Sandwiched between the soaring, snow-tipped peaks of the Wasatch and Oquirrh Mountains, the sprawling centre of Salt Lake City is hardly what you’d expect of one of the largest metropolises in the American Southwest. Amidst a distinct absence of Tex-Mex joints and dusty hoodoo hills, this one offers up a neat criss-crossing grid of traffic ways instead, connecting the pretty church spires of Temple Square (the headquarters of the Latter-day Saints), the grand State Capitol building and its sculpted lawns, bustling shopping complexes, and the leafy enclaves of Liberty Park and Red Butte Gardens.

What’s more, despite the legendary zeal of the locals here, Salt Lake’s booming student population helps to balance religious traditionalism with a modern energy, which means a fantastic gastronomic scene complete with Asian fusion and American gourmet alike, and a whole host of micro-breweries and craft bars too.

And when the outdoors beckon, be sure to quiz your Salt Lake City tour guide on breaking out to the natural wonders of northern Utah; from the glorious sunsets and beaches of the Great Lake that gave the town its name, to the legendary ski slopes and hiking trails of the Big Cottonwood Canyon.