Iran

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Why visit Iran?

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If travel is most rewarding when it surprises, then Iran might just be the most rewarding destination on Earth. If you fancy travelling somewhere neither East nor West, and exotic and fascinating yet perfectly comfortable, then it is Iran.
Walking around the sublime, turquoise-tiled domes and minarets of Esfahan’s Square, the awesome power and beauty of the ancient capital at Persepolis, the mud-brick alleys and rooftops in Yazd, and the wonderfully immense Elamite ziggurat at Choqa Zanbil will put you in the footsteps of some of history’s most outstanding figures. And certainly you won’t find yourself crowded out of any sights, which is fun. These highlights, together with the atmospheric teahouses, bustling bazaars, deserts punctuated by historic oases and rugged mountain ranges, gives Iran more than its fair share of fantastic places to see.

What does Iran bring in mind?

National Jewels Museum

Owned by the Central Bank and accessed through its front doors, the cavernous vault that houses what is commonly known as the ‘Jewels Museum’ is probably Tehran’s biggest tourist attraction. Most of the collection dates back to Safavid times, when the shahs scoured Europe, India and the lands of the Ottoman Empire for booty with which to decorate their capital, Esfahan. But as the Safavid empire crumbled, the jewels became a high profile spoil of war. Later on, the Qajar and Pahlavi rulers enthusiastically added to the jewels collection, which grew to be so valuable that in the 1930s it was transferred to the National Bank of Iran (now the Central Bank of Iran) as a reserve for the national currency.

Golestan Palace Complex In what was once the heart of Tehran is this monument to the glories and excesses of the Qajar rulers. A short walk south from Imam Khomeini Square, the Golestan Palace complex is made up of several grand buildings set around a carefully manicured garden. Entrance fees is not expensive but, you must buy a separate ticket for each building, and all at the front gate.

Niyavaran Palace Museum

East of Tajrish in the Alborz foothills is the palace where Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and his family spent most of the last 10 years of royal rule. It is set in 5 hectares of landscaped gardens and has five separate museums – tickets must be bought individually at the main gate.

Tehran Bazaar The maze of bustling alleys and the bazar is that fill them make Tehran Bazaar a fascinating, if somewhat intimidating, place to explore. Traders have been hawking their wares on this site for nearly a thousand years, but most of what you see today is less than 200 years old; it is no architectural jewel.

Gandhi Shopping Center

Home to several cool, pleasant and warm little cafes peopled largely by young and fairly liberal Tehranis, this is your one-stop cafe-society stop. It is a fun place to hang out in the afternoon and evening; just choose a cafe you like, settle in and then perhaps eat in one of the centre’s upscale restaurants.

Azeri Traditional Tea-House About 250m north of the train station, which is on Rah-Ahan Square, and on the west side of Valiasr, this restored ‘coffeehouse’ in south Tehran is wonderfully atmospheric because it remains popular with locals, who use it as an unofficial community centre. The dizi and kashk-e bademjan (eggplant fried and mashed and served with thick whey and mint) are rightly popular. A traditional band plays most evenings when the lively and animated atmosphere is best enjoyed with a group.

Teatre Shahr

The huge, circular Tezatre Shahr, opened in 1968, is Tehran’s biggest and most impressive theatre and the place you’re most likely to see Iranian stage actors at work, performing in Farsi.

Mount Damavand

Shaped like Mt Fuji, Mt Damavand (5671m), northeast of Tehran, is the highest mountain in the Middle East. Damavand has many mythological tales associated with it but in reality it is a dormant volcano that still belches out sulphuric fumes strong enough to kill unfortunate stray sheep. Its image is one of the most recognizable icons in Iran, appearing on the IR10,000 note, on bottles of Damavand spring water and numerous other commercial items. Most people who go to Damavand do so to climb the peak, and start by heading to the large, comfortable Polour Camp (2270m), built by the Iran Mountaineering Federation and the best place to acclimatize before attempting the south and west face routes. The climbing season is from June to September, or May to October for experienced climbers.
Valiasr Street in Tehran is reportedly the longest street in the Middle East and one of the longest in the world and is a great place to relax. It is full of American-style fast food outlets like McMashallah and KFC. The street is where you come to do some serious shopping; it is full of expensive European brands.

Khajoo Bridgeiran The Khajoo in Isfahan crosses the Zayandeh River and dates to 1650. It also functions as a building in and of itself.

Tabriz Bazaar Complex

The Bazaar of Tabriz is amongst the oldest and largest in the world. It’s also a prime spot to buy rugs, jewelry, and clothing, or to meet the locals.

Northern Tehran Mountains/Darband It’s easy to get lost in the rich history, medieval glory, and modern political excitement of Iran. But Iran’s natural beauty should not be missed. Even if your trip takes you to the massive metropolis of Tehran, do take some time to explore the charming northern mountains of Darband, with its charming restaurants, cafes, and hiking areas.

Tomb of Imam Reza

Iran was not always a Shi’i-majority country. That distinction came after the establishment of the Safavid Dynasty. There are a few varieties of Shi’i Islam, but the most prominent is the Twelver branch, named after the twelve descendants of the Prophet Muhammad through his daughter Fatima and her husband Imam Ali. It is the eighth of these Imams, Imam Reza, who was martyred and buried in the city of Mashhad, whose very name means “place of martyrdom”. A visit to this shrine-city is essential to understand the centrality of pilgrimage to Iranian religiosity.

Things you should see in Iran!

• The Ruins of Persepolis

• Golestan Palace

• Tabriz’s Bazaar Complez

• Walk in Valiasr Street

• Monument of Freedom (Shahyad/Azadi)

• Visit Northern Tehran mountains/Darband

• Vank Cathedral (Armenian Church)

• Ferdowsi’s Tomb

• Tomb of Imam Reza

Top cities of Iran

Tehran – The Capital of Iran

Tehran Bozorg (Greater Tehran), the capital of the Islamic Republic of Iran and center of Tehran Province as well.
Tehran is one of the largest metropolitans of the world, and it is the country's largest economic center and the base for its large and small modern technological and industrial establishments. Located on the slopes of the mountains and at the foot of the magnificent Mount Damavand, it has been the country's capital city for over 200 years now.

Shiraz - The capital of Fars province

Shiraz is the capital of Fars province, one of the most beautiful, historical cities in the world. Shiraz is situated in southwestern Iran at an elevation of 1,800m above sea level. Shiraz is also the birthplace and resting place of the great Persian poets Hafez (the master of Persian lyrical poetry) and Sa'adi (the author of the famous Golestan, a book of sonnets called the Garden of Roses).

Isfahan

Isfahan is one of the oldest cities of Iran; it was a crossroad of international trade and diplomacy, and therefore was a kaleidoscope of resident languages, religions, and customs. The city is known for its silver filigree and metal work. This city is renowned not only for the abundance of great historical monuments, but also for its Life-Giving River and the Zayandeh-Rood which has given the city an original beauty and a fertile land. Esfahan is filled with old gardens and some of the best sights in Iran.

Persepolis

Means "City of Persians" was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire. Persepolis is situated 70 km northeast of city of Shiraz in Fars Province in Iran. The earliest remains of Persepolis date back to 515BC. It exemplifies the Achaemenid style of architecture. UNESCO declared the ruins of Persepolis a World Heritage Site in 1979.