Blackfriars restaurant has gone from strength to strength. Andy and his wife, Sam, founded it in 2001 and developed it in the following years, so much so that they have come to use more and more of the old monastery buildings for baking lessons, wine tasting and cookery courses, all bookable through their website.

Behind Newcastle Train station, and a stones throw away from the location where George and Robert Stephenson built The Rocket steam locomotive, is Sachins. Sachins provides the finest Punjabi cuisine in Newcastle and the North East.

On the Gateshead quayside, underneath the Tyne bridge is one of the best locations to go for a meal in Newcastle and Gateshead. In what was once derelict land on the quayside, now exists a fantastic shipping container village of purposely rusted shipping containers.

Starting at its bar – which was also where Pleased to Meet You’s story began – you can enjoy some of the best drinks available in Newcastle. From locally produced gins, provided by the glass or bucket depending on the occasion, to real ales, the bar has what you need before you sit down for your meal.

In the city centre of Newcastle you can find the Tyneside Cinema. The Tyneside is one of the most loved cinemas in the North East of England, from its iconic Art Deco interior (best shown off in the Classic Screen) through to the wonderful range of world films and amazing community.

The Live Theatre has a fantastic reputation for developing, writing and producing new plays and shows every year. The Live Theatre started in 1973. It was at first a traveling theatre company, which started by telling stories that were relatable to daily life in the North East of England and presented these plays to local people – which it has continued to do to this day.

In 2011 the theatre was refurbished for six months back to the 1901 interior designed by Frank Matcham, ready for the 175th birthday of the theatre. The theatre is also proud to be one of nine grade one listed theatres in the United Kingdom, an honour it truly deserves.

The Shipley Art Gallery can be found on Prince Consort Road (named after Queen Victoria’s Husband – Prince Albert) and was created in 1917 after Joseph Shipley, a local solicitor, bestowed his collection of 504 paintings to create a gallery for local people.

A stone’s throw from Newcastle’s Central Station, and around the corner from Newcastle’s Castle, is The Lit and Phil. Only a few years younger than Manchester’s, The Lit and Phil is the second oldest literary and philosophical society in the United Kingdom.

The Laing Art Gallery’s collection of classic and historical art highlights many of the successful artists who have come from the North East over the years.

The Cathedral Church of St. Nicholas is the Church of England Cathedral of Newcastle. There has been a church on the site since 1090 AD, but the church that stands there today is mostly from the 13th and 14th centuries making most of the building nearly seven hundred years old!

CBK Adventures deliver award-winning coastal activities including guided tours and lessons in kayaking and paddle boarding.