Of all the sights that the Toon has to offer, the bridges are probably the most impressive. Walk from the University campus down to Quayside, through the main shopping area, past Monument until you come to the maze of crisscrossing bridges. Every Sunday there's also a food market alongside the river. If you walk on further, you will come upon Ouseburn which is just brimming with cute pubs, such as Tyne Bar and the Free Trade Inn.
If you walk on further, you will come upon Ouseburn which is just brimming with cute pubs, such as Tyne Bar and the Free Trade Inn.
Another great spot is Tynemouth, with its sandy beaches, pub-filled highstreet, and the old priory. Easily accessible by metro, it also hosts a food and antiques market every weekend.
Some other sights to see include (but are not limited to): Jesmond Dene for a nice wooded area with a small waterfall, the town moor for the cows in the warmer months, St James Park, and the remains of the castle and the city wall.
Newcastle is also in a great position to offer some fun day trips: Alnwick Castle (the filming location of Hogwarts); the Lake district; Durham; Lindisfarne; Bamburgh Castle; Edinburgh are all but a short drive or train ride away.
Now, as broke students, we still deserve the small pleasures in life: a coffee in a cute cafe and the occasional meal out. One of my favourite places to grab a bite to eat is Grainger Market which has everything from tacos to bao buns. I Scream for Pizza, Avanti, and Francesca’s are all delicious Italian/pizza places. Chinatown also has some yummy restaurants, chief among them Zaap, a Thai restaurant with very instagramable decor.
As for cafes, Tyneside offers great coffee and hot chocolate, as well as a chilled atmosphere for studying (if you don’t mind background noise). The attached cinema is also worth checking out, and is relatively cheap. Another cafe is the Magic Hat Cafe, which is cheap and also raises awareness on food waste. Other honourable cafe mentions include the Grand, Olive and Bean, Tiny Tiny and Meli Cafe.
Of course, this article is not an exhaustive list of all the gems hidden in our Toon, but it's a place to start - so go and explore!