Train terminal watering holes are only usually worth nipping in if you need a piddle, but Centurion, the former first class lounge at Central Station, isn't your average station sup house. With its beautiful high ceiling and antique tiling, this attractive stop is good if you're about to hop on a train.

The creams and curves of this contemporary piano bar would not look out of place on the Titanic. Attracting a well-dressed crowd, it offers a sophisticated selection of cocktails and resident musicians, and it has a 130-seater restaurant for those that wish to linger a little longer. Very popular.

Head to the Byker area of the city and relax by the riverside at this well-established watering hole by the confluence of Ouseburn and Tyne rivers. Expect passing boats, a generous beer garden that's partly under bricked arches, a top jukebox, live music and ales from around the globe.

Graced by the likes of Rhianna, Fergie and Lady Gaga, Florita's Miami Bar & Tropical Gardens is equally as popular with the locals. The club is split into several areas with sofas, booths and a huge indoor dancefloor. It's best to visit in summer when cocktails in the garden are a must.

Combining a club and lounge bar, Hoochie Coochie offers up quality funk, jazz and soul acts as well as hip hop crews and dance DJs (think: Candi Staton, Dimitri from Paris, Norman Jay, Jungle Brothers and Brand New Heavies). The friendly crowd, although multi-generational, is always up for it.

With its exposed brickwork, sophisticated cocktails and lounge-club feel, Perdu offers Newcastle a little slice of Manhattan. Attracting a fashionable set, expect amber-coloured lighting, rich mahogany booths, opulent fabrics and commercial DJs until 3am at the weekends. It's even got its own 'secret garden' for deep and tech house enthusiasts.

For internationally renowned acts, head to the impressive Metro Radio Arena. The 11,000 seater stadium opened in 1995 and has since hosted some huge names, including Oasis, Guns N' Roses, Coldplay, Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Beyonce, Rihanna and Take That in addition to musicals such as Mamma Mia, Cirque Du Soleil and the internationally acclaimed Riverdance and Les Miserables.

Attracting top local rock and pop bands, this uniquely designed venue features bars on the first floor and in the basement, while the ground floor is dedicated to the beer cellar. The vaulted basement bar has a stage for bands, which had hosted Arctic Monkeys, Maximo Park and the Futureheads in the past.

For something different, try the World Headquarters for its eclectic blend of global music with a focus on rare funk, hip hop, soul, R&B and reggae. It's housed in a former gaol dating back to medieval times. Upstairs, expect a booming sound system and murals decorating the walls, while downstairs is more like a lounge bar.