Sunderland is a port city in the northeast of England. The city is on the coast with two fantastic beaches; Roker and Seaburn.
The Tyne & Wear Metro runs every 12-15 minutes and connects Sunderland to the local University station and Seaburn station. The local roads are very good with the city situated near the A19 which joins up to the A1. If you’re interested in easy international travel, Newcastle International Airport is also only a 30-minute drive or an hour’s train journey.
Sunderland has a massive selection of primary, secondary and sixth forms and a further education option too. The University of Sunderland has two campuses; City Campus, and the award-winning St Peter’s Riverside Campus.
Sunderland has great shops. Bridges Shopping Centre has plenty of national brands like Schuh, Next, Boots and River Island, plus places for snacks and coffee like Krispy Kreme and Starbucks. There are also plenty of local independent shops; Try Little Gems for children’s clothing, Port Independent for men’s clothes, or Hot Rats music store.
The city also has a fantastic range of places to go out for a delicious meal, such as Tosca, which is a rustic Italian restaurant, or Roma Restaurant, which serves classic Italian dishes. Enfes is a popular Turkish restaurant, Shandiz is a lovely Persian restaurant, or there’s Royale Thai, with its exceptional, friendly service.
The Good Apple Café is a family-friendly independent coffee shop and serves tasty food. There’s also Coppertree Café and Grinder Coffee Co, so you’re not short on choice. For drinks with friends, there are many pubs, like The Shamble Inn or Chaplins. There are local bars aplenty too, such as Gatsby (with great cocktails) and The Terrace.
Sunderland has plenty of good GP services throughout the city and Sunderland Royal Hospital for emergencies.
On a sunny day, Sunderland’s twin beaches make a fantastic trip out. Seaburn has wide, golden sands, and Roker has interesting limestone formations and rugged cliffs. The largest free air show in Europe takes place on the beaches here every July, and it’s quite an amazing spectacle to see.
Other local attractions include the award-winning Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens in the city centre, the National Glass Centre on the banks of the River Wear, and (standing proudly above the city) the 19th-century Penshaw Monument. The much-loved Sunderland Illuminations turns the seafront and Roker Park into a winter wonderland each year, delighting kids and adults alike.
