Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

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United Kingdom : Newcastle - March 2009

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Is there a better way to wave goodbye to winter than a stay in the stylish city of Newcastle? Now that the weather is getting warmer and the days are growing longer, a trip to Northumbrian seaside is ideal. And, this month, you can also sample some of the legendary Geordie humour at the city’s annual comedy festival (2-8 March). Marissa Carruthers finds plenty to smile about

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

With an endless array of quirky boutiques, classy cocktail bars and cute cafés, you’ll never be short of things to do in the city’s hub.

Must eat – Tuck into tasty tapas in the Iberian environment of La Vina (42-50 Grey Street, tel. ). Try the chorizo al vino tinto (chorizo cooked in red wine) and the croquetas de pescado (salt cod croquettes with lemon). If the starters and puddings always look more appealing than the main courses, then why not make a meal of them? As the name suggests, Starters & Puds (2-6 Shakespeare Street, tel. ) serves only starters and puddings. The whitebait and lemon aioli is a must. Follow up with bread-and-butter pudding made with brioche and strawberry jam.

Must drink – Knock back the cocktails at North Bar (Neville Street), one of the city’s hottest nightspots.

Shop til you drop – If it’s well-cut cloth you’re after, then Cruise (15-17 Princess Square) and its endless labels will be right up your street.

GATESHEAD AND THE QUAYSIDE

Escape the city, sit back and soak up the unparalleled views of the River Tyne and its iconic bridges.

Sleep soundly – Relax in the sumptuous Malmaison Newcastle (104 Quayside, tel. , malmaison-newcastle.com, rooms from €101/£95), which has plush purple and velvet-filled rooms. It also has a great brasserie downstairs which does unmucked-about-with seasonal dishes like turbot with honey-roasted salsify.

Culture vultures – Laughter is the best medicine, so chase away those winter blues at the Newcastle Gateshead Comedy Festival (newcastlegateshead comedyfestival.com). The festival will see top comedians taking to the stage in the breath-taking surroundings of The Sage Gateshead (St Mary’s Square). It runs from 2-8 March.

Must eat – Sample the delights of authentic Indian cuisine at the up-market Raval (Church Street, Gateshead Quays, tel. ). Go for the aloo tikki (pan-fried Indian potato cakes served with yogurt, tamarind and mint chutney) or the gosht lazawab (lamb cooked in a rich cashew nut, cardamom and saffron sauce). Although there’s a lot more to the menu than shellfish at The Big Mussel (15 The Side, tel. ), you really should really try the Scottish mussels in a Spanish or Thai sauce.

JESMOND

This quaint and leafy suburb has so many bars, cafés and restaurants that you may never feel the need make the five-minute Metro journey into the city centre.

Dance the night away – Hit the dance floor to the sound of soul, disco, funk and house music at Mr Lynch (Archbold Terrace). It’s open into the early hours.

Shop til you drop – Hit the quirky Clayton Road for a row of unique boutiques. Try The Loft (12 Clayton Road) for labels on the ground floor, a salon (hair, nails, eyebrows) on the first floor, and a juice bar in the loft.

THE COAST

Escape to South Shields and enjoy the seaside by taking a 10-minute ferry ride across the Tyne.

Sleep soundly – Fall asleep to the sound of the sea, in the comfortable surroundings of The Little Haven Hotel (River Drive, South Shields, tel. , littlehavenhotel.com, rooms from €74/£69).

Culture vultures – Explore the underwater world and take a sea safari at the Blue Reef Aquarium (Grand Parade, Tynemouth, tel. ).

Must eat – Sit and watch the sun set over the sea from the Tavistock (Sea Road, South Shields, tel. ). This restaurant/bar/café is housed in a converted train carriage that sits on the beach. The langoustines grilled in garlic and lemon butter are excellent.

Compiled by Marissa Carruthers