10 Things You Must Do in Sunderland

Sunderland packs more in than most visitors expect. Whether you have a weekend or a full week, here are ten experiences that should be on every visitor's list.

1. Walk Roker Pier at Golden Hour

The Grade I listed Victorian pier stretches 549 metres into the North Sea and on a clear evening the light is genuinely breathtaking. The lighthouse at the end has been standing since 1903. Go at sunset — you will not regret it.

2. Visit the National Glass Centre

Perched on the riverbank in a striking modernist building, the National Glass Centre celebrates the city's deep-rooted tradition in glassmaking. Watch skilled glassblowers at work in the studio, explore the gallery, and browse the well-curated shop. Entry is free.

3. Explore the Winter Gardens

Attached to the main museum, the Winter Gardens is one of the largest glasshouses in the UK and entirely free to visit. The tropical planting, exotic birds, and warmth on a grey North East day make it a genuine gem. The museum beside it covers local history from Roman times to the present.

4. See the Airshow at Seaburn

Europe's largest free airshow takes place every summer on the clifftop above the beach. Over a million people attend across the weekend. The Red Arrows are a regular fixture. Book accommodation well in advance — the city fills up fast.

5. Catch a Sunderland AFC Match at the Stadium of Light

One of the great football stadiums of the North East, the Stadium of Light holds over 49,000 fans and the atmosphere on matchday is electric. Tours are available on non-matchdays and are well worth doing even if you are not a football supporter.

6. Take the Heritage Coastline Walk

The Durham Heritage Coast runs south from Sunderland through some of the most dramatic and unspoiled coastal scenery in England. The cliffs between Ryhope and Seaham are spectacular, and the walk down to Seaham Harbour is a particular highlight. Lord Byron's wife grew up at Seaham Hall — now a luxury spa hotel — and the poet himself was married there.

7. Eat at the Roker Market

The Sunday market at Roker brings together some of the best independent food and craft producers in the region. Street food, artisan bread, locally smoked fish, handmade cheeses — it is a brilliant way to spend a Sunday morning before a walk along the beach.

8. Discover Wearmouth Bridge and the Old Town

The twin bridges over the Wear at Wearmouth are iconic symbols of the city, and the area around them is being transformed by the Riverside Sunderland project. The old buildings around Sunderland's original settlement by the river are worth exploring on foot, and new restaurants and bars have brought fresh life to the area.

9. Day Trip to Durham

Sunderland is just 20 minutes from the city of Durham by train, making it an ideal base for a day trip. Durham Cathedral — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — is one of the finest examples of Norman architecture anywhere in the world. The castle, the riverside, and the market town atmosphere make Durham an unmissable afternoon out.

10. Fish and Chips by the Sea

No visit to the North East coast is complete without a proper fish supper. The fish and chip shops along the seafront at Seaburn and Roker are the real thing — fresh North Sea fish, proper batter, chips thick enough to mean something. Eat them outside looking at the water and you have done it properly.