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Iran

8

Reasons To
Visit Iran

  • Ancient History & Ruins

    scattered throughout the country are the ancient glories of the Persian empire, from the awe-inspiring site of Persepolis and Naqsh-e Rostam to the austere Tomb of Cyrus.

    Ancient History & Ruins

  • Architecture

    Iran is home to a dazzling array of ancient and modern architecture from palaces and qajar houses to thousand year old world heritage listed sites.

    Architecture

  • Bazaars

    Carpets are synonymous with Iran and browsing through the dusty and vibrant local markets to pick up a bargain is a great insight into Iranian culture.

    Bazaars

  • Carpets

    Iran's most famous export, carpet weaving forms an essential part of Persian art and culture and you'll find plenty of examples in Tehran's carpet museum.

    Carpets

  • Islamic Art

    Famous for its geometrical shapes and complex floral patterns Iran is home to some of the world's best examples of Islamic art.

    Islamic Art

  • Islamic Republic

    Although the strict customs and rules of the Iranian Muslim faith can seem daunting at first, a deeper look into the culture will reveal a more contemplative and considerate attitude.

    Islamic Republic

  • Local people

    Extremely friendly, Iranians are very aware of their perceived image in the west and are keen to re-dress the balance. Iranians are rightly famous for their warm hospitality.

    Local people

  • Silk Route Cities

    Yazd, Hamadan and Tehran are all synonymous with the Silk Route and still inspire the same excitement and allure as they have done to Silk Road travellers for hundred of years.

    Silk Route Cities

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Highlights of Iran

    • Amble around the old houses in Abyaneh
    • At least 1500 years old, this mountain village is famous for its adobe houses with lattice windows and fragile wooden balconies.
    • Amble around the old houses in Abyaneh
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    • 51.609650
    • Iran
    • 39.777229309082
    • 63.3174781799316
    • 25.064079284668
    • 44.0472717285156
    • Explore the ruins at Persepolis
    • Dating back to around 518 BC, Persepolis was Darius the Great's ancient capital in the days of the first Persian Empire.
    • Explore the ruins at Persepolis
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    • Iran
    • 39.777229309082
    • 63.3174781799316
    • 25.064079284668
    • 44.0472717285156
    • Go walking around Yazd
    • Yazd is squeezed between the Zagros mountains and the Dasht-e Kavir desert, and is a great place to go walking, with some excellent accommodation options to enjoy after.
    • Go walking around Yazd
    • 31.897672
    • 54.360352
    • Iran
    • 39.777229309082
    • 63.3174781799316
    • 25.064079284668
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    • See Imam square in Esfahan
    • The main attraction of Esfahan is the breathtakingly beautiful Imam square which includes Imam Mosque, Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque and Ali Qapu Palace.
    • See Imam square in Esfahan
    • 32.653829
    • 51.672821
    • Iran
    • 39.777229309082
    • 63.3174781799316
    • 25.064079284668
    • 44.0472717285156
    • Visit the villages around Tabriz
    • The starting point for visits into North-Western Iran, a fertile mountainous region full of unspoilt villages.
    • Visit the villages around Tabriz
    • 38.079447
    • 46.290894
    • Iran
    • 39.777229309082
    • 63.3174781799316
    • 25.064079284668
    • 44.0472717285156

Our country specialists have travelled the length and breadth of Iran - here are a few of their favourite things to do

Prepare to be surprised. This huge country, three times the size of France and with a population of 70 million, contains a bewildering array of world-class sights, lasting testament to a tumultuous 5,000-year history that has left an indelible mark on both East and West.

First-time visitors

Kipling said the "twain" would never meet, though he perhaps hadn't visited Iran. The country’s constellation of sights are without equal in the Islamic world. The brightest star of all is, of course, Esfahan, that eternally evocative name, recalling the most sublime architectural and intellectual achievements of Persian culture. Together with Shiraz and nearby Persepolis, this triumvirate forms the core of any journey to Iran.

Around Iran

In the northwest the city of Tabriz has been famous for the manufacture of carpets for a thousand years. In the far south are the ancient remains of the Elamite civilisation at Choqa Zanbil. In the centre are the picturesque villages of the Zagros Mountains, giving way to the deserts of Eastern Iran and the cities of Kerman, en route to Baluchistan, and Mashhad, home to the mausoleum of Imam Reza, a direct descendant of the Prophet Mohammed.

Popular Places to visit in Iran

{7D65C9BE-C6C2-4667-8365-E6A7F423704A}Esfahan

Esfahan is an unmitigated delight and one of the best places in Iran to meet locals, for whom this city is their proudest achievement. There are at least a dozen sights of dazzling quality in Esfahan, including three of the finest religious buildings anywhere.

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{5F394842-FAA3-41EC-9E3A-E686C61F6788}Persepolis

Smothered in sand and rock until the 1930s, the amazing site of Persepolis was once a religious and cultural powerhouse, dominating peoples as disparate as the Scythians of Siberia and the Copts of Ethiopia.

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{9290E524-8D1A-4E38-9D73-F3EA98BB395D}Shiraz

In Shiraz the locals are friendly, liberal and literate, the climate is pleasant for most of the year; and the nearby attractions of Persepolis and Naqsh-e-Rostam are the equal of anything in Athens or Rome.

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{19EF71C2-6F97-4610-9184-07876902006B}Tabriz

Tabriz is synonymous with carpets. Not just good carpets, but great ones. The best carpets in the Louvre, the British Museum and the Metropolitan are all Iranian, and usually from Tabriz.

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{3527C344-0AC7-47F6-BA3D-2DA69BCBFD2B}Yazd

Squeezed between the Zagros mountains and the Dasht-e Kavir desert in central Iran is Yazd, the centre of Zoroastrianism and an excellent place to walk through and explore.

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Practical Info

Flight time from UK

7.5 hours (Direct to Tehran)

Timezone

GMT+3.5 hours

When To Go

Jan
Travel is possible, but this is not the best time of year
Feb
Travel is possible, but this is not the best time of year
Mar
A good time to travel, but there may be some factors to be aware of
Apr
The best time to travel
May
The best time to travel
Jun
A good time to travel, but there may be some factors to be aware of
Jul
A good time to travel, but there may be some factors to be aware of
Aug
A good time to travel, but there may be some factors to be aware of
Sep
The best time to travel
Oct
The best time to travel
Nov
A good time to travel, but there may be some factors to be aware of
Dec
Travel is possible, but this is not the best time of year
Read more

Read first-hand tips and advice from our travel specialists.

View Specialist Knowledge

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