Like many Northern UK cities, Newcastle is still most famous for its twin passions: football and partying.

But after several decades of art-based regeneration - manifested most clearly in the gleaming cultural institutions that now sit along its famous river bank - perceptions of the Toon have changed to such an extent, Rough Guides just named it the best place to visit in the UK in 2018.

For record-breaking art shows, stunning Edwardian architecture, great food, shopping and more the city is giving Edinburgh a run for its money as the main reason to travel North.

And the nightlife is still great, of course. If not the football.

Here, Esquire rounds up its highlights of what the city has to offer for a quick stay.

To stay: Hotel Du Vin


There's much to recommend 'Hotel Wine's Newcastle outpost, not least of all the excellent plonk offering available in their small, atmospheric restaurant (tip: don't miss the cheese board). Then there is the location. Newcastle city centre is one of the country's most beautiful – and rambunctious. Du Vin is a perfect distance away so you can enjoy the nightlife, then retire to a more peaceful end of town with a short taxi ride – or better still, a walk along the Quayside soaking up the River Tyne and its famous bridges. From the cheapest to the most expensive, Du Vin's suites are spacious and beautifully decorated. Outside in the courtyard, there's a hut to enjoy a taste of their excellent cigar offering.

For Breakfast: Butterfly Cafe

This extremely popular cafe has been reinvented a few times over recent years, but one thing has remained a constant: it serves the best fry up in the city. Located in the quieter suburb of Heaton, it's worth a small detour from the city centre to enjoy the relaxed settings and, if your feeling hungry, the 'Business' breakfast (two of everything, including white pudding).

Lunch: Kiln

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Everything great about Ouseburn - Newcastle's coolest district - intersects at this café-bar, which is so hip it does takeaway hummus. Handsome, just-scrubbed-up-enough post-industrial looks; a friendly vibe; craft beers from local heavyweights Wylam, Brinkburn Street and Tyne Bank; and an arty bearing, most obviously in the working ceramic studio behind floor-to-ceiling windows at one end of the bar. The bright, fresh feel is matched by a leafy, vegan and veggie-centric menu – get a tapas-style salad and hummus sharer and watch the masters work.

Dinner: Blackfriars / Kaltur

One of the charms of Newcastle is its remaining medieval architecture, the best example of which also happens to host its finest restaurant. Blackfriars is a restored 13th-century friary that, surreally, sits a street or two away from St. James' Park or Chinatown. Walking from either into the tranquil cloisters of 13th century brickwork feels like stepping out of a time machine. The restaurant – also called Blackfriars – makes the most of its setting, restoring the original banquet hall and keeping the stained-glass windows and giant oak tables in tact. Forget the history lesson, though. The traditional-British menu has been acclaimed as Newcastle's best since Blackfriar's opened in 2001, and not just by Esquire either – The Observer, The Independent and the Michelin Guide have all recommended it in recent years.

Alternatively for a less formal evening, within the mini-ecosystem on High Bridge Street which connects Grey Street and Bigg Market is Kaltur, a tiny, bright and buzzing tapas bar with a modern edge and one of the best wine lists in the city. The menu changes, but recent standouts have included Iberico pork cheek slow-cooked with cinnamon, as well as plancha-charred cuttlefish slicked with peppery, fruity Spanish olive oil.

Cocktails: Nitehawks

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For a cocktail bar next door to Theatre Royal on Grey Street, the grandest building on the grandest street in Newcastle, Nitehawks has a very enticingly low-lit, late-night feel no matter the time of day. If the main bar gets busy, slip downstairs to the vault with something from their newly refreshed menu like a Setting Sun (Nikka All Malt whisky, bergamot, and green tea-flavoured Kinoko Kombucha), or a dram from their high-grade whisky list.

Pub: The Free Trade

The best view and the best beer in Newcastle, bar none. Aesthetically The Free Trade Inn is rough and ready like a great boozer should be, but where it really matters – atmosphere and beer – it's in a league of its own. A CAMRA pub of the year in 2011, 2012 and 2013, the selection of craft beers and ciders is curated with passion, knowledge and invention by the friendly staff. A great jukebox and an eyeful of Newcastle's crowning landmark – the Tyne, with its glistening, historical bridges – seals the deal. Don't visit the Toon without making the effort to pop by.

Grooming: Patrick Forster

Patrick Forster doesn't just cut the hair of the current Newcastle United team. When former players head back to the city for an away match, they get him down to their hotel to give their teammates a trim, which is how he came to style the millionaires of Man City, too. After 15 years cutting hair, including a stint at the Palace Hotel in Dubai, Forster runs Newcastle's best barbers. Head in for a stylish treatment and a laid back, no-nonsense atmosphere.

Shopping: End

Since 2005, End has been connecting the men of Newcastle with high-end sportswear, casual and fashion brands from around the world. If you're after a new pair of A.P.C jeans an Acne bomber, this should be your first port of call. Set over two floors with plenty of room to sit down and ponder your purchase, it's an unhurried and enjoyable place to shop, too.

First Class travel from London to Newcastle is available from Virgin Trains starting at £54.50 (Single First Class) or £20 (Single Standard Class), getting you there in 2 hours and 50 minutes. On a typical weekday, you can pick between 32 different services a day. Make sure you enjoy the view of the Tyne and is bridges on your right as you pull in.

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