The city at night

Far and away the largest city in the Rockies, Denver is the most obvious gateway, with flights from all over North America and Europe touching down at its snazzy hi-tech Denver International Airport.

Straight away you'll see the town's salient characteristics: reflected in the slick glass-and-concrete canyons formed by its soaring downtown skyscrapers are the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.

Just a short hop from nature at its wildest, the cutting-edge city is booming with its good collection of art museums, top-flight sports teams and a great dining and nightlife scene - much of which is based around a vibrant and successfully regenerated 19th century downtown warehouse district.

But Denver's greatest asset is the energy of it's people and you'll always find some major festival going on here, be it a Rodeo, beer festival, open air free jazz concert or a gay parade - and it's also the venue for North America's largest annual gathering of native peoples or Pow-Wow.