Newcastle Leisure

Those seeking sports and leisure amenities in Newcastle will not be disappointed as the city has a strong sporting tradition. Available sports facilities feature football, golf courses, horse racing, ice hockey and water sports. In addition, there are plenty of leisure options such as bowling, dance classes, flying lessons, horseback riding, health clubs, gyms, skiing/snowboarding, swimming and ice-skating.

Spectator sports

The most popular spectator sport is, without a doubt, football. When visiting Newcastle, you should not miss watching a Newcastle United game at the city's St James Park. It is a unique experience to absorb the exuberant atmosphere during a match in the stadium. The facility can accommodate 52,000 football fans. English football fans are probably Europe's most fanatical, and they have the reputation of getting involved in riots once in a while. However, you usually wont have problems with the supporters as long as you respect their team.

Another popular spectator sport is rugby. The Newcastle Falcons play their matches in Kingston Park. Recent renovations have taken the capacity of the stadium up to 10,000, making it one of the most atmospheric and best-equipped grounds in the premiership.

Participant sports

Sports and leisure options for visitors preferring to participate as opposed to watching are plentiful in Newcastle. There are myriad choices of winter sports available, with the obvious ones such as skiing, snowboarding, skating and ice hockey topping the list.

Some of the other activities which can be practiced include horseback riding, golf, jogging, bowling, swimming, basket ball, dancing, snooker and cycling. Some of the most popular leisure centres in the city are Killingworth Leisure Centre (tel: +44 191 200 8267), Eldon Leisure (tel: +44 191 277 1277) and Benfield Centre for Sporting Excellence (tel: +44 191 2759009).