Dwell's Embassy Walking Tour

We had appointments to tour the Royal Danish Embassy and Ambassador's Residence (the ambassador himself Friis Arne Petersen dropped in on us unexpectedly), the Embassy of Finland, and the new Swiss Ambassador's Residence designed by Steven Holl (pictured above), but much of the joy of our several-hour walk was rambling along lovely Massachusetts Avenue NW discovering the unexpected thrills the city offers. My favorite is the very strange Kahlil Gibran Memorial just opposite the British Embassy. After making our circuit, we headed to 2 Amy's Pizza for a late and much-needed lunch.

Check out this map to see our route, and consider following it yourself, though deviations are bound to be rewarding. I'll make a few notes about what we saw, but if nothing else, walk the streets of Washington, and for heaven's sake my tourist friends, leave the National Mall behind for a day and visit a crop of buildings that add so much to the city's cultural and architectural landscape. You won't find them anywhere else.