Serviced Apartments in Tyne and Wear

Discover the best activities and attractions Tyne and Wear has to offer, and find out what makes this city a vibrant and exciting place to live or visit.

The Angel of the North
The Angel of the North is a striking 20‑metre-tall steel sculpture by Antony Gormley that overlooks the A1 and A167 near Gateshead. As an iconic gateway to the North East, it draws hundreds of thousands of visitors annually, boosting local tourism, supporting nearby businesses (cafés, B&Bs, tour operators) and raising the region’s international profile. It also serves as a community landmark and meeting point, frequently used in civic branding and cultural projects that celebrate local identity and pride.

BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art
The BALTIC, housed in a converted flour mill on Gateshead Quays, is one of the UK’s leading contemporary art venues, presenting high‑profile exhibitions, commissions and community programmes. It attracts national and international visitors, which supports local hospitality and retail, and plays a key role in the cultural regeneration of the riverside. The centre runs education and engagement projects for schools and community groups, helping develop local creative skills and providing opportunities for emerging artists.

Sage Gateshead
Sage Gateshead is a striking music and performing‑arts venue on the south bank of the River Tyne, hosting everything from classical concerts and jazz to community choirs and music education programmes. It is a cultural hub that brings thousands of ticketed visitors to the area, supporting jobs in arts, event management and hospitality while contributing significantly to the nighttime and tourist economies. Its education arm runs workshops and outreach across Tyne and Wear, increasing access to music and arts for all ages.

Tynemouth Longsands and Tynemouth Priory & Market
Tynemouth Longsands is a popular sandy beach with strong surf, backed by the medieval Tynemouth Priory and Castle and a vibrant weekend market in the town. The combination of natural beauty, heritage and a renowned food and craft market attracts families, surfers and day‑trippers, supporting local restaurants, pubs and independent retailers. The site underpins the local economy through seasonal tourism, volunteer conservation initiatives and heritage-led events that celebrate coastal culture.

Grainger Market (and Grey Street district), Newcastle
Grainger Market is a historic indoor market in central Newcastle, renowned for its independent stalls, fresh food, specialty retailers and street food — set close to architecturally celebrated Grey Street and a lively restaurant/bar scene. It sustains dozens of small businesses and local traders, provides affordable retail space for start‑ups, and helps keep footfall in the city centre high, benefiting taxis, cafés and nearby shops. The market and surrounding streets host cultural events and food festivals that showcase regional produce and reinforce Newcastle’s reputation as a vibrant urban destination.

Explore the diverse transport options available in Tyne and Wear, from efficient public transportation systems to convenient road networks. Whether you're commuting to work or exploring the city, this section will give you an overall look at the available transportation systems.

Public Transit System
- Nexus (Tyne and Wear PTE) - Regional transport authority responsible for the Tyne and Wear Metro, the Shields Ferry, some local bus infrastructure, strategic planning and integrated ticketing/wayfinding across the county.
- Tyne and Wear Metro - Light-rail network linking Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Sunderland (via the Sunderland branch); frequent services on dedicated route and street-level sections, good connections to city centres, airport and main rail/coach hubs.
- Local Bus Network - Extensive bus network serving urban, suburban and interurban routes across Tyne and Wear, operated by major regional companies (e.g., Go North East, Stagecoach and local operators) with frequent routes in urban centres and evening/night services on key corridors.
- National Rail Services - Heavy rail services from major stations (notably Newcastle Central) provide regional and long-distance connections on the East Coast Main Line and to destinations across the North of England and Scotland; services run by national operators including LNER, TransPennine Express, Northern and CrossCountry.
- Shields Ferry - River crossing service across the River Tyne connecting riverbank communities and providing an alternative to road and rail links for short cross-river trips.
- Long-distance Coaches - Intercity coach services operated by providers such as National Express and Megabus serving Newcastle and wider Tyne and Wear for budget long-distance travel across the UK.
- Park & Ride and Interchange Hubs - Park-and-ride facilities and multi-modal interchange points at major Metro and rail stations enable car-to-public-transport transfers for commuting into city centres.
- Integrated Ticketing and Contactless Payments - Smart cards, mobile ticketing and contactless payment options are widely accepted across Metro, many buses and some rail services, improving ease of intermodal travel.

Major Highways
- A1 / A1(M) - Primary north–south trunk route linking Tyne and Wear to London, the Midlands and Scotland; major arterial route for regional and national road freight and long-distance travel.
- A19 - Important north–south corridor running to the east of the metropolitan area, linking coastal towns, ports and industrial areas and providing an alternative to the A1 for some routes.
- A69 - East–west route connecting Newcastle and Tyne and Wear to Carlisle and the M6 corridor, providing access to Cumbria and northwest England.
- A167 - Major local route that passes through Newcastle city centre and provides a more urban north–south link complementary to the A1.
- A184 / A183 - Key regional connectors serving Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland, linking communities along the Tyne and Wear corridor and providing access to the Port of Tyne and local industrial areas.
- A19/A1058 Coastal Routes - Important links for coastal commuting and freight movements, connecting the ports, suburbs and coastal towns to the wider motorway network.

Cycling Infrastructure
- Cycle network and riverside routes - A growing mix of segregated cycle lanes, on-road cycle markings, traffic-calmed streets, riverside/towpath cycleways and National Cycle Network coastal and regional routes provide urban commuting options and leisure connections; local active-travel programmes have added protected lanes and improved junctions to encourage cycling across Tyne and Wear.

Recent and Upcoming Improvements
- Metro renewal and station upgrades - Ongoing programmes to renew Metro infrastructure and rolling stock, improve accessibility at stations (lifts, ramps), modernise signalling and enhance passenger facilities to increase capacity and reliability.
- Road corridor upgrades (A1/A19 and junction improvements) - Major junction and corridor improvement schemes and maintenance works to reduce congestion, improve safety and support economic development on the A1/A19 corridors and other busy arterial routes.
- Investment via regional funding programmes - Targeted projects funded through national/regional settlements and funds (e.g., Transforming Cities / City Region transport settlements) to deliver bus priority, better active travel, and smarter traffic management across the conurbation.
- Bus improvements and fleet decarbonisation - Introduction of bus priority measures, timetable and network reviews, and a shift toward lower-emission and electric buses by operators to improve journey times and air quality.
- Active travel and cycling expansions - New segregated cycle lanes, junction safety changes, and walking improvements driven by local authorities and active-travel funding to encourage modal shift and safer cycling/ walking.
- EV charging network expansion - Deployment of more publicly accessible electric vehicle charging points across urban and suburban areas to support growing EV uptake.
- Airport and port enhancements - Upgrades and investment at Newcastle International Airport to improve passenger experience and connectivity (including surface access links) and ongoing work at the Port of Tyne to support freight, cruise visits and local maritime employment.
- Smarter ticketing and passenger information - Continued rollout of integrated digital ticketing, contactless payments, real-time passenger information and journey-planning tools to make multi-modal travel simpler and more reliable.