Embassy Row is where you can find many of the embassies in Washington DC. These beautiful mansions now house diplomatic missions and with proper planning can be visited by the public.
There are more than 175 Embassies in Washington, DC. Some of the largest and most beautiful can be found along Embassy Row.
We'll help you find Embassy Row and take you on a tour of the history and sites you can see along the way.
- Where is Embassy Row
- Tours of Embassy Row
- How to Visit an Embassy
- Other Things to Do in DC
- Free Tours by Foot
Where is Embassy Row?
The street that Embassy Row is on is a section of Massachusetts Avenue NW, just to the northwest of Dupont Circle.
Embassy Row usually refers to Massachusetts Ave NW between Dupont Circle and Observatory Circle, around the 20th St NW to 37th St NW.
Not every embassy is on Embassy Row and not every building here is an embassy! But a majority of the 170+ embassies in DC are located in this neighborhood.
Can you Walk Embassy Row in DC?
Absolutely! Embassy Row is just a street like any other in the city that you can drive down or walk along the sidewalk. It's the view and the stories behind the buildings that make it special.
The best way to walk along Embassy Row is with us on a walking tour!
The closest Metro Station to Embassy Row is the Dupont Circle station (red line).
There are two entrances:
- South: on the circle and 19th St NW
- North: 20th and Q St NW
From either station exit, you can see Dupont Circle and we recommend starting from there and taking Massachusetts Ave NW to the north.
You can also reach Dupont Circle on the Circulator Bus. The Dupont-Georgetown-Rosslyn route starts/ends at 19th St & N St NW just south of the circle.
Use this map to see what Embassies are on Embassy Row!
Tours of Embassy Row
Guided Walking Tours:
- Historic Embassy Row & Dupont Circle
- All of Embassy Row (private only)
- Dark Side of Dupont & Embassy Row (Adults Only)
- Self-Guided Walking Tour
Download our free DC walking tour app for a GPS-enabled self-guided audio tour.
Listen to a sample of our Embassy Row Audio Tour
Join our DC by Foot guided tour of Historic Embassy Row & Dupont Circle.
Embassy Row is located just outside of the original city plan drawn up by Pierre L’Enfant.
As the city expanded, DC’s well-heeled sought to create a fashionable neighborhood and populated it with magnificent Beaux arts mansions and townhouses.
This section of Massachusetts Avenue NW was originally called Millionaires Row after the nouveau riche began to build 60 room mansions on (what was then) the outskirts of Washington, DC.
In time, these beautiful structures would attract foreign embassies who helped revive and retain the cultural and social fabric of the area.
Join DC by Foot on this entertaining and enlightening Embassy Row Highlights Tour and learn all about the people and forces that have turned this district into one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in the city and the center of the foreign diplomatic community.
Wealth, power, intrigue, scandals, curses, and political assassination fill the stories on this tour.
Take a walk around the world and see the international side of the nation's capital city.
Sights we may cover on the Historic Embassy Row & Dupont Circle Tour:
- Millionaire's Row and historic mansions
- Different Embassies of: India, Indonesia, Ireland, Chile, Greece, Croatia, and more
- Ambassador's Residence of Turkey, Egypt, Ireland
- Dupont Circle
- Cosmos Club | Anderson House
- Woodrow Wilson House
- Spanish Steps
- Extravagant Homes
- and more...
We also offer an Adults Only version that delves into the Darker Side with stories of scandals, assassinations, and secrets of the gilded age.
We do not recommend taking both the daytime AND the adults-only tours.
Tour information
Reservations: REQUIRED. Click here to reserve.
Where: Meet your guide at the fountain in the center of Dupont Circle. Look for your tour guide in orange.
The tour ends at Dupont Circle North Metro (map) at 19th and Q St NW.
Purchase a guaranteed parking spot in advance near the tour’s starting point with SpotHero. To reserve your parking spot, visit the Dupont Circle SpotHero Parking Page and book a spot with rates up to 50% off the drive-up.
New to SpotHero? Click here to download the SpotHero app.
Duration: Approximately 2 hours. Total walking is about 1.5 miles (2,4km).
When: View our Calendar
Contact us to book a private tour!
Sights we cover on the All of Embassy Row Tour (private only)
If your group wants to take a guided walking tour of just Embassy Row and explore the history of diplomatic relations, embassies, and architecture of the area, this is the tour for you.
