The wide market street between Grainger Town and the Cathedral that has, since the 1980s, been the centre of Newcastle's reputation for raucous big-night-out drinking. The strip is shorter than the legend suggests — a single block of bars between St Andrew's Church and Grey Street — but on Saturday night the crowds are extraordinary. The Bigg Market is being slowly reformed: a 2019 redesign added trees, paving, and a few quieter cafes. The historic Old George pub, where Charles I drank as a Royalist captive in 1646, is the surviving piece of the original market.
Best visited by day to take in the architecture and history, or after midnight if you want the full experience.