Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

Welcome to the Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

Destination Guides

bthere! Destination guides

Previous issues for Newcastle

Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy,
please confirm event/venue details in advance.

United Kingdom : Newcastle - December 2008

Country Code: Dial for United Kingdom

Newcastle comes alive with Christmas spirit during December. Marissa Carruthers hits the town to do some seasonal shopping, keeps the winter’s bite at bay in the city’s best restaurants and dances the night away in some of its hottest clubs

Getting around

Newcastle International Airport,

Train: Metros also run directly from the airport to various locations across the city centre. Trains depart every 15 minutes until 11.59pm. The journey from the airport to the city centre takes 20 minutes and a single ticket costs €2,66/£2.10
Taxi: You can pick a taxi up from outside Arrivals. The journey to the city centre will cost about €12/£10 and takes 10 minutes.
Tourist information: Newcastle Tourist Information Centre is at 8-9 Central Arcade in the city centre (tel. ).

CITY CENTRE

Take a stroll down the city’s historic Grey Street, stop off at some of the many cafés, restaurants and bars, or hit the shops and enjoy the spectacular Christmas lights on Northumberland Street.

Sleep soundly – Enjoy a good night’s sleep in the comfortable Surtees Hotel, right in the heart of the city.

Culture vultures – Take the kids to the Theatre Royal’s (100 Grey Street, theatreroyal.co.uk) panto Robinson Crusoe and the Carribean Pirates. Browse for locally crafted gifts – including jewellery, paintings and clothes – at the popular Art Bazaar Street Market (Laman Street) on 6 December.

Must eat – Sample some of the region’s finest food at The Grainger Rooms (7 Higham Place, tel. ). Try the game sausages with roast hazlenuts, boozy raisins and carrot puree, or the North Shields smoked haddock with a farmhouse Cheddar crust and saffron. If you want something a little different, tuck into tapas with a Vietnamese twist at Barn Asia (Waterloo Square, tel. ).

Must drink – to one of the city’s trendiest spots, Tokyo (17 Westgate Road), where you can sit back on comfy sofas and soak up the atmosphere.

Shop til you drop – Hit the high- City lowdown street shops on Northumberland Street, stopping off to look at Fenwicks’ (39 Northumberland Street) famous annual Christmas window display.

HEATON

Despite being home to Newcastle’s student population, Heaton offers classy bars, upmarket eating and attracts a cool crowd looking for fun.

Culture vultures – Wrap up warm and take a walk through Heaton Park (Heaton Park View). Sample some typical Geordie humour at the famous Shoe Tree, a tree hung with locals’ shoes.

Must eat – Kooky Sky Apple Cafe (182 Heaton Road, tel. ) is a vegetarian restaurant offering delicious dishes like Caribbean banana curry.

Must drink – Chill out over a bottle of wine at Echo Bar (40 Wharton Terrace).

GATESHEAD AND THE QUAYSIDE

Sample some of the city’s best restaurants and bars while looking out on Newcastle’s famous bridges over the River Tyne. Or venture to the other side of the water for a night out in Gateshead.

Sleep soundly – Escape the hustle and bustle of city life at the Swallow Gateshead.

Culture vultures – The Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art (Gateshead Quays, South Shore Road, balticmill. com) is a must. From 14 December, it’s home to Yoko Ono’s Between the Sky and My Head.

Must eat – Try the upmarket Silk Room Restaurant and Champagne Bar (Pandon Bankside, tel. ) for a menu full of locally produced food like loin of Northumbrian lamb with black pudding or Hexham goats’ cheese with red onions and ham.

Dance the night away – Hear a mix of R’n’B and funky house at Sea (Quayside).

Shop til you drop – The MetroCentre (off the A1, Gateshead) is a must for all those shopoholics out there. Enjoy the Christmas lights and carols while you browse the 300-odd shops here.

GOSFORTH

Escape the city, kick back and relax in one of Newcastle’s quieter suburbs.

Sleep soundly – Take a break in style at the Marriott Hotel Gosforth Park.

Must eat – Set in a former church, Loch Fyne (West Avenue, tel. ), serves exquisite seafood, such as grilled halibut with new potatoes or smoked fish pie topped with Isle of Mull gratin.

Must drink – Spend an evening in the lively Three Mile Inn (Great North Road).

Compiled by Marissa Carruthers