge in some delicious, locally sourced food at one of the city’s independent restaurants.

Award-winning pub City Tavern prides itself on serving tasty pub grub crafted from local ingredients – think fish and seafood from North Shields’ fish market, beef and cheeses from Northumberland and produce from stalls at the nearby Grainger Market. The ethos extends to many of its cask ales too, like the Alfie Blonde ale brewed by Full Circle Brew Co in neighbouring Ouseburn.

Located in a former Dominican friary, Blackfriars is a popular Newcastle restaurant much loved for its gutsy British cuisine made from seasonal produce sourced from local farms and producers. Local dishes like pan haggarty regularly feature on its menus and there’s even an onsite brewery – you don’t get much more locally brewed than that!

Saltwater Fish Company – situated in Newcastle’s famous Fenwick department store – is a must-do for lovers of seafood. Many of its fish and shellfish are caught on day-boats fishing the North East coastline and delicacies like Lindisfarne oysters, North Sea cod and Amble lobster are regularly served. Guests can pick up seasonal fish and shellfish from its onsite fishmonger too.

Pick up a souvenir

And finally, why not pick up a local souvenir to commemorate the week? Geordie Gifts in Grainger Market and UpSide Down Presents near the Quayside both sell a range of trinkets full of local flavour and humour – because who doesn’t need a “Whey aye man” mug or Newcastle Brown Ale tea towel in their life?

Or, stop by the Newcastle Gifts kiosk in Central Station to pick up something special – they’ve got a great range of fridge magnets, coasters, keyrings and the like, plus some gorgeous photographic prints of local landscapes too.

English Tourism Week comes but one a year, but Newcastle’s culture and history is here to soak up year-round. Whether you’re a born-and-bred Geordie now inspired to explore the city more or a visitor planning your next trip, get out and about in the city and experience the heart and soul of one of the UK’s most exciting destinations!

Main image: Newcastle Quayside from the roof of Newcastle Castle, © NewcastleGateshead Initiative (Public Domain)