Places to Visit in Newcastle (Part 2)

Our exploration of Newcastle is far from complete. Welcome to Part 2 of our list of locations to visit in Newcastle upon Tyne, one of England’s most major destinations for tourists and students. 

Let’s pick up where we left off in the previous section of the series. We saw largely historical structures in Newcastle. Now we’ll continue on the tour of the city, from the popular nightlife district to spots where you can relax and enjoy the weather. 

1. Quayside 

Where have all the night owls gone? This is the perfect location for you. 

Newcastle residents refer to the area along the Tyne river as “quayside.” Pubs, bars, and eateries line the streets surrounding this site. As a result, this area is well-known for its nightlife. When you’re here, you can do more than just party and drink; you can also take in the breathtaking views of the river and bridges. I encourage you to visit here at sunset so that you can enjoy the beautiful sunset panorama. The scenery is just as stunning at night as it is during the day, with lights illuminating the street and the river, and music from the bars accompanying you. This area is excellent for enjoying the moment and socialising with friends or family. (You should try the Wetherspoon in Quayside; they offer such good food at a good price!) 

Look at how stunning the view is! I captured this photo around sunset. The picture was taken by me 

In addition, the Sunday market is a weekly market that opens on the quayside. You should be able to figure out when it is open each week just by reading the name; yep, the market is open every Sunday. There were over 20 vendors selling a variety of items, including food, drinks, artwork, flowers, and much more. They sell a wide range of foods, including Italian fare such as pasta and pizza, Indonesian fare, Greek fare, Chinese fare, and so on. (Must try!) 

2. St. James Park 

Apart from the country’s history, who doesn’t know that England is also known for its football? Newcastle United Football Club is also one of the most well-known football clubs in the world. Newcastle United’s logo features the classic black and white stripes that gave them the nickname “The Magpies.”  

I should have taken a better picture of the stadium cause it’s literally so amazing. The picture was taken by me 

Newcastle United’s home football stadium is called St. James Park.  Do you want to have a tour inside the stadium or want to watch a football match? You can book the ticket here (https://book.nufc.co.uk/) (Don’t forget to take pictures with the legends out front of the stadium!) 

3. Greggs 

It’s time for a snack! Have you noticed that there are a lot of Greggs stores around town?  

Fun Fact of the day: Do you know that this store with the well-known blue and yellow logo was founded in Newcastle?  

This is the Greggs store at Quayside; have a bite to eat while admiring the view of the river. The picture was taken by me

That is why you must try their food while you are here. Greggs is known for its savoury and sweet items including sausage rolls and doughnuts. Not only do the locals enjoy it, but so do students, including international students like me, who also love their food so much. Give it a try! 

4. Leazes park 

Take your snacks and head to one of Newcastle’s most popular parks. 

Leazes Park, which is next to St. James Park, is a lovely place to sit and unwind yourself. You could sit on the benches beside the lake and watch the ducks and geese while taking in the sunshine. (If I’m feeling stuffy in my room, I like to go sit there for hours.) 

I arrived at the perfect time when there were very few people. The picture was taken by me

This park also allows you to enjoy a picnic; benches and tables are available for the public, but you may also bring your own picnic mat and sit on the grass. However, once your picnic is over, please remember to clean up all the trash. 

5. Exhibition Park  

Do you want to go on another picnic? Another park to visit is this one! This huge park is also available to the general public. If you wish to enjoy a picnic, there are several spots to choose from. In addition, there is a skating arena that is always open and popular. 

Don’t worry, the park also has a lake with benches close to it where you can sit and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine.  

Look at how beautiful the scenery is, and you can even see the brewery in this photo. The picture was taken by me

Want to eat or drink anything but forgot to bring it with you? In the park, there are cafes and a brewery. Wylam Brewery is the name of the brewery, and they make excellent beer.  

This concludes my recommendations for this part. There are still a few locations I want to tell you about, so stay tuned for the next part! 

For prospective and current students don’t forget to check out our university website!

Places to Visit in Newcastle (Part 1)

Are you visiting Newcastle for the first time? This blog post is for you if that’s the case. I’ll recommend a few locations to visit in Newcastle while you’re here. Even if you aren’t, you should read this in case you forget or don’t recognise these areas. 

Newcastle is one of England’s most popular cities, known for its heritage, nightlife, and much more. That is why I am separating this series into two parts because I will be recommending a lot of places for you. Now, without further ado, let’s get started! 

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Newcastle’s Must-Try Food Spots!

By: Elayna Hugh-Jones

Graphics: Elysia Marrs

This blog post is the hardest I’ve ever had to write…narrowing down my favourite Newcastle food spots to just 7 is a task and a half. However, I have managed to just about do it, with a sprinkling of extra tips of course. I know most of us are living on a student budget so eating out isn’t always a regular occurrence BUT isn’t good food just the solution to everything?! I personally think so. Since living in Newcastle, my friend and I have collated an Honours list of our favourite restaurants and food spots, rated by food, atmosphere, and value for money. I’m sharing our top 7 with you!

