Washington DC is a grand city, full of imposing white buildings, green spaces and American history.

The city offers a wealth of sites, attractions and museums for the thousands of tourists that flock to the US capital every year. The building regulations are strict and the city has no skyscrapers, making its clean white lines and wide, green spaces unique.

Washington DC is a separate federal district in its own right. The District of Columbia is sometimes known simply as 'the district' and is sandwiched between the states of Maryland and Virginia, on the Potomac River, in the east of the United States.

Named after George Washington, military leader of the American Revolution and the first US president, the federal district was founded on July 16th 1790 and the cornerstone of the White House was laid on October 13th 1792. The city now houses the three branches of the federal government, federal agencies and numerous international organisations.

Most of the best sights to see in Washington itself are concentrated in a relatively short area and there are good bus, Metro and taxi services; making the city easy to get around without a car.

Washington is the seat of the US government, home to the US president, Congress and the House of Representatives and its major focus is politics. No trip to the city is complete without a tour of the most important political sites, which include the towering Washington Monument, the National Mall, the Capitol Building, the Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial and the White House.

Many of the excellent Smithsonian Institution's museums lie along or near to the National Mall, which connects the White House and the Capitol, including the immense National Gallery of Art, the National Air and Space Museum, the National Museum of American History, the National Museum of the American Indian, the National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

The same political heart of Washington is also home to the National Archives, the Library of Congress and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Other key sights around the district include Arlington Cemetery, just outside the city, Chinatown, the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, the National Spy Museum and the National Zoo.

Most of Washington's major attractions, including many of the city's parks and museums, are free or charge very little for admission. The National Mall also houses several affecting monuments to US soldiers, including the National World War II Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the DC World War I Memorial.

Washington also has a vibrant arts scene and an array of lively night time venues, with an staggering number of bars and clubs for a city of just half a million people. Shopping in Washington tends to be targeted squarely at tourists, though there are also some upscale boutiques and bookshops catering to the well-dressed politicos.

Flights to Washington are relatively easy to arrange, with large numbers of airlines offering flights to the city and prices becoming cheaper. It is also easy to fly to one of the other major cities on the east coast of the US, hire a car and drive to DC.

Once there, Washington is home to a variety of places to stay, from vast, luxurious hotels and smaller, quirkier places to self catering and B&B options. Eating in Washington can feature cuisine from almost anywhere in the world in eateries of every kind.

Washington is best visited in the spring and autumn, when the city is at its most vibrant and least crowded. Summer can be very hot and humid and winter very cold.