American traveller Walter Meyer visited the UK city and was blown away by the friendly locals, uncrowded cathedrals and unique Victoria Tunnel – saying they beat Barcelona and Prague
An American globetrotter has lavished praise on a UK city, claiming it surpasses renowned destinations like Prague and Barcelona.
“One of the joys of travelling, whether in the US or abroad, is stumbling upon unexpected gems. Everyone anticipates being enchanted by Venice or Prague, to the extent that these popular tourist hotspots can struggle to meet such lofty expectations,” shared Walter Meyer, a writer and explorer, when discussing his favourite city visits.
During a recent trip to see American friends residing in the UK, Walter made a detour to Newcastle. “I am so glad I did. If nothing else, I adored how quintessentially British the town’s name sounded: Newcastle Upon Tyne,” the Youtuber elaborated. He was utterly captivated by the city of 300,000 inhabitants.
“Newcastle, like many European cities, boasts its fair share of historic cathedrals. But unlike Barcelona’s La Sagrada Familia, Paris’ Notre Dame or Cologne, these were not swarming with tourists – in fact, St. Nicholas and St. Mary’s were practically deserted. There was no admission fee, and the tour guides seemed genuinely delighted to welcome visitors and discuss their churches,” Walter gushed.
“The old castle in Newcastle was definitely worth visiting as well, but the most interesting thing there, because I had not seen anything like it anywhere else, was the Victoria Tunnel. Originally built to carry coal under the city, the 2.25-mile-long tunnel was reopened during World War II to function as an air raid shelter. There are tours that take visitors down into this dark world to explain the two very different functions this tunnel performed.”
Most importantly, Walter was charmed by the locals. “Everyone I met in Newcastle Upon Tyne was very friendly and talkative,” he remarked, recalling how a laundrette owner kindly gave him 50p to dry his clothes. This proved essential as Newcastle was being hammered by torrential rain. Yet even the weather couldn’t diminish Walter’s excitement.
“The rain was bad even by northern England standards-locals were complaining about it, and even tours to Hadrian’s Wall were cancelled due to flooding. So very few people were out in the downpour. Two nights, I went to the bar in the hotel and talked to the bartender, Michael, who was also the night desk clerk, and a few other patrons. Michael was very friendly and chatty and filled me in on some local things to see and do,” he explained. We asked two of Reach’s own Geordies whether they recognised the Newcastle that Walter painted.
Laura Hill, a news editor at the Mirror, was taken aback by Walter’s enthusiasm for the city’s cathedral. “I am baffled by (him thinking) the cathedrals are so good. We’re very spoiled to have Durham Cathedral half an hour away, which is far more impressive in my opinion. The Newcastle ones are often overlooked.”
Simon Duke, a What’s On journalist for Chronicle Live, picked up on the Barcelona comparison. “You could certainly argue the vibe between the two cities is pretty similar,” he observed.
“For a start, both destinations can always be relied upon to bring the party and keep it going. While Newcastle might not be the seven-day-a-week knees-up hotspot it used to be, you can still go out on dreary Monday night and still have a ball and, at the very least, bump into some brilliant characters, all with a story to tell.”
Beyond the city’s passion for football, Simon waxed lyrical about Newcastle’s flourishing culinary landscape.
“Newcastle can also hold its own against its European counterparts when it comes to food, with several Michelin-starred restaurants, two of which have just made it into the top 1000 in the world ranking for 2026. Whether it’s a stottie from Greggs, a mouthwatering burger or something more refined, you won’t go hungry in Newcastle,” he added. “The spotlight has been shone on Tyneside for two huge events in 2025 – the MOBO Awards and the Mercury Prize, with the city resplendent and vibrant as millions watched. When it comes to throwing a party and doing it in serious style, Newcastle will never let you down.”