Washington is the capital of the United States of America, it is located in the Federal District, known as the “District of Columbia”, located between the states of Maryland and Virginia. The city is home to all three branches of the US government (executive, legislative and judicial), as well as a variety of other governmental, non-governmental and international organisations (including, for example, the International Monetary Fund, the Organisation of American States, and the World Bank).

As you might expect, there are many places of interest, historic sites and attracts for a visitor to Washington D.C. to see. These of course include government buildings, monuments and historic sites, but there also many art galleries and museums. Some particular places of interest to look out for include:

* Jefferson Memorial – A memorial to Thomas Jefferson, who was of course one of the United States’ founding fathers, and later was the 3rd President of the United States.

* Lincoln Memorial – Abraham Lincoln was of course the President who led the United States during the American Civil War (1861 to 1865).

* Washington Monument – This is a white obelisk that is over 500 feet tall. It is a memorial to George Washington, who was (as you probably already know) the leading American general during the American Revolution (1775 to 1783), and later the 1st President of the United States.

* National Air and Space Museum – This is a very popular museum, in fact possibly the most visited museum in the world. It contains many exhibits relating to the history of aviation and space travel, and is definitely worth a visit.

* The White House – This iconic building is both primary residence and workplace of American President. Although in the past it was widely open to the public, today, since 9/11, access is much more restricted.