(7 Ulica Gertrudy . Tel. 012 422 3494) A stalwart of the veggie scene, Vega serves up salads and soups in a nostalgic 19th-century interior.

  (7 Ulica Sw Anny. Tel. 012 422 5195) Enduringly popular Italian restaurant that wins with its mix of superb pizzas, cheery décor and convivial service.

  (15 Ulica Bracka . Tel. 012 429 2898) Slip down the passage here and settle in for an evening at Cieplarnia, a well-kept secret in this neck of the woods. At the weekend, jazz fans may hit the jackpot as there are regular shindigs.

  (5 Ulica Szczepanska. Tel. 012 384 0808) A top-drawer dinner can be had at the ‘Three Little Fish’, housed inside the ritzy Hotel Stary. If the sun’s shining, kick things off with a cocktail on the roof. Fit for a king.

  (4 Ulica Slawkowska . Tel. 012 802 9082) Another hidden diamond, Dekafencja serves coffee and beer beneath a wondrous old wooden ceiling.

  (46 Rynek Glowny. Tel. 012 431 0333) Blokes wanting to splash some cash may find this den to their liking. It’s a cigar-chomping sort of a place, with leggy locals and their proud boyfriends. Some tinkling of the ivories sets the tone, plus jazz bands like The Smooth Trio.

  (3-5 Ulica Bracka. Tel. ) A labyrinthine lair that serves house beats and abundant booze. Perky party people keep things running till the early hours.

Getting lost in translation was never so much fun as at Massolit, where a bold buccaneer has created one of the continent’s best English bookshops. Massolit also doubles as a cracking café (4 Ulica Felicjanek).

A bugler plays a centuries-old trumpet call from the tower of St Mary’s. He won’t let you have a go at playing the tune, but it’s possible to climb the tower, the views are nothing short of spectacular.

Take a tram to Nowa Huta for a blast of communist Krakow. This controversial chunk of town was built as an ideal socialist city, with a huge steelworks—a gift from ‘Uncle Joe’ Stalin—and gargantuan avenues named after heroes of the revolution (www.krakow-tours.com).

Cheer on the champs at the seventh Cracovia marathon (4 May). The event finishes on the Main Market Square at around lunchtime (www.cracoviamaraton.pl).

 – If bad weather strikes, the obvious choice for a day trip is the Wieliczka Salt Mine. Tolkienesque chapels, subterranean lakes and a cavalcade of folklore can be savoured at this UNESCO-listed marvel.

For a few barmy days this month, students are given the key to the city for the time-honoured Juvenalia celebration. It’s the only point in the year when stags won’t stick out like a sore thumb.