Itineraries

Immerse Yourself in An Urban Adventure

Go straight to the heart of the action and sample what makes our cities great.

A must-see is the world-famous Angel of the North sculpture – one of the Seven Wonders of Britain. Weighing in at 208 tonnes with a wingspan of 54m, it is one of the world’s most viewed pieces of public art. The stunning landmarks continue just a short drive away with the iconic glass Sage Gateshead music centre magnificently situated on the banks of the River Tyne. Its facilities for music lovers and makers are internationally acclaimed and it has been described as one of the top concert halls in the world.

A walk across the river via one of its many iconic bridges is Newcastle, ‘Britain’s Friendliest City’, home of ‘the UK’s most beautiful street’ – Grey Street – and its breathtaking Georgian architecture. Not to mention a vast array of fabulous shops, cafés, restaurants, galleries and museums. Visitors can explore the historic Newcastle Castle and city walls or visit the award-winning Discovery Museum to learn about the great feats and inventions of the ‘Geordie’  heritage.

For more of the North East’s dramatic history and heritage, visit the city of Durham and its remarkable cathedral – on a breathtaking scale, it is one of Britain’s first UNESCO World Heritage Sites and one of the finest Norman buildings in Europe.

Built following the Norman conquest of 1066, the Cathedral was described by travel author Bill Bryson as ‘the best cathedral on planet earth’. 

Just a 20-minute drive away and you can immerse yourself in lifelike history at Beamish – a world-famous open-air museum telling the story of life in North East England during the 1820s, 1900s and 1940s. Set in over 300 acres of beautiful countryside, cruise groups can travel by tram, omnibus or horse-drawn carriage. Costumed characters go about their daily lives in the town, the village school, a working farm of 1825, a railway, a mine, an 1800 Manor House and much more, all relocated and restored exactly as they were originally. There are themed cafés and shops, not least a traditional English sweet shop and famous fish and chips.

Did you know...? You can have a go at driving an early 1800s replica steam engine or beautifully restored trams at Beamish.