Tri-City Culture

As you'd expect from one of Europe's historic cities, Gdansk has plenty to captivate lovers of the arts. A splendid array of museums, galleries and quirky annual festivals means that culture vultures won't be pecking at dry bones here. In recent years Gdansk has emerged as one of the three main centres of Poland's contemporary art scene. You can drop by the Laznia Centre of Contemporary Art or the Sculpture Gallery on ul. Dlugi Targ to see what weird and wonderful visions the goodly Poles are concocting.

The longstanding Gdynia Film Festival, on the other hand, is one of Poland's finest, and in its time it has pepped up the careers of such internationally acclaimed figures as Kieslowski and Zanussi. Meanwhile, the lively Dominican Fair (Jarmark Dominikanski), is something of a cracker for both locals and visitors alike. This tradition, which kicks off every August and dates back to the thirteenth century, draws a host of artists and craftsmen to the heart of the city, and a range of cultural and sporting events are staged to chime in with the festivities.

Also well worth a mention in the Summer programme is the International Festival of Open Air and Street Theatre, which sees troupes from across the world descend on the city. Expect a good spread of eccentric fellows in strange-coloured suits swanning about on stilts and other more fantastical contraptions. In fact, expect the unexpected - as invariably you are as much a part of the show as the actors themselves - great fun!

Organ and Chamber Music Festivals are also part of the Summer programme, and it's worth looking out for one-offs in some of the city's splendid churches and historic venues. Throughout the year the National Philharmonic and Opera House stages a fine mix of concerts, opera and ballet.

What with Gdansk being a port city of the highest pedigree, it won't be a surprise to discover that there's plenty here to keep sea dogs happy. As well as the trusty Maritime Museum on ul. Olowianka, there's an annual sailing rally that sees a flotilla of vessels swish into the harbour under the banner of 'Sail Gdansk'. Gdynia itself also boasts two maritime museums, one aboard an old World War II destroyer called 'The Storm'. However, for those of us who prefer life under water, the nearby Aquarium has an assortment of sharks, piranhas, barracudas and other charming characters who are sure to please little monsters of the human variety.