Top 10 Things to Do in Washington DC

The Lincoln Memorial at the western end of the National Mall is one of the most powerful monuments in America — Daniel Chester French's seated marble Lincoln gazes down the Reflecting Pool toward the Washington Monument. The inscriptions of the Gettysburg Address and Second Inaugural Address on the interior walls are worth reading slowly. Open 24 hours, free to visit, and most powerful at night when the interior is lit and the Mall stretches quiet ahead. The steps where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered "I Have a Dream" are marked.

The US Capitol dome is the defining image of American democracy — it sits atop Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall and houses both the Senate and House of Representatives. Free guided tours are available through your congressional representative's office (book months ahead); alternatively, walk the Capitol grounds freely and visit the Capitol Visitor Center underground. The dome's Brumidi Corridors with their 19th-century frescoes are extraordinary. The view from the west front steps at sunrise is unforgettable.

Georgetown is Washington's most elegant neighbourhood, a Federal-era town that predates the capital itself with brick rowhouses, cobblestone streets, independent boutiques, and one of the country's finest university campuses. M Street and Wisconsin Avenue form the main shopping and restaurant corridors; the C&O Canal towpath is perfect for a riverside walk or jog. Baked and Wired makes the city's best cupcakes; Martin's Tavern has been serving Georgetown since 1933. Best explored on foot over a leisurely afternoon.

The National Mall is America's great civic green — a 2-mile promenade stretching from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial, flanked by the Smithsonian museums and framed by the Washington Monument at its centre. Walking the full length takes about 45 minutes; adding in museum stops makes it an all-day endeavour. The cherry blossoms that ring the Tidal Basin at the Mall's southern edge bloom in late March to early April and draw enormous crowds. All Smithsonian museums are free; timed-entry passes are required for some.

The National Museum of African American History and Culture, opened in 2016, is the Smithsonian's newest and most emotionally profound museum — a bronze-latticed tower on the National Mall that traces the full arc of Black American experience from slavery through the civil rights movement to contemporary culture. Timed-entry passes (free) are required and must be reserved online, sometimes months in advance. Allow four to five hours; the lower-level "History Galleries" beginning with the slave trade are among the most powerful museum spaces in the world.

Arlington National Cemetery across the Potomac in Virginia is the most hallowed burial ground in America, interring over 400,000 military veterans, presidents, and national heroes including John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy. The Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier happens every 30 minutes in summer and is one of the most solemn and precise military ceremonies in the world. Entry is free; the cemetery is accessible via Metro on the Blue Line. Plan at least two hours.

The National Gallery of Art on the National Mall consists of two buildings — the neoclassical West Building with Old Masters from Leonardo to Vermeer, and I.M. Pei's angular East Building dedicated to modern and contemporary art. Both are free. The West Building's collection includes the only Leonardo da Vinci painting in the Americas (Ginevra de' Benci) and one of Vermeer's largest works. The underground concourse connecting the two buildings has a popular cafe and one of the country's best museum gift shops.

The White House has been the official residence and workplace of every US president since John Adams in 1800. Public tours of the State Rooms are available free of charge but must be requested through your congressional representative months in advance. Without a tour, the best views are from Lafayette Square to the north or the Ellipse to the south. The White House Visitor Center on E Street has excellent exhibits on the building's history and is open without advance booking. The exterior itself remains one of the world's most recognisable buildings.

The Smithsonian's National Zoo in Rock Creek Park is one of America's oldest and finest, home to over 1,800 animals including giant pandas, Asian elephants, Sumatran tigers, and great apes. Admission is free; timed-entry passes are required (and free to reserve online). The giant panda programme is world-renowned — Mei Xiang and her cubs have been the zoo's biggest draw for years. The Zoo is in the Woodley Park neighbourhood, easily walkable from the Metro stop, with a pleasant commercial strip for lunch before or after.

The Lincoln Memorial at the western end of the National Mall is one of the most powerful monuments in America — Daniel Chester French's seated marble Lincoln gazes down the Reflecting Pool toward the Washington Monument. The inscriptions of the Gettysburg Address and Second Inaugural Address on the interior walls are worth reading slowly. Open 24 hours, free to visit, and most powerful at night when the interior is lit and the Mall stretches quiet ahead. The steps where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered "I Have a Dream" are marked.

The US Capitol dome is the defining image of American democracy — it sits atop Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall and houses both the Senate and House of Representatives. Free guided tours are available through your congressional representative's office (book months ahead); alternatively, walk the Capitol grounds freely and visit the Capitol Visitor Center underground. The dome's Brumidi Corridors with their 19th-century frescoes are extraordinary. The view from the west front steps at sunrise is unforgettable.

Georgetown is Washington's most elegant neighbourhood, a Federal-era town that predates the capital itself with brick rowhouses, cobblestone streets, independent boutiques, and one of the country's finest university campuses. M Street and Wisconsin Avenue form the main shopping and restaurant corridors; the C&O Canal towpath is perfect for a riverside walk or jog. Baked and Wired makes the city's best cupcakes; Martin's Tavern has been serving Georgetown since 1933. Best explored on foot over a leisurely afternoon.

The National Mall is America's great civic green — a 2-mile promenade stretching from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial, flanked by the Smithsonian museums and framed by the Washington Monument at its centre. Walking the full length takes about 45 minutes; adding in museum stops makes it an all-day endeavour. The cherry blossoms that ring the Tidal Basin at the Mall's southern edge bloom in late March to early April and draw enormous crowds. All Smithsonian museums are free; timed-entry passes are required for some.

The National Museum of African American History and Culture, opened in 2016, is the Smithsonian's newest and most emotionally profound museum — a bronze-latticed tower on the National Mall that traces the full arc of Black American experience from slavery through the civil rights movement to contemporary culture. Timed-entry passes (free) are required and must be reserved online, sometimes months in advance. Allow four to five hours; the lower-level "History Galleries" beginning with the slave trade are among the most powerful museum spaces in the world.

Arlington National Cemetery across the Potomac in Virginia is the most hallowed burial ground in America, interring over 400,000 military veterans, presidents, and national heroes including John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy. The Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier happens every 30 minutes in summer and is one of the most solemn and precise military ceremonies in the world. Entry is free; the cemetery is accessible via Metro on the Blue Line. Plan at least two hours.

The National Gallery of Art on the National Mall consists of two buildings — the neoclassical West Building with Old Masters from Leonardo to Vermeer, and I.M. Pei's angular East Building dedicated to modern and contemporary art. Both are free. The West Building's collection includes the only Leonardo da Vinci painting in the Americas (Ginevra de' Benci) and one of Vermeer's largest works. The underground concourse connecting the two buildings has a popular cafe and one of the country's best museum gift shops.

The White House has been the official residence and workplace of every US president since John Adams in 1800. Public tours of the State Rooms are available free of charge but must be requested through your congressional representative months in advance. Without a tour, the best views are from Lafayette Square to the north or the Ellipse to the south. The White House Visitor Center on E Street has excellent exhibits on the building's history and is open without advance booking. The exterior itself remains one of the world's most recognisable buildings.

The Smithsonian's National Zoo in Rock Creek Park is one of America's oldest and finest, home to over 1,800 animals including giant pandas, Asian elephants, Sumatran tigers, and great apes. Admission is free; timed-entry passes are required (and free to reserve online). The giant panda programme is world-renowned — Mei Xiang and her cubs have been the zoo's biggest draw for years. The Zoo is in the Woodley Park neighbourhood, easily walkable from the Metro stop, with a pleasant commercial strip for lunch before or after.