The state capital of Utah, Salt Lake City is a modern metropolis and a centre for industrial banking in the United States. It is known for the Mormon movement, a stunning skyline with a backdrop of looming mountains and for being the host of the 2002 Winter Olympics.
Home to the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City is filled with Mormon history. There’s the Temple Square, with iconic Mormon sites like the acoustically perfect Salt Lake Tabernacle where the Mormon Tabernacle Choir performs, and the six-spired Salt Lake Temple with Gothic and Romanesque elements. While the temple is not open to the public, you can visit some of the other church-owned buildings nearby – the visitors' centres, a conference centre and the Family History Library. Another historic landmark worth visiting is the magnificent Utah State Capitol, perched on a hill overlooking the city. Here, you can admire beautiful art, stroll along cherry-tree-lined grounds and take in panoramic views of the mountains and Salt Lake Valley.
Salt Lake City offers a mixed bag of things to do, no matter your interests. Art and history lovers should head to the University of Utah, whose campus boasts the Natural History Museum of Utah and the Utah Museum of Fine Arts. The complex is also home to the Red Butte Garden, where you can wander amidst thousands of vibrant blooms, attend an outdoor concert and hike along winding trails.