Living up to its nickname, ‘La Dotta' (the Learner), Bologna is a cultural stronghold. It has a venerable theatrical tradition, and strong musical links - Mozart and Rossini both studied in the city and the former was just 14 when he became a member of the city's Accademia Filarmonica, one of Europe's leading musical academies, founded in 1666.

Today, the musical tradition continues to flourish. Classical concerts are a regular feature in venues and churches all over the city. Posters are pinned up outside the venue and tickets can be bought at the door. Bologna holds her own on the popular music front as well - national and international rock stars frequently perform in the football stadium outside the city. Tickets can be bought at record shops around the city.

Cultural listings are available from www.comune.bologna.it/cultura.

Music: The Teatro Comunale, Largo Respighi 1 (tel: 05161 74299; website: www.tcbo.it), is the primary venue for opera and classical music in Bologna. Since 1763, the theatre has welcomed some of the world's greatest composers, including Rossini, Verdi and Wagner. The opera season, reckoned to be second only to Milan's La Scala, begins at the end of November and continues through to the end of June; the theatre also presents a ballet season. The Teatro Comunale organises prestigious concerts, dance events and cinema screenings, both in the theatre and other venues from September to June. In addition, there are regular concerts in the Sale Mozart at the Accademia Filarmonica, Via Guerrazzi 13 (tel: 0512 22997; website: www.accademiafilarmonica.it), and the Basilica di Santa Maria dei Servi, Via dei Bersaglieri 1 (tel: 0512 61710).

Theatre: Bologna has 14 theatres in total, offering a wide selection of drama, from Shakespeare to experimental theatre. All performances are conducted in Italian and often include dialect, so a good grasp of the language is vital. Tickets are available at the respective box offices. The Teatro Duse, Via Cartoleria 42 (tel: 0512 31836; website: www.teatroduse.it), is the most traditional of the playhouses and, from November to May, attracts Bologna's middle class with its popular repertoire of classical drama. The Arena del Sole, Via Indipendenza 44 (tel: 05129 10910; website: www.arenadelsole.it), offers a more diverse programme, ranging from the conservative to the avant-garde. Teatro Dehon, Via Libia 59 (tel: 0513 42934; website: www.teatrodehon.it), is the top spot for comedy. The Teatro Testoni, Via Matteotti 16 (tel: 05141 53800; website: www.testoniragazzi.it), specialises in shows for children.

Dance: The ballet season is organised by the Teatro Comunale, Largo Respighi 1 (tel: 05161 74299; website: www.tcbo.it), while Teatri di Vita, Via di Pratello 90/92 (tel: 05161 99900; website: www.teatridivita.it), holds performances of contemporary dance and often hosts visiting dance companies from overseas. It moves outdoors in summer.

Film: Bologna is a city of film-loving students, so there are plenty of places to catch a movie. The Nosadella, Via Nosadella (tel: 0513 31506; website: www.nosadella.it), shows films in their original language on Mondays, and the Adriano, Via San Felice 52 (tel: 0515 55127), shows films in English on weekdays (October to June), while Tiffany, Piazza Porta Saragozza 5 (tel: 0515 23812), has a Thursday showing. The multiplex Medusa Cinema, Viale Europa 5 (tel: 05193 79001; website: www.medusacinema.it) and art house Lumiere, Via Pietralata 55A (website: www.cinetecadibologna.it) show movies in their original language. Films are shown outdoors at the Arena Puccini, Via Serlio 25, in summer (tel: 05141 93256).

Literary Notes: 'I know of no other city with such a distinctive character,' said the German writer Herman Hesse, on his visit to Bologna in 1901. Many writers passed through Bologna on their Grand Tour of Italy in the 18th century. Goethe was enchanted by 'the wide porticoes that meander through most of the town, providing shelter from the sun and rain,' although he wrote that 'the leaning tower is a disgusting sight.' Stendhal meanwhile eulogised Bologna as 'a city of spirit.' Today, the city is home to the postmodern and visionary author Umberto Eco, most famous for Il Nome Della Rosa (The Name of the Rose) (1980), which was turned into a Hollywood movie starring Sean Connery and Christian Slater, and Pendolo di Foucault (Foucault's Pendulum) (1988). Victor Crowther's The Oratorio in Bologna 1650-1730 (1999) is a thorough and colourful investigation of this 17th- and 18th-century musical phenomenon in Bologna. In John Grisham's The Broker (2005), Bologna shelters the main character of this legal thriller story.