In the late 1700s, George Washington invited the young French engineer to create the layout for a "magnificent" capital. L'Enfant envisioned Washington as a city of vistas, and his 1791 plan was modeled, in part, on the broad avenues and ceremonial circles and squares of France's Versailles. He was dismissed from the project because of his imperious attitude, but the capital city was still laid out according to his design. L'Enfant's grand avenues proved to be the perfect surroundings for D.C.'s numerous future monuments.

Washington is ringed by a freeway by pass called the Beltway, which divides the urban insiders from the suburbanites. The Capitol isn't just the symbolic center of Washington: from here the city is divided into four compass-point quadrants along axes following N Capitol St, E Capitol St, S Capitol St and the Mall. Identical addresses appear in all four quadrants, so you need to know the directional component of the address you want. Most tourist sights are located around the Capitol, along the Mall and in the northwest quadrant.

Capitol Hill is the main sightseeing area. Downtown includes the monuments dotting the Mall but is otherwise strictly business. Dupont Circle is an upscale business and residential address with a funky fringe; Adams-Morgan is bohemian, funky and international; Shaw has historically elite residential areas and ghettos; and Georgetown has pristine historic houses, a university and lively bars.