Sunderland Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
city in Tyne and Wear, North East England
About Sunderland
Sunderland grew up around the estuary of the River Wear when three medieval villages combined. Monkwearmouth on the north bank had a monastery from 674 AD; its abbot encouraged glass-making, founding an industry for the next 1300 years. The monastery was home to the Venerable Bede, who wrote that he was "ácenned on sundorlande" - born in a sundered or separate land of that monastery on the south bank. This became Sunderland and outgrew Monkwearmouth and the third settlement of Bishopwearmouth further upriver. Early industry was based on fishing, salt-panning, coal-mining, shipbuilding and breaking, glass-making, and sea trade. By the 19th century the conurbation was sprawling and squalid, and in 1831 it was the first place in Britain to be struck by the cholera pandemic, which inexorably
Top Attractions in Sunderland
Explore the best things to see and do in Sunderland:
- ★Fans Museum
- ★Festival of Light
- ★Herrington Country Park
- ★Hylton Castle
- ★National Glass Centre
- ★North East Land Sea and Air Museums
- ★Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art
- ★Roker
Where to Eat in Sunderland
Must-try local food and restaurants:
- 🍴Angelo's
- 🍴Borneo Bistro
- 🍴Gabriele's
- 🍴Goa Exemplary
- 🍴Latimers Seafood
- 🍴Little Italy
Where to Stay in Sunderland
- 🏨Acorn Guest House
- 🏨Boars Head Hotel
- 🏨Grand Hotel
- 🏨Hilton Garden Inn
- 🏨Premier Inn
- 🏨Seaburn Inn
Sunderland Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 12 sections including: