Embassy Row Walking Tour (Self Guided), Washington D.C.

Embassy Row stretches from 18th Street to 35th Street and as its name suggests is where many nations have their embassies and diplomatic missions. Lining both sides of this very upscale road is a collection of dazzling mansions, from early 20th-century palatial residences to highly original modernist structures. In fact, there are no fewer than 150 embassies here, housed in beautiful and occasionally highly original buildings. Many of these structures were once the homes of millionaire investors, speculators, politicians and business titans who were forced to sell their mansions when the Great Depression hit.

A walk down Embassy Row provides a mesmerizing insight into how some of the wealthiest people in the United States used to live. As well as their flags, some of the embassies can be identified by other external features and adornments. For example, the British Embassy has a red telephone booth in front of its building, just like the kind you used to be able to see on many street corners in the UK. Outside the South African Embassy, there is a statue of Nelson Mandela. Away from the sumptuous constructions, one of the highlights of the area is the fountain at the center of Dupont Circle. Its three figures represent the Sea, Wind and the Stars.