Known as a friendly, fun-loving party city, Newcastle is a perfect destination for stag and hen dos, big nights out and city breaks. Aside from the partying though, Newcastle has a lot to offer if you fancy a weekend away.
I recently took a trip to Newcastle. It was my university city and I still think of it as a second home. Here is how I spent 48 hours in Newcastle.
Getting there
Newcastle training station is well connected on the East Coast mainline. If you are coming from London, trains go from London’s Kings Cross station fairly regularly. Tickets can be a bit pricey so I’d recommend booking in advance to get a cheaper deal.
This summer it cost me £32.30 for a one way ticket with a railcard.
Day 1
Lunch – Zapatitas
The train to Newcastle from London is around 3 hours so we arrived at lunchtime. Our first stop was to Zapatitas burrito bar. There are two of these fast food restaurants in Newcastle, one by the train station and one at the top of Northumberland street.
This was one of our favourite places to lunch when we were at university so we had to try it out again. We both got the lunch time deal – a burrito with a side of chips and a drink for £7.50.
Burritos were as good as ever, although I wouldn’t bother with the fries. (I couldn’t finish it all and the fries were nothing special).
You can also get quesadillas, fajitas, nachos or a burrito bowl and a range of fillings including chicken, pork and sweet potato.
Shopping – Eldon Square
Eldon Square is the main shopping centre in Newcastle and has all your usual high street shopping stores plus a small food court area.
I would recommend browsing in Fennicks if you fancy doing some shopping. We spent ages in their food and drink section browsing locally produced beer, coffee and biscuits. There is also a small coffee shop in Fennicks that sells Ouseburn coffee – excellent if you are a fan of artisan coffees. (Unexpectedly a long black was more expensive than the ones I’m used to in Hackney Wick though!)
Pub – The Hannock
That afternoon my boyfriend wanted to watch the football so we headed to the Hannock Pub. This is a friendly pub across the road from the Hannock museum. There were multiple screens up and the bar staff kindly put on the commentary for us while we watched.
We also got a few drinks and bar snacks while we were there.
Dinner – Dabbawals
Back when I lived in Newcastle, Dabbawals was my favourite restaurant. I took many of my friends and family there. It was also the location of one of my first dates with my boyfriend.
Dabbawals is a modern Indian restaurant specialising in Indian street food. It still serves classic curry dishes but is slightly more authentic than your usual curry house. There are two restaurants in Newcastle – one in the city centre and one in Jesmond. We went to the city centre one as it’s more convenient although I’d argue the Jesmond one is slightly nicer in terms of layout and vibe.
We chose to go big and got a range of starters from the small plates section and two mains with garlic naans and rice to share. My favourite dishes include the bombay bomb small plate and the murgh methi Palak main.
It was even better than I remembered and honestly better than any Indian restaurant I’ve been to in London. (And I’ve been to a lot – Dishoom, Kricket, Brigadiers, Gunpowder etc.) Please open one in London!
Drinks – Stack Newcastle
After dinner we headed to Stack Newcastle for a couple of drinks. This social hub is similar to box park in London and consists of a number oDrinks – Stack Newcastle f bars, takeaway restaurants and lots of seating in the middle.
It was buzzing when we went and would be really fun for a night out. They play music and often have different types of events on. Drinks and food are all really affordable as well.
After a few drinks we headed back to our hotel. We stayed in a central holiday Inn, although if you book early there are nicer options.
Day 2
Breakfast – The butterfly Cabinet
We started day 2 with a trip out of the city centre to get breakfast. We got the metro from Newcastle monument to Chillingham road. It’s only a few stops and takes around 15 minutes. Be aware though that the metro is not as frequent as the tube is in London. If you time it wrong you might have to wait 15 minutes on the platform.
We headed to the Butterfly Cabinet along Heaton road. This cafe is very popular and often has a long queue to get in (be aware!). However it is worth the wait if you love a classic full english breakfast or a big plate of breakfast pancakes.
Walk – Jesmond Dene
From the Butterfly Cabinet we walked through nearby Heaton Park along to Jesmond Dene. This is a beautiful wooded valley that follows the river Ouseburn. I used to come running here when I lived in Newcastle and it’s one of my favourite parts of the city.
Visit to Newcastle Uni & Frankie & Tonys
Before we went home, we had to take a trip down memory lane and go for a walk through the Newcastle University campus. I loved my time at university and it was amazing to be back. We even revisited our favourite lunch spot – the famous Frankie’s and Tony’s sandwich shop.
Drinks – Newcastle Tap
Before our train home, we stopped for a drink at Newcastle Tap near the train station. Newcastle tap has a large selection of draught beers and ciders and also serves hand stretched pizzas.
Highlights & Other things to do
The highlight of my 48 hours in Newcastle was going for dinner at Dabbawals. Unfortunately there were plenty of things we didn’t get time to do. Some other ideas that I plan to do in my next trip include:
- Newcastle Baltic (modern art gallery)
- Brewery & Tap (Quayside brewery)
- Jalou (cocktail bar)
- The Cluny (venue for gigs)
