NEWCASTLE & LEEDS, ENGLAND

When you tell someone, I’m going to England for the week! I would say 9 times out of 10 they’ll respond with something like, oh I LOVE London! Like hello, I said ENGLAND not London! I call this the Paris syndrome… because people do the same thing when you say France. They’ll automatically assume you’re in Paris. And I get it, I really do... BUT this means you could potentially be missing out on seeing some really cool places!! 

For my February break, I went to England. Northern England. Newcastle and Leeds to be specific! (no London was in the equation here). Now I’m not gonna sit here and act all holier than thou, I heard about these fun cities from a boy I met in Budapest.

(Quick backstory) I was in Budapest in October at a really cool ruin pub with different rooms decked out in reclaimed art and trinkets (check out my full guide to Budapest here). I’m in a room with my friends and overhear LOUD singing and someone playing the piano. I thought OK that seems like a fun group of people let’s go in there! Turns out it was a big group of British boys, and I was with a big group of American girls (you do the math). I kept in touch with one of them, so when the time came to plan some travel for my winter break, I decided why not visit him!

I booked a direct flight from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Newcastle International and crossed my fingers. I arrived at the small, but nice Newcastle airport. I was picked up at the airport by my friend, but you can also take the metro. I did this on the way back. It costs like 4 pounds and takes about 25 minutes. Just hop on the green line heading toward the airport.

NEWCASTLE

Newcastle is a small university city in the northeast of England.

Their history goes back to the Roman period but has steadily grown over centuries. It was also a major shipbuilding and manufacturing hub during the Industrial revolution, because it lies on the north bank of the Tyne River which connects to the North Sea.

Now it’s known primarily for its university, which is why my friend was there. He lives in West Jesmond which is just two metro stops from the city center. It was a cute little neighborhood. They had a main street with a post office, restaurants, grocery stores, even a Starbucks.

That night we went out to a couple different bars in walking distance from his house. First we went to Osbornes and then a place called Holy Hobo. Everyone was college age and the music and drink deals reflected it. I had an absolutely fantastic time!

The next day we walked through the Newcastle Castle which was built in 1080. It isn’t really a castle in the modern sense, but it was a place where armies gathered and criminals were executed way back when. It was apparently very important in the medieval wars between England and Scotland which makes sense geographically, as Newcastle is close to the northern border of England. A little fun fact: this is how Newcastle got its name, because it had a “new castle.”

After that we walked along the river. I saw a very oddly shaped concert hall called Sage Gateshead and walked over the Gateshead Millennium Bridge. Then we grabbed a drink at Weatherspoon’s The Quayside as the sun set… very nice night!

While in Newcastle I had the chance to try some of the classic British chains. I munched on a sausage roll at Gregg’s, a popular bakery. I also enjoyed a Portuguese style chicken dish at Nando’s, a well-known quick-service spot. I can understand why both of these are popular. So if you’re looking for something on the go or fast and simple, check ‘em out!

LEEDS

On Friday morning we took a train to Leeds. It took about an hour and a half. Leeds is a much larger city than Newcastle, which means even more things to do and see!

When we arrived we walked about 15 minutes to our Airbnb. We stayed at the New York apartments. It had a great little living room and was right above a grocery store, so I’d recommend it!

After we got settled, we headed to my friend’s home town just 15 minutes outside the city. Nothing like some fresh air in a quaint little farm town. The sun was shining and it truly felt like early April for a second there. Everyone I met was lovely, and quite surprised to see an American lol, can’t blame them.

That night we went to Lamb & Flag for a drink and traditional pub food. I devoured a chicken and wild mushroom pie with a puff pastry lid, side of mashed potatoes, and mixed veggies… It was DELISH. They also had the other pub classics like fish and chips, etc. etc. 

Then we headed to Otley Road to hit some different bars. They had an event going on called “Otley Run.” People dress up in costumes and head from one bar to the next all on this road. It was super fun to see all the people dressed up, though I found it odd that there was no clear theme. We had a Tinker Bell next to a caveman next to a clown. Bizarre but certainly entertaining.

The next day we putzed around Leeds and went through the gorgeous shopping mall called the Victoria Quarter. We passed by the town hall and even stumbled upon a carnival. Of course we had to jump on some rides and munch on fair food. I think it was left over from Valentine’s Day the week before.

That night we went to Dirty Martini, a typical swanky cocktail bar. You know, dark lighting with neon signs and fancy drinks. After that we went to Revolucion de Cuba, this was more club-like. There was a DJ and we danced all night!

The day after that I went back to Newcastle, and the following morning I flew home.

All in all it was a great trip. It’s a unique opportunity to be taken around by a local in a new city, and I’m so happy that I took the leap of faith to do so!

If you have any questions about either city, comment on my latest instagram @planetochampagne.