This tour runs as a private tour only and is great for school groups, but we're happy to run this tour for families or individuals as well.
- Origins of Embassy Row
- Embassy vs Chancery vs Residence
- Sheridan Circle and the site of the Letelier Assassination
- Turkish Ambassador's Residence
- Embassies of: Ireland, Croatia, South Korea, Japan, South Africa, the UK, and more!
- Former Iranian Embassy
- Memorials/Statues of: Tomas Masaryk, Robert Emmett, Nelson Mandela, Winston Churchill, Khalil Gibran
- and much more!
We cannot guarantee entrance onto the grounds of any embassies. You may be able to arrange interior visits direct with embassies and we can schedule our tour to begin/end there.
Tour information
Reservations: REQUIRED. Click here to reserve.
When: Please contact us to book a private tour.
Where: Tour begins at the fountain in Dupont Circle. The tour will end outside US Naval Observatory. If you're traveling by coach, you can arrange for pick up here. For those traveling by public transportation, it is a 5-minute bus ride back to the circle on city buses.
Duration: The tour lasts approx. 2 hours. Total walking is about 1 mile.
Cost: For more about private tours, visit our private tour page.
How to Visit an Embassy
The Embassies in Washington DC (those on Embassy Row and in other parts of the city) are working government buildings.
For this reason, you aren't usually able to walk in as a tourist!
Some embassies have small cultural exhibits in the front lobby (like Côte D'Ivoire!) but unless you have an appointment for consular services or a scheduled tour, you won't usually be able to make it farther than that.
You are always welcome to contact an Embassy to ask for a tour of the building. Many Embassies are happy to do this for school groups, but it doesn't hurt to ask as an individual traveler either.
No matter what time of year you're visiting you may be able to schedule a visit to an embassy in DC.
However, if you're here in May, you may wish to check out Passport DC for Embassy Open Houses.
Passport DC 2023
An embassy's website will have information for visitors such as hours and whether you need to schedule an appointment to visit.
The most assured way is to reach out and request a tour, often led by embassy staff.
Be certain to follow their rules for what you can bring with you and what kind of identification you will need.
During Embassy Week, you can taste treats from one country and watch dancers from another all without ever leaving the city.
Throughout the month of May every year, the diplomatic scene of Washington DC opens to the public.
This gives you an opportunity to go inside many of the embassies along Embassy Row that we talk about on our Embassy Row Tours!
Read below about the different events taking place during and the dates for Passport DC and Embassy Week.
Passport DC 2023 will be May 01- May 31, 2023
- Around the World Embassy Tour
- Short Cut to Europe: European Union Embassies' Open House
- National Asian Heritage Festival: Fiesta Asia
Around the World Embassy Tour | May 6, 2023
Time: 10 am-4 pm
How much are tickets to Embassy Week DC? Free! There is no cost to visit the embassies!
Reservations: Not Required. Photo ID is required to enter many of the embassies
Here you can explore the world. More than 40 embassies open their doors to the public to learn more about their country and their culture with food tasting, dance demonstrations, and more.
This is one of the most popular events so expect some waiting in lines. Try to visit embassies off Embassy Row for shorter lines.
Embassies with Open House for 2023
Use this map to see where some of the open Embassies are for Passport DC
Short Cut to Europe: European Union Embassies' Open House | May 13, 2023
Time: 10 am - 4 pm
Cost: Free
Reservations: Not Required, Photo ID is required to enter many of the embassies.
Similar to the week prior, this day is all about EU Member Nations. Expect some of the 28 member nation's embassies to open their doors from 10 am to 4 pm.
Tip: Embassies participating in the EU Open House will stamp your passport with their country stamp, so bring it along if you have it!
National Asian Heritage Festival: Fiesta Asia | May 21, 2022
Time: 11 am to 7 pm
Location: Pennsylvania Ave NW between 3rd & 6th St NW www.asiaheritagefoundation.org
Cost: Free
Reservations: Not Required
Fiesta Asia! is often voted the Best Street Fair in Washington and we agree! You'll find crafts, a talent show, demonstrations of different dances and martial arts, and of course, food!
If you've wanted to learn belly dance, Hulu, or Bollywood dancing, there will be lessons as well as 5 stages to watch the professionals.
The closest Metro to Fiesta Asia Street Festival is Archives/Navy Memorial on the Green & Yellow Line or Judiciary Square on the Red Line.
