If you are interested in American politics, be sure to visit the US Capitol, where elected representatives create, debate, and legislate US policies and principles. Carry your passport with you to obtain a gallery pass, should you wish to sit in the House or Senate galleries to watch the politicians in action. Across the street are the Library of Congress, the world's biggest public library and a repository for important historical documents, such as an early version of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address; and the Supreme Court, where the country's nine Supreme Court justices hear landmark cases October to June.

Down the hill from the Capitol is the US Botanic Garden (www.usbg.gov), whose conservatory presents a breathtaking oasis of natural beauty in the midst of all these ponderous buildings. At this point, you'll be on the cusp of the National Mall, where you'll have your pick of museums. All are free. The National Gallery of Art (www.nga.gov) is a must; its two grand buildings filled with Western art, from the Middle Ages to the present, as well as a Sculpture Garden, which hosts free jazz concerts in summer, and an ice-skating rink
(not free) in winter. Elsewhere on the Mall are Smithsonian museums, each embracing a different theme: Air and Space, Natural History, American History, Asian Art (the Freer Gallery and the Sackler Gallery), African Art (www.si.edu is the base Smithsonian website), and so on. At the far end of the Mall, on the Potomac riverside, are monuments and war memorials; a World War II Memorial was installed in May 2004.

If the Mall is too crowded for your liking, head to one of DC's off-the-mall museums; the charming Phillips Gallery (1600 21st St NW, www.phillipscollection.org) displays modern art in a Dupont Circle mansion; the International Spy Museum(800 F St NW, www.spymuseum.org) covers the spy game exhaustively; and the Folger Shakespeare Library(201 E Capitol St SE, www.folger.edu) displays rotating exhibits from its permanent collection, which happens to be the world's largest of the writer's works Aside from museums and historic buildings, Washington has a thriving theatre scene, notably performances at the Kennedy Centre, Shakespeare Theatre (450 7th St NW, www.shakespearetheatre.org), and the Arena Stage (1101 6th St SW, www.arenastage.org); as well as plenty of outdoor recreational opportunities, thanks to the presence of the Potomac River (try paddleboating past the monuments, tel: 202 479 2426), Rock Creek Park, and Potomac Park. Neighbourhood and office teams play each other in soccer, rugby, baseball, even polo on these urban grounds. Washington's basketball teams, the Wizards (men's) and the Mystics (women's), and its ice hockey team, the Washington Capitals, play at the MCI Centre (601 F St NW), while its soccer team, DC United, plays at RFK Stadium (2400 E Capitol St SE).