Excursions in Iran: Yazd City Tour
The focal point of the Old Town is the Friday Mosque - or Masjed Jameh. It appears to be the tallest building in Yazd and is a magnificent sight. Adjacent to here is the bazaar, not one of the country's best but nevertheless excellent for a wander.
Yazd, old town.
Yazd is a desert city, a fact immediately obvious on entering the Old Town. Everything is made of adobe, even the air-conditioning units.
The focal point of the Old Town is the Friday Mosque - or Masjed Jameh. It appears to be the tallest building in Yazd and is a magnificent sight. Adjacent to here is the bazaar, not one of the country's best but nevertheless excellent for a wander. As you reach the end of the eastern section of the bazaar, cross the main road and into the western part. Here you can find, down an alleyway, an old merchant's home that has been converted into a tremendous restaurant and basic, though atmospheric, guesthouse. Come here for lunch or dinner - often young Yazdis come here to meet foreigners, so it could be your chance to have dinner with some locals.
Immediately outside this section of the bazaar is the other key Islamic sight in Yazd, the Amir Chaqmak Complex. It dominates the city around and you can climb up onto the roof for a marvellous sunset view.
It is also well worth popping into the nearby Qanat museum which has some fascinating exhibits on the construction of qanats, or underground water systems, a true lifeline for inhabitants of this desert city. Elsewhere in Yazd there are lots of lesser known sights well worth your time.