Tyne and Wear is an urbanised county in the North East of England. It is full of cultural quayside cities, and beautiful sandy beaches like Tynemouth Longsands, a popular surfing destination. A visit to the county is to discover the Roman heritage of the area in the galleries and museums of Newcastle and Gateshead. Tyne and Wear encloses a network of biking paths that allow visitors to discover the expanse of native wetlands and the beauty of the country parks. Newcastle is the county’s principal city. It is a highly urbanized area but rich in history and culture. Tourists can also head towards the county’s seaside towns and well-known holiday destinations where some of the best shopping malls in this neck of the woods can be found. Tyne and Wear also boasts of its landscaped Victorian gardens and parks that are favourite tourist attractions
Food and shopping
In Tyne & Wear, you don’t have to travel far for an exciting culinary experience since more and more new restaurants, bars and cafés appear every year, especially in Newcastle and Gateshead. When it comes to good food these two metropolitan cities of Tyne and Wear are way ahead of the curve.From a large selection of restaurants and country pubs, tea rooms, and cafes there is always something for everyone. Whether it’s a hearty serving of contemporary cuisine, a taste of exotic gourmet cooking or a generous serving of home-cooked meal prepared from fresh local produce, Tyne and Wear has it all. As was already mentioned earlier, there is something for everyone in Tyne and Wear including a remarkable selection of vegetarian, vegan and Halal restaurants as well as Indian, Italian, and Thai .
Newcastle and Gateshead serve as the urban nerve centres of Tyne and Wear. Between these two cities, they host two of UK’s largest shopping centres, making it a shopping paradise for shopaholics. The finest international brands, department stores, high street favourites, a John Lewis flagship store to large Debenham shops along with other shops such as Hollister, Apple Topshop, All Saints and River Island, among others, make Intu Eldon Square one of UK’s largest city-centre shopping mall. Fenwick Newcastle with five stories of shopping paradise is where the most coveted brands such as Barbour can be found.
Where to stay
Newcastle and Gateshead are filled with places to bed for the night. Together with the opulent chain hotels that line this part of Tyne and Wear there are lovely boutique hotels and luxurious spa hotels for those who are used to extravagant comfort. For those who are out to get a good bargain, there are also a few city centre hotels that are both centrally located and affordable. Across Tyne and Wear there is a good selection of accommodation ranging from short-stay city apartments to stone-built cottages including camping and caravanning sites
Things to do
A visit to Tyne and Wear means to discover the museums and galleries of Newcastle and Gateshead to get a dose of its Roman culture, to walk over neon footbridges between restored quays or to watch a Magpie game while chanting with the “Toon Army” for an authentic “Geordie” feel. A visit to the wetlands of Washington and a stroll along beautiful Victorian parks are also favoured activities. The cities of Newcastle and Sunderland have so much to offer visitors of the area. There are both grand and small, modern and ancient attractions specifically focused on the Industrial legacy of Britain. Some of the most interesting places to visit are the Blue Reef Aquarium in Tynemouth the Biscuit Factory art gallery, and the Washington Hall. With so much to see and do, a great convenience that will facilitate movement on a day excursion or a short stay in Tyne and Wear is a self-drive rental van.
