Washington is the capital of the United States and is itself the federal District of Columbia, belonging to no state; it lies on the Potomac River between Maryland and Virginia, a city of 700,000 at the centre of a metropolitan area of 6 million. The city was built from scratch to the plan drawn in 1791 by the French engineer L'Enfant and became the capital in 1800. The Smithsonian museums line the three kilometre National Mall from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial, and every one of them is free; the White House, Congress, the Supreme Court and the memorials are seen on foot. The brick streets of Georgetown, the restaurants of Adams Morgan and Arlington Cemetery across the river are the city's other faces.
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See flights to Washington →When to visit Washington
Late March to May and September to October are the easiest periods, with days of 18C to 25C. The cherry trees around the Tidal Basin bloom in most years between late March and early April, and that week is the most expensive and fullest in the city's hotels. June to August is humid and oppressive, with 33C to 36C usual, and sightseeing shifts to the air conditioned museums; the 4 July fireworks are watched from the Mall. December to February is cold, days of 3C to 8C with occasional snow, and the museums are empty.
Things to do in Washington
National Mall and Lincoln Memorial
The three kilometre lawn from the Capitol to the Potomac is the spine of the city: the 169 metre Washington Monument stands at its centre and at the western end is the Lincoln Memorial, opened in 1922, whose 36 Doric columns shelter the six metre marble statue of Lincoln. Martin Luther King gave his famous speech from its steps in 1963, and the Reflecting Pool and the World War II Memorial lie on the same axis. The Vietnam and Korean memorials flank it. The night lighting is more striking than the daytime.
United States Capitol
The 88 metre cast iron dome of the Capitol, rising on the hill at the eastern end of the Mall, was completed in 1866 and carries the Statue of Freedom on top. The free guided tour starts from the underground visitor centre and shows the Rotunda beneath the dome and the statues of the states; the Senate and House galleries need a separate pass. The Supreme Court across the street and the 1897 Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress fit into the same half day. Tours are reserved online.
National Air and Space Museum
The most visited of the Smithsonian museums on the Mall shows, in galleries renovated since 2022, the Wright brothers' 1903 flyer, the Spirit of St. Louis in which Lindbergh crossed the Atlantic, the Apollo 11 command module and a moon rock that can be touched. Entry is free, but on busy days a timed online pass is required. The Udvar-Hazy annex next to Dulles Airport holds the space shuttle Discovery and the Enola Gay, close enough to see before or after a flight.
National Museum of African American History and Culture
The bronze latticed building opened in 2016 beside the Washington Monument is the newest and most talked about of the Smithsonian museums. Three underground floors tell a chronological history from slavery to the civil rights movement, and the upper floors give the cultural side through music, sport and art. Emmett Till's casket, Harriet Tubman's shawl and Chuck Berry's Cadillac are in the collection. Entry is free but a timed pass is compulsory and sells out weeks ahead; allow at least three hours.
Georgetown
Georgetown, on the Potomac at the western edge of the city, is a port town older than Washington itself; its 18th and 19th century brick houses, tree lined streets and the shops of M Street make it the most walkable quarter of the capital. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal of 1831 offers a walking and cycling path along its stone channel, and the restaurants of Washington Harbour on the quay face the river. The Gothic campus of Georgetown University, founded in 1789, closes the western end. There is no metro station, so it is a walk from Foggy Bottom or a ride on the Circulator bus.
Arlington National Cemetery
The 250 hectare military cemetery on the Virginia bank of the Potomac, opposite the Lincoln Memorial, holds more than 400,000 servicemen and statesmen; the grave of John F. Kennedy with its eternal flame and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier are the most visited spots. The changing of the guard at the tomb takes place every half hour in summer and every hour in winter and is watched in complete silence. Arlington House on the hill looks over the city skyline. Entry is from the Arlington Cemetery metro station; admission is free and the tram tour is ticketed.
Flights from Turkey to Washington
Direct flights to Washington from Turkey leave Istanbul Airport on Turkish Airlines; the route runs daily year round and takes about 10 hours 55 minutes. Departure is around midday and, thanks to the time difference, arrival is the same afternoon. Washington Dulles Airport lies 42 kilometres west of downtown in Virginia; the metro Silver Line, opened at the terminal in 2022, reaches the Mall in an hour, and a taxi or ride hailing car takes 45 to 60 minutes depending on traffic.
Washington FAQ
How many days do you need in Washington?
A day for the memorials on the Mall and the Capitol, a day for two or three of the Smithsonian museums and a day for Georgetown and Arlington fill three days. As each museum wants half a day, four or five days are comfortable; the three and a half hour train to New York or the two hours to Philadelphia make a week long east coast trip.
How far is the airport from the city centre?
Washington Dulles Airport is about 42 kilometres from downtown. From the metro Silver Line station attached to the terminal the Mall is about an hour away, and it is the cheapest option; a taxi or ride hailing car takes 45 to 60 minutes. Reagan Airport, closer to the city, serves only domestic and short haul flights.
Do you need a visa for the United States?
A Turkish passport needs a United States visitor visa. The application consists of an online form and a consular interview, and appointment waiting times can stretch a long way in some periods, so planning should start months before the travel date. Those who hold the visa need no further permit on arrival.
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