Stockholm's cultural history extends back to its Viking beginnings. The city was also the birthplace of Alfred Nobel, whose will instated the famous five prizes for peace, physics, chemistry, medicine and literature (economics was added by the Bank of Sweden in 1968). Several Swedish writers have since brought cultural glory to Stockholm by winning the Nobel Prize for literature (see Literary Notes below).

Stockholm was European Capital of Culture in 1998, and its cultural scene is incredibly virbrant and eclectic. There is a constant and extremely wide stream of cultural productions being offered to the public in the Swedish capital, from art exhibitions to dance and theatre performances to jazz and classical concerts and various literary events. While maintaining its cultural traditions, Stockholm has a very modern outlook, and there is a lot of interesting modern architecture around, not least the controversial avant-garde architecture of the Modern Museum, on Skeppsholmen, designed by Rafael Moneo.

Tickets to cultural events can be booked via the central ticketing agency, Biljett Direkt (tel: 077 170 7070; website: www.ticnet.se). Online information (website: www.musikfestivaler.se) is available for Swedish music festivals. The official Stockholm tourism website, www.stockholmtown.com, is an excellent source for information on all kinds of cultural events.

Music: The blue, stuccoed Konserthuset, Hötorget (tel: (08) 786 0200; website: www.konserthuset.se) houses the world-class Swedish Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The Stockholm Sinfonietta, one of the world's best chamber music orchestras, performs at the beautiful Riddarhuset, Riddarhustorget 10 (tel: (08) 723 3990; website: www.riddarhuset.se), built in 1641-74 to accommodate members of the Swedish aristocracy for meetings in Parliament. The Royal Palace Music Festival (tel: 077 170 7070, bookings via Biljett Direkt; website: www.royalfestivals.se) annually attracts music lovers to the Royal Palace, while the lovely antique Drottningholm Court Theatre, Drottningholms Slott (tel: (08) 5569 3100; website: www.dtm.se), hosts summer opera and ballet seasons.

Theatre: The Dramaten, Nybroplan (tel: (08) 667 0680; website: www.dramaten.se), is Sweden's highly respected national theatre. Orionteatern, Katarina Bangata 77 (tel: (08) 643 8880; website: www.orionteatern.se), is also part of the established scene. Stadsteatern, in Kulturhuset, Sergels Torg (tel: (08) 5062 0200; website: www.stadsteatern.stockholm.se), has more radical productions and is cheaper, while Teater Galeasen, Slupskjulsvägen, Skeppsholmen (tel: (08) 611 0030; website: www.galeasen.se), is at the cutting edge of contemporary theatre. Stockholm is home to The Stockholm Players (website: www.stockholmplayers.se), Sweden's oldest English-language theatre company, based at ABF-Huset, Sveavägen 41 (tel: (08) 453 4100; website: www.abfstockholm.se).

Dance: Dansens Hus, Barnhusgatan 14 (tel: (08) 5089 9090; website: www.dansenshus.se), was set up in the 1990s, as Sweden's foremost dance venue. The Royal Swedish Ballet, founded in 1773, is one of the oldest companies in the world. It is based at the Royal Swedish Opera, Strömgatan (tel: (08) 791 4400; website: www.operan.se). Moderna Dansteatern, 103 Slupskjulsvägen, Skeppsholmen (tel: (08) 611 3233; website: www.modernadansteatern.se), hosts more impromptu, innovative performances.

Film: The Stockholm International Film Festival (website: www.stockholmfilmfestival.se) is the key event in the city's cinema calendar. All movies in Sweden are shown in their original language with subtitles and mainstream movies are screened at Biopalatset, Medborgarplatsen (tel: (08) 101 300) and Filmstaden Sergel, Hötorget (tel: (08) 5626 0000), while arthouse movie aficionados should head to Biografen Sture, Birger Jarlsgatan 28 (tel: (08) 678 8548; website: www.biosture.se).

Ingmar Bergman grew up in Stockholm and his schooldays at Palmgren's School in Östermalm were the basis for his 1944 screenplay, Hets (Torment). His 1952 film, Sommaren med Monika (Summer with Monika), kicks off with a majestic voyage through Stockholm in a small boat. Many film buffs will also remember Stockholm's crop of Swedish Hollywood sirens - Greta Garbo (born Greta Gustavsson in 1905) and Ingrid Bergman (born in Stockholm in 1915).

Literary Notes: The granddaddy of the Swedish literary fraternity was August Strindberg, with The Red Room (1879) considered by some as the first real Swedish novel. Swedish writers have received the Nobel Prize for literature seven times but only Selma Lagerlöf (1909) and Pär Lagerkvist (1951) made any significant impact outside Sweden. Nelly Sachs, winner of the 1966 prize, was a naturalised Swedish citizen of German Jewish extraction who wrote in German. Ingmar Bergman is the only other renowned international cultural figure to have drawn much from the city (see Films above). His career was constantly involved with the Stockholm film and theatre scenes.

More recent literary works to touch on the city include two hilarious chapters in Bill Bryson's Neither Here Nor There (1998) and Colin Forbes' thriller The Stockholm Syndicate (1989), which centres on an international conspiracy based in the city.