The Perfect Newcastle Christmas Market

Us Geordies are never happy are we? For years we have moaned that our Christmas Markets and festivities just aren't up to scratch. So this year, Newcastle Council decides to quadruple our offering and we still aren't happy ( I include myself in this btw).

5 Fantastic Independent Newcastle Coffee Shops

Disclosure - I have put this post together myself with no brand input however the post does feature photos from a blog event (ad) at Tyneside Bar Cafe in November 2019.

Menus correct as of November 2019.

Where possible, I always try and visit an Independent Coffee Shop over a chain. I just think you receive a much better service, the quality is higher plus you are helping the local economy. Today I am sharing 5 of my favourite independent coffee shops in Newcastle - let me know if your favourite made the list.

10 Places to Shop Local in Newcastle this Christmas

Back in October, I asked my readers for suggestions of the best local, small businesses from which to buy Christmas Gifts from in Newcastle City Centre.

As a small business myself, I like to shop local where I can as I know how much of a difference each and every sale makes. Plus the service from a small business is always fantastic.

10+ Free Things To Do In Newcastle Upon Tyne

One of the reasons I love Newcastle is that there is always so much to do if you're on a budget or looking for a free day out. 

What's On at Northern Stage Newcastle

Northern Stage is one of my favourite theatres in Newcastle. A registered charity, the theatre produces original work and hosts touring productions. There are 700 seats in total and shows here are often contemporary and really make you think. Northern Stage is inclusive and all are welcome.

10 Things To Do In Ouseburn

Ouseburn is pretty much my favourite area of Newcastle. With a few cracking pubs, a handful of fantastic restaurants and lots to see and do, there's a reason the area is a bit of a hot spot.

I found it difficult narrowing this list down to just 10 places - let me know if I've missed (or mentioned) your favourite.

10 Christmas Date Ideas & Nights Out | Newcastle Upon Tyne

The festive period is the perfect time of year to get dressed up and head out for a night out with a loved one, friends or family. I'm a firm believer that Christmas isn't just for kids and there's plenty of fun to be had for grown ups too.

You can follow Visit Newcastle Blog on Instagram here (where we'll share lots more ideas for things to do in Newcastle).

Hatton Gallery Newcastle University - What's On

The Hatton Gallery is located inside of Newcastle University. It's well-signposted on campus and not far from Northern Stage. The opening hours are Monday  - Saturday 10am-5pm (closed Sundays). The gallery is very close to the Great North Museum and Northern Stage - it's a good idea to combine a visit with these places and make a day of it.

The Hatton Gallery works closely with Newcastle University students and mainly stages modern and contemporary exhibitions. Various classes and talks are also available throughout the year. You can check out what's on here. 

What's On & Date Ideas | Newcastle Upon Tyne - November 2019

Welcome to my guide to what's on in Newcastle for grown-ups in November 2019. There's absolutely loads to choose from and this list is the kind of thing that makes me wish I could win the lottery! As always, events do change so please double-check details with the venues before heading out / booking. Let me know what you're up to this month and if any of these events take your fancy.

I will be posting more ideas on my Visit Newcastle Facebook page here and my Visit Newcastle Blog Instagram page here so make sure you're following along. 

Free Indoor Play Areas in Newcastle (Perfect for Under 5s)

Newcastle City Centre is home to some lovely indoor play areas - some are a little bit hidden but they're worth hunting out if you're on a budget and the weather isn't too great. If you'd like to keep up to date with ideas and things to do for children and grown-ups in Newcastle City Centre (aka the best city in the world), please follow my brand new Facebook page 'Visit Newcastle' here. 

1 - Laing Playspace 

Credit - Laing Art Gallery

The Laing Playspace is located inside of the Laing Art Gallery just off Northumberland Street. It's FREE to visit and features a dressing up area, circus-themed dens, light table and toys. There's a pushchair parking area, feeding area and you can grab a coffee from the cafe too. Find out more here.

Dear Fenwick.......

Fenwick Santa on the Rooftop tickets went on sale today. This is a magical event and a Christmas highlight for many families. Fenwick is supposed to be the gold standard of retail so you'd think it would be a match made in heaven. Wrong!

Follow us on Bloglovin

<a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blog/20140359/?claim=33p6fpammcu">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

Welcome to Visit Newcastle

Yes, I know the above photo has been taken in Gateshead - a little ironic but you can see Newcastle so I'm going with it!

Welcome to Visit Newcastle - a new blog and unofficial guide to the best city in the world. I always feel like my other site (North East Family Fun) will have some kind of shelf life and have dabbled with other websites in the past but I just haven't had the passion for my other sites that I have with North East Family Fun. Seriously - blogs only work in the long term if you write something you are passionate about!

My main love in life is North East England so I've decided to set up Visit Newcastle to reflect this. I always get these ideas in the middle of the night and bought the domain at 2am in the morning. I'm a strong believer in just doing something if you want to and not to hang around - that's one of the main reasons I love self-employment and being my own boss.

Anyway, the timing to set this up is a little bad on my behalf as October & November are the two busiest months for me work-wise so I'm not sure how much I'll get this site off the ground until the beginning of next year. I will be focussing on growing my new Facebook page though so do follow along. 

I don't really want there to be too much of a cross-over between this site and North East Family Fun so Visit Newcastle will be dedicated to ONLY writing about Newcastle City Centre and its suburbs (Heaton/Jesmond/Ouseburn). I have been doing some market research and have a long list of ideas for posts to write - basically anything and everything to do with Newcastle goes. Expect area guides, theatre reviews, 'what's on' posts, foodie round-ups and ideas for things to do - for grown-ups as well as kids.

I hope you enjoy and please bear with me over the next few months as I get this new site off the ground. Oh and don't worry - North East Family Fun isn't going anywhere and will still be my main site for a good few years yet.

Don't forget to follow Visit Newcastle on Facebook here.