Newcastle upon Tyne is famous for shipbuilding and the bottled Newcastle Brown Ale known locally as "Dog." During it's industrial heyday in the late nineteenth century, the city was the a world leader in the manufacture of merchant and naval vessels, perhaps only rivaled by Glasgow.
A period of decline reached a nadir in the 1970's and 80's, although like many other northern cities Newcastle has successfully reinvented itself in recent years.
The Grainger Town area with its impressive classical buildings has benefitted from huge investment, but it is perhaps the re-vitalisation of the waterfront area with which Newcastle made its name that is most impressive.
Landmark features include the Norman Foster designed Sage Music Centre, and BALTIC, a huge disused grain warehouse that has been converted into a centre for the contemporary arts. The Millennium Bridge is the only moveable pedestrian bridge of its type in the world; an elegant structure that complements the older Tyne Bridge perfectly.
There's public sculpture, new apartment blocks and pedestrianised squares on the quayside, and a huge number of fashionable new bars and restaurants to choose from. Along with attractions like The Discovery Museum, Seven Stories and The Life Science Centre, you could take the time you meant to spend in Newcastle and double it.
