The United States may be the most powerful country in the world but when it comes to history many dismiss it as not having that much. Well, if you believe that, you've never been to Washington DC!

One of the best ways of seeing the American capital is by walking it, as the centre is small enough to get around easily on foot. However, there is a metro service where you can buy an all day pass which allows you to travel around Washington.

One of the best ways to see the area is with a tour guide. Make sure to choose a reputable guide organisation - both for efficiency and safety. There are, as we all know, some 'less safe' areas of Washington and your guide will steer you well clear of them.

Washington Walks www.washingtonwalks.com, offer an excellent selection of walking tours. You can take your pick from a choice that includes a basic 'Discover Washington' tour. This starts at the Mall, an open expanse of magnificent green with the majestic white marble Washington Monument at one end. It is in the heart of the city and attracts visitors and native Washingtonians alike. This is the perfect setting for an orientation tour and the walk takes in some lesser known but inviting gardens and 'quiet' spots, as well as the site of a top-rated brothel and various former slave markets.

After the walk you'll be just about ready to get on board the Tourmobile, to visit sights further afield, or to plunge into the treasures of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. www.nasm.si.edu

The popular FBI Building, although not that glamorous from the outside, offers tours that are well worth the wait. These include a look at the vast gun collection and pictures of the ten most wanted criminals. One couple were horrified to realise that their next door neighbour was on the list! The tour also includes an accurate shooting by an agent. All in all, a fascinating attraction.

Why not try the mysteries of Lafayette Square, facing the north side of the White House? No other area of the city can claim a more macabre past. It hosts the restless ghosts of presidents, assassins and soldiers who roam the corridors of historic homes, theatres and even the White House itself. After a suitably spooky guided tour, you'll be encouraged to calm your nerves with a restorative pint in a chummy neighbourhood bar.

The Arlington National Cemetery, burial place of the Kennedy family and some of the Lockerbie victims, is worth a visit - especially for those interested in political American history. The Metro is the most accessible way to reach this location.

Constantine's Cathedral, the Washington National Cathedral, is one of the city's most magnificent buildings and a true marvel. Although the foundation stone was laid in 1907, it wasn't until 1990 that this edifice was finally completed. During that time, the cathedral was built using traditional methods based on medieval European techniques.

The cathedral was largely the inspiration of one Greek-born sculptor and artist Constantine Seferlis, who devoted nearly 20 years of his life to carving the stone that brought the national cathedral to life. The walk is led by Seferlis's son, a stone carver in his own right, who manages to bring the architecture and surrounding grounds alive with his encyclopaedic and intimate reminiscences.

A wander through the colourful fish market and marina down by the waterfront and a stroll along Embassy Row, Washington's grand boulevard, are just a couple of other beautiful attractions.

The thing that strikes most visitors is the cleanliness, vast space of open land, and the historical monuments that replace the usual monstous sky scrapers. Some liken it to Paris, which is not surprising, as it was the french man Pierre Charles L'Enfant who laid the plans for Washington DC. Overall, if it is a cultural trip you are intent on, then this is just the place to see the many sites that this city has to offer.