Newcastle is well known for being a city with great night life. Therefore, it is hardly a surprise that the city is filled with great bars and restaurants – no wonder it’s difficult to choose where to go. We’ve narrowed it down to just 10 amazing cocktail bars in Newcastle City Centre that are definitely worth a visit!

1/ Horticulture

Image credit: Instagram (@horticulturencl)

Offering over 40 different types of espresso martini’s, Horticulture is an essential spot for cocktail and coffee enthusiasts. Situated just off Grey’s Street on Market Lane, this small, cosy bar is the perfect place to enjoy a drink (or a few). They also have a terrace and regularly host DJs.

In light of the festive period, they’ve recently introduced a new cocktail to add to their extensive menu: a toasted marshmallow espresso martini.

2/ The Botanist

Image credit: Instagram (@thebotanistuk)

Located in one of Newcastle’s most iconic spots, right in the centre of town with a great view of Grey’s Monument, The Botanist is the perfect place to have a drink and enjoy your surroundings. The interior is guaranteed to impress with a large glass dome covered in fairy lights, and the cocktail menu is great too.

They also have an outdoor terrace and offer a food menu if you get hungry. At the moment, their menu is filled with some festival specials like snow goose (a mix of baileys, grey goose vodka and white chocolate liquor), black forest martini, and a chai spiced espresso martini.

3/ Barluga

Image credit: Instagram (@barluga)

Renowned for its popular alfresco terrace (still open over the winter period), Barluga is a great place to enjoy a drink in Newcastle.

The cocktail menu is extensive with new additions added regularly – take the blood orange daiquiri with Havana rum, mango, blood orange syrup and lime. They’ve already decorated the inside with lots of Christmas decorations to create the perfect, cosy, and festive atmosphere this winter.

Whether you’re a local or planning a trip North for a stag/hen weekend trip, Newcastle is the ideal city to celebrate. There’s so much to do in the city, from a great variety of places to eat and drink, fun nights out, to ample day-time activities! Here’s a list of some of the best stag and hen ideas to pack into your stag/hen weekend in Newcastle upon Tyne, some traditional and some slightly more unique…

1/ Dance classes

https://www.dancecity.co.uk/hire-space/hen-parties/

Dance City in Newcastle offers amazing Hen and Stag party experiences that ensure you’ll be spending quality time with your friends before the big day. They offer a variety of different classes to suit everyone!

Try their ‘Come fly with us’ experience, for 2 hours learning how to create shapes on the trapeze, dance in the cocoons, use the silks and spin in the hoop! Or you could try their burlesque workshops and street dance classes. Their musical theatre experience provides the bride-to-be an opportunity to choose a song to perform with her friends, ready to be showcased on the big day!

It’s guaranteed to be a fun-packed day.

2/ NE Bubble football

https://nebubblefootball.co.uk/bubblefootball.php

If you want to get you and your friends involved in a hilarious, must-try activity, then try out Bubble Football, only 10 minutes away from Newcastle City centre. All players are put into zorbs and games are taught by a qualified instructor. You can compete against each other in tournaments and choose between the standard 60-minute options or up to the 120 minute option.

It’s a great activity to involve all your friends in a day-time activity to remember. They also offer goggle football (https://nebubblefootball.co.uk/gogglefootball.php) which is another great, alternative activity to try out – perfect for stag and hen dos, and combat archery.

This cross between dodgeball and paintball (using bows and foam tipped arrows) is a fun activity pitting groups against each other in an intense game with inflatable bunkers to hide behind.

It’s another great team-building activity, enabling you to spend quality time with friends and make some hilarious memories. (https://nebubblefootball.co.uk/combatarchery.php)

3/ Cocktail making classes

Image credit: Instagram (@lolajeansnewcastle)

For a social day-time activity guaranteed to start off an evening of drinking and celebrating perfectly, get yourself and your friends to a cocktail making class!

There are absolutely loads to choose from in Newcastle, you’ll be spoilt for choice.

• All Bar One offer classic cocktail masterclasses starting at £25 each where you have the chance to mix, muddle and mash three of your own cocktails. (https://www.allbarone.co.uk/national-search/northeast/all-bar-one-newcastle/cocktailmasterclasses#/)
• Lola Jeans provide masterclasses in their hidden Speakeasy in the Newcastle venue, and you can add a grazing platter to ensure you have plenty to eat whilst making delicious cocktails (https://www.allbarone.co.uk/national-search/northeast/all-bar-one-newcastle/cocktailmasterclasses#/)
• Banyan Newcastle offers cocktail making classes with your own personal bartender starting at £30pp (https://www.banyanbar.co.uk/bars/newcastle/cocktail-masterclass)
• And finally, The Botanist offers popular masterclasses packages with games and competitions included! (https://thebotanist.uk.com/locations/newcastle/cocktail-masterclass

Plus many more…

You don’t need to travel abroad to enjoy a relaxing and well-deserved break. The North East is home to a beautiful coastline and expansive countryside, castles and historical landmarks, lakes and reservoirs, scenic towns and villages and ample wildlife. It makes the perfect location for a weekend retreat (or a full week retreat). Ranging from action-packed holidays to romantic spa escapes, we’ve collated a list of the best hotels and places to stay in the North East to explore the fantastic, local environment. This way, you can enjoy some time off without having a crush your belongings into tiny carry-on suitcases and deal with long airport queues.

Trees at Tughall

Image credit: Instagram (@trees_at_tughall)

Image credit: Instagram (@trees_at_tughall)

(https://www.treesattughall.com)

For a true break from the city (but only an accessible hours drive from Newcastle) stay in the Trees and Tughall contemporary cabins in the Northumberland countryside. There are three cabins to choose from, Ash, Willow, and Hawthorne, each with wood burning stoves, king size beds, window seats to take in the expansive woodland views, fire pits and a covered decking. The cabins provide a perfect minimalist space to break away from the bustle of modern life and enjoy the countryside undisturbed.

Only a 30minute walk from Beadnell beach and a 30 minute drive into the cheviots, you can immerse yourself in the beautiful surroundings, and on the plus side, these cabins are ideal any time of year.

The Cookie Jar Alnwick

Image credit: Instagram (@thecookiejaralnwick)

Image credit: Instagram (@thecookiejaralnwick)

(https://www.cookiejaralnwick.com)

This boutique style hotel, located in the medieval market town of Alnwick, is a luxurious, cosy retreat. A highlight is the two-tier terrace and garden where you can enjoy cocktails with friends whilst listening to gentle house background music.

There are 11, uniquely named and entirely individual bedrooms, each ranging in character and size so you can choose which one is perfect for you. It also has its own kennels, so you don’t have to leave your dogs behind!

The hotel is well placed in the Northumberland countryside so you can enjoy lots of outdoor activities. From golf to shooting, stargazing to fishing, horse-riding to walking the multiple different trails, there’s so much to do! After an exhausting day exploring in the fresh air, you can retire to the cosy hotel and enjoy delicious locally sourced food from their bistro.