Cracow has long been Poland's cultural capital, but the city's appeal has taken off dramatically since the year 2000, when Cracow was chosen as a European City of Culture.

The comprehensive monthly magazine Karnet (www.karnet.krakow.pl), available at tourist offices, lists virtually every event in the city. The freebie This Month in Krakow (www.cracow.pl) has less-detailed coverage.

Music: Cracow's musical heritage goes back to the liturgical music of the 11th century, and the celebrated Cracow Academy of Music continues to produce high-calibre musicians. The Cracow Philharmonic Orchestra performs at the Filharmonia, ulica Zwierzyniecka 1 (tel: (012) 422 4312; www.filharmonia.krakow.pl). The Capella Cracoviensis (www.capellacracoviensis.pl) choir gives special concerts in the Cloth Hall and a number of Cracow's churches, in addition to Filharmonia.

Performances by the Opera Krakowska (tel: (012) 421 1630 or 424 4528) take place at the Opera House, ulica Lubicz 48 (tel: (012) 296 6100; www.opera.krakow.pl).

Theatre: Cracow has a rich dramatic history and counts a dozen theatres. The Cricoteka, ulica Kanonicza 5 (tel: (012) 422 8332; www.cricoteka.com.pl), now a theatrical archives and the city's best-known theatre, was once the place to see the avant-garde (and now defunct) Cricot 2 troupe, created in 1955 by Tadeusz Kantor. The Stary Teatr, Cracow's ‘Old Theatre', at ulica Jagiellonska 5 (tel: (012) 422 4040; www.stary-teatr.krakow.), is Cracow's best-known (and most beautiful) theatre and attracts the best of the city's actors. The Teatr im Juliusza Slowackiego, plac Sw Ducha 1 (tel: (012) 422 4022; www.slowacki.krakow.pl), where Stanislaw Wyspianski's plays premiered, today focuses on Polish classics and large-scale productions.

Dance: Ballet is usually performed at the Teatr im Juliusza Slowackiego (see above). The red-letter days for classical dance here are the Cracow Ballet Meetings in November.

Film: Almost all films shown in Cracow's 20-odd cinemas are in their original language, with Polish subtitles. Cracow's screens include ARS, ulica sw Jana 6 (tel: (012) 421 4199; www.ars.pl), a very elegant cinema just off the market square, and the Kijow, the biggest cinema in town, behind the Hotel Cracovia at ulica Krasinskiego 34 (tel: (012) 433 0033; www.kijow.pl). Mikro, ulica Lea 5 (tel: (012) 634 2897; www.kinomikro.pl), is the place to go for art-house movies.pl