Newcastle upon Tyne walking tour & city guide

Grainger Town

In the 1830s, builder Richard Grainger rebuilt the heart of Newcastle with grand classical streets of golden sandstone. Grey Street, curving down the hill, is often called one of the finest streets in England. At its top, Grey's Monument towers over the city, and the Grainger Market is a covered market hall from 1835.

The Quayside and the bridges

The Quayside runs along the river beneath a row of famous bridges: the arched Tyne Bridge, symbol of the city, the High Level Bridge and the Gateshead Millennium Bridge, which tilts to let boats pass. Across the river in Gateshead, the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art fills a former flour mill. The Castle Keep, from the 12th century, gave the city its name.

A classic walk to the Quayside

Start at Grey's Monument and walk down Grey Street past the Theatre Royal. Continue down to the Castle Keep and the Black Gate, then descend the steep stairs to the Quayside.

Walk along the river under the Tyne Bridge to the Millennium Bridge, cross to the Baltic and return along the Gateshead side for views of the bridges and the city. The loop is about 4 kilometers.

Visiting tips

Newcastle is about three hours from London and 90 minutes from Edinburgh by train. Hadrian's Wall, the Roman frontier, starts nearby, and the Angel of the North sculpture stands beside the main road south. The Northumberland coast, with castles and beaches, is an easy day trip.