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Six bridges span the Tyne, with three of them internationally famous for their enshrinement of a revolutionary engineering approach. The High Level Bridge and the Swing Bridge are truly iconic and not to be missed during your trip to Newcastle.

The Quayside has been greatly redeveloped but there are several historic buildings still standing in the Sandhill district, including the Merchants’ Court and Guildhall, which are well worth a visit. Bessie Surtees House is the real jewel in the crown of original architecture, a lovingly restored combination of merchants’ houses dating from the 16th century.

North of the city’s High Level Bridge is the Castle Keep, which should be top of your list of places to visit in Newcastle. Completed in the 12th century, it houses many local archaeological artefacts and you can obtain a panoramic view across the city and river from its tower. The nearby Black Gate, originally the castle’s gatehouse, is now a separate building nearby.

"St Nicholas Cathedral is worth popping into for its fine 15th century architectural features. The iconic feature of the building is its Scottish Crown, a crenellated structure at the top of the main tower. a statue of Queen Victoria stands outside, erected in 1900."Grey’s Monument stands in the heart of the city, built in 1835 to commemorate a Prime Minister, and you can scale its 164 steps for some excellent views across the city.

Newcastle boasts many excellent cultural venues, including the grandly impressive Theatre Royal, where the Royal Shakespeare Company stages regular performances, often even before they arrive in London’s West End.

On your trip to Newcastle drop in to the Laing art Gallery, built in 1901 and now home to works by Gauguin, Stanley Spencer and Henry Moore, amongst other local and national artists.

The Great North Museum was established in 1884 as the Hancock Museum and is now splendidly restored as a showcase for ethnology and natural history exhibits and exhibitions. It has a fun interactive study room for the kids and an ‘under fives’ space to keep toddlers happily occupied.

Newcastle is jam-packed with bistros, top restaurants, delicatessens, cafés and sushi bars, and the exceptional range of international cuisine includes a full selection of exotic dishes from Japanese to Portuguese, with everything you can imagine in between. For the widest range of eateries make your way to the city centre and the Quayside district.

This latter has just been redeveloped and is now full of trendy bars and entertainment spots, the imposing law courts and a cluster of independent theatres. Much of the food here is sourced from the farmlands of the surrounding region, and if you’re a fan of seafood you’ll find plenty of fresh produce from the Northuk  Sea fishing grounds offshore from here.

If you’re travelling to Newcastle for shopping you’ll be delighted at the sheer range and quality of what’s on offer here. Newcastle is the north east’s premier shopping hot spot, boasting elegant boutiques, great high street stores and many independent award-winning outlets.

Eldon Square in the heart of Newcastle is one of the UK’s biggest shopping centres, a major outlet for top international brands. Don’t miss the ornate and historic Central arcade, built in 1837, which has a triple-dome structure and houses numerous retail outlets as well as the Newcastle Tourist Information Centre.