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Language Barrier- English as Second/Third Languange?

By: Caroline Elaine

There are approximately 6500 languages in the world, each with its own distinct characteristics that distinguish it apart from the others. Most international students at Newcastle University come from all over the world, from Asia, Europe, and so on. They grew up speaking a language other than English and only began learning English in school. Some people will become really fluent at it, while others will not. Therefore, the language barrier is one of the reasons why studying in a foreign country can be difficult.

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A day in the life with Amelia Guest

Interviewed and edited by Elayna Hugh-Jones

What do you study here at Newcastle University?

So I’m in my 2nd year of Biomedical science, and I’m doing a placement year in September so it’ll be a 4 year degree for me. Then I’m thinking about further study, such as a Master’s or post-grad medicine.

Newcastle University Medical School

What does a typical day look like for you?

So I’m an early bird, I get up around 6:30 and I take some time to wake up and have breakfast. Then if we have any 9am or 10am lectures I like to go to the Uni gym beforehand to start my day on a good note, which means I leave my house in Jesmond at about 7:30. We typically have 2 or 3 lectures a day and I’ll head to the Walton Library in between if we have any breaks. But if we have no lectures, Wednesdays are usually our days off, I still head to the library and set myself up for a day there. I’ll usually take my packed lunch and stay for the majority of the day and then head home for dinner. I and my housemates tend to all eat together which is a nice part of the day to look forward to.

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How is Stage 2 Different from Stage 1?

By Caroline Elaine

Hello everyone, my name is Caroline, I am a BSc. Biomedical Sciences student. I have finally begun stage 2 of my course after spending a year in Newcastle adjusting to a new life, making new friends, and doing other bits and pieces. The seminars, lab practicals, and lectures have been ongoing for more than two months now.

So I figured it’d be a good time to evaluate the differences between stage 1 and stage 2. 

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5 Easy Recipes

By: Marcelle Reis Rosmaninho

Starting uni comes with a whole lot of changes. For most of us, an unexpected change we must adapt to is learning how to cook for ourselves. Cooking is a daunting experience, especially for someone who has never cooked before. After seeing my flatmates in the first year constantly eating frozen Tesco pizza, I thought it would be a good idea to share my 5 easy recipes that can be taken to uni on a busy day!

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All About NUFS – Newcastle University Fashion Society

What is NUFS -Newcastle University Fashion Society?

Are you passionate about Fashion? Do you want to be involved around creative people? NUFS -Newcastle University Fashion Society- provides students with activities such as weekly sewing classes, photography, content creation, writing, styling, modelling workshops and other social events. As well as, our grand annual fashion show!

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Homesickness – Going home? Or not?

By: Caroline Elaine

It is very normal to feel homesick after being away from home for quite a long time. We miss our parents’ home-cooked meals, our never-ending quarrels with our siblings, our childhood best friends, the celebrations with our large families and friends, the happiness, the bickering, and the feeling of being at home. And here we are, in a new place and environment, trying to adapt and make new friends while also pursuing our education, goals, and dreams. 

If you live in or near Newcastle, you are lucky! It is easier for you to go back home or for your parents to visit you. However, if you are an international student like me, who spends a day or two traveling by plane to get to Newcastle, going back home is complicated, especially during the pandemic because the rules for traveling to the UK and our home country are constantly changing. 

If you are not returning home, remember to call your family frequently and spend time bonding with them. But if you aren’t going back, here are some ideas you can do if you aren’t going home for the holidays and some things you should do if you are.  

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A Day In The Lab With Maria Kyriazi

Written By Maria Kyriazi

Edited By: Elysia Marrs

Interviewed By: Elayna Hugh-Jones, Elysia Marrs

Hi Maria, what do you study here at Newcastle University?

I am an MSci Biomedical Genetics student and currently, I am undertaking my third-year Research Project for the completion of my bachelor’s degree. Therefore, I am investigating a specific protein, SGO1 and its role in female chromosomal ageing.

What is your topic of research in the lab?

My research project focuses on investigating the potential mechanisms leading to missegregation errors that are detected with the maternal age effect. For instance, after the age of 35, women are more prone to born children with chromosomal abnormalities such as Down syndrome (“trisomy 21”), or Edward’s syndrome (“trisomy 18”), which happens due to the decrease of a complex, known as cohesin, that holds sister chromatids together until the end of the second meiotic round. Essentially, I am investigating a specific protein, known as SGO1 (“shugoshin” = guardian in Japanese) that protects centromeric cohesion and, therefore, missegregation errors. My project aims to determine that this protein decreases in women after the age of 35, explaining the increased numbers of older women giving birth to children with chromosomal abnormalities after a certain age. To do so, I am using cutting edge technology, including immunofluorescence and dCas9 designed constructs which I visualize in fixed or live conditions using Zeiss LSM 880 Airyscan microscope.

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