The first thing that strikes you about NewcastleGateshead is the sheer energy that is bouncing around this city . The reason for all this? An incredible mix of new developments, ground-breaking designs, innovative restorations and a surge of creative talent, which has seen this area move from interesting to exhilarating.

Lying close to England’s north-eastern coast, Newcastle and Gateshead sit side by side, divided only by the River Tyne. This is a great place for walking around and exploring. First head down to the Quayside area, for a view of the Gateshead Millennium Bridge (it closes like a winking eye to allow ships to pass), meander amongst the street art and perhaps enjoy a light lunch in one of the café bars or restaurants.

Across the bridge lies Gateshead Quays and two of the most exciting new developments. BALTIC, a major international centre for contemporary art and one of Europe’s largest temporary art spaces, has no permanent collection but instead hosts a changing, ambitious programme of complimentary exhibitions. This former flour mill has been cleverly restored to house five galleries, a cinema, library, as well as two cafes and a rooftop restaurant offering some of the best views of the city.

Alongside BALTIC, don’t miss The Sage Gateshead, a spectacular glass and steel building designed by Sir Norman Foster (opening December 17, 2004) which will provide an international home for world music and musical discovery. Wander here after dark: the galaxy of coloured lights that adorn the bridge and quaysides is captivating.

Situated right in the heart of Newcastle, the historic area of Grainger Town is where you go to enjoy beautifully restored Georgian architecture, grab a coffee and ‘people watch’. This is also the ideal starting place for shopping. Trendy British clothes shops are clustered around here and close-by, Grainger Market offers the opportunity to spend an hour or so sifting through stalls selling CDs, books, clothes and specialist foods.

Shopping is something of a passion in NewcastleGateshead. The sheer size and variety of the shopping centres means you need to do some careful planning if you want to visit them all. In Eldon Square you will find over 140 shops including two of the country’s best known department stores. Linked to Eldon Square is Eldon Garden, where the emphasis is on designer brand clothing.

You will need some stamina if you plan to visit the MetroCentre in Gateshead, too. Having just opened the new Red Mall – a major extension containing a range of top retailers - MetroCentre has reclaimed its crown as the largest shopping centre in Europe. However, it goes beyond the usual shopping experience: how many retail centres boast an indoor theme park as well as an eleven-screen cinema and bowling alley?

Back in Newcastle, art lovers should head for The Biscuit Factory, Europe’s largest commercial arts space, where hundreds of items of art – paintings, prints, ceramics, glass, sculpture and furniture - by national and international artists are on sale. It’s a real magnet for artists and a cool place to eat and relax.

The locals, known as Geordies, are legendary for having a lively sense of humour, a zest for life and a determination to have plenty of fun, which is why you’ll find the city’s nightlife buzzing. I can remember being astounded on my first night out in Newcastle by the variety of restaurants and bars the city had to offer and, even more surprisingly, the large number of people filling them. Knowing where to start is difficult, though most people seem to head for the Quayside and its plethora of cosmopolitan restaurants and bars.

Venture out to the suburbs and you’ll find some laid-back stylish bars and restaurants along the Osborne Road in Jesmond. Hidden away in Newcastle’s centre, around Stowell Street, is Chinatown, a great place for an authentic Chinese meal. Head back to this area on a Sunday lunchtime and call into Blackfriars Café Bar, a restaurant located in a 13th century monastery, which hosts an excellent Sunday jazz lunch.

The Gate is another fantastic option for a night out. A new complex with great bars and restaurants all under one roof and behind a huge glass facade, The Gate also includes a huge Tiger Tiger which is set over three floors with themed areas including a cosy Moroccan bar and a New York loft style apartment and a club.

There’s good theatre here too, from cutting-edge dramas at Newcastle Playhouse and Live Theatre, to major productions by Opera North, Ballet Rambert and the Royal Shakespeare Company to name just a few, which show at the Theatre Royal. City Hall in the Haymarket district has a great reputation for comedy and music, as does Hyena, a premier comedy venue.

A pleasing way to spend your ‘morning after the night before’ is to meander through Jesmond Dene, a tranquil Victorian park complete with waterfall and watermill and on to Armstrong Bridge, where every Sunday morning an art market is held. Have a last minute cultural fix with a visit to the Laing Art Gallery, for both historical and contemporary exhibitions and get out to see the famous Angel of the North sculpture, the largest piece of public art in the world. Time to spare? Then hop on a train and in a little over ten minutes you can be in the historic city of Durham, with its cobbled streets and fabulous cathedral and castle, together designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

There’s never been a better time to visit… NewcastleGateshead has a creative programme to take the area through a decade of world-class culture: culture10. Every year will bring a new theme of events and activities. Hotbed 2004 - the theme for this year - reflects the hotbed of ideas and creativity in the North East. 2005 will see a new theme, as well as a host of events including the first International River Festival, coinciding with the arrival of the biggest ever Tall Ships’ Race (July 25-28, 2005). Unique, unusual -- and always world-class -- NewcastleGateshead is the place to visit.

Getting there couldn’t be easier: fly direct from cities including Dublin, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Dusseldorf, Prague, Oslo and Barcelona. Low cost airline easyJet has a base at Newcastle International Airport, offering connections from 15 UK and European cities. Alternatively, take a ferry across the North Sea from Amsterdam, Kristiansand, Gothenburg, Bergen, Haugesund or Stavanger.

Website for information: http://www.visitnewcastlegateshead.com/ is an excellent source of information.

This Copyright Free article is provided courtesy of VisitBritain Press Centre

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