Father Marc Lyden-Smith

Sunderland parish priest, Fr Marc Lyden-Smith, who featured in Netflix's Sunderland 'Til I Die, believes Sunderland is a place of huge historical significance with many heritage sites to visit.

One example is St. Peter's, one of the oldest churches in Britain, where Christians have gathered for more than 1300 years.

"In many ways, Sunderland was the cradle of Christianity in England," said Fr Marc. "It's from the North East where Celtic spirituality and the study of scripture really developed through Sunderland's local saint, St Bede, who was born and educated here.

"This is a place of Anglo-Saxon saints, we also have St Benedict Biscop, the patron saint of Sunderland, this area has been a place of holiness and prayer for well over a thousand years."

But it's not just a city with a rich past, Sunderland is fast becoming a modern, international city, while retaining the same charm visitors have long appreciated.

"The people of Sunderland are warm and hospitable and will give a warm welcome to anyone who visits," added Fr Marc.

"It's a place of historical importance, but it's also a place of entertainment, with a great theatre and cultural quarter developing, it's great for live music and events, it's a wonderful place to visit.

"The city centre is evolving and transforming, we have fantastic restaurants, bars and independent cafes, it's a real social hub."