16. Ta’rof!

As we talked about it at the first step, being Friendly is the most amazing feature of travelling to Iran. Iranians always treat their guest in the best possible way. Taarof is a unique Persian culture makes you feel not a stranger at all, although it may cause some cultural misunderstanding ?…It can’t be described in words, so Befarmaeed az nazdik bebinid…

17. Alamut

The fabled Alamut Valley offers a tempting invitation to hike, enjoy, explore and reflect among the fabled Castles of the Assassins. More than 50 fortresses that were once home to the medieval world’s most feared religious cult choose a day hike from Qazvin or more extensive wanderings from Gazor Khan, a full trans-Alborz crossing to the Caspian hinterland, an off-road tour in the heart of over 100-year-old jungles. Either way, this is some of the most rewarding hiking to be found in the Middle East.

18. Shiraz, the city of Literature

Even in the poorest home you’ll find two books: the Quran and the Divaneh Hafez. It’s appropriate for a country whose most celebrated sons are poets, and where almost every person can quote their favorite millennium-old man of words. In Shiraz, the city of nightingales, roses and gardens, the tombs of Hafez and Sa’di draw pilgrims from around the country. Join them as they linger over tea, reciting the works of their heroes, playing traditional Persian instruments and find out your answers among Hafiz Fals…

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19. Cheetah

You may wonder “Are there cheetahs in Iran??”…the answer is YES, although…

Iran is trying to save one of the world’s critically endangered species, the Asiatic cheetah. The Iranian cheetah, one of the fastest animals on earth, ranged long time ago from the Red Sea to India, nowadays its numbers shrunk to the level that it is hanging on by a thin thread. The survivors in Iran are estimated from 50 to 70 animals, mostly in the east part of the country.

20. Zoroastrian Fire Temples

Iran is an Islamic Republic, but varieties of religious sites amaze everyone. It’s Zoroastrian sites have an otherworldly charm. Chak Chak, out in a deliciously remote location in the Yazd hinterland, has a superb fire temple with a stunning brass door, even more stunning views, and an air of ritual, ancient and deep. This was the Zoroastrian heartland and remains its most significant pilgrimage site. It’s difficult to come here and not imagine yourself in the days before Islam arrived in Iran. There are other fire temples in Kerman and Yazd.

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11. Where is modern day Susa?

Even if you don’t normally seek out ancient ruins, these three World Heritage sites will make you reconsider. The great bulk and fascinating back story make the Choqa Zanbil Ziggurat, which dates back a mere 34 centuries, one of the most impressive historical sites in a region full of them. Now excavated, some of the bricks look as if they came out of the kill last week and the Tomb of Danial with its unique architecture. Susa or Shush is a fabulous ruin of a place with a castle, acropolis and palace remnants, while Shushtar impressively rounds things out. The ancient watermills of Shooshtar date back to Darius the Great, is a masterpiece of architecture.

12. Tehran Art Scene

Tehran’s excellent museums and palaces provide great insights into Iran’s past. However, to gain a handle on its present, don’t miss the city’s range of hip cafes and contemporary art galleries. These provide an entree into a side of modern Iranian life; they are creative, challenging and liberal, you seldom hear much about in the media. Even government sponsored institutions such as the Iran Holy Defence Museum and Qsar Garden Museum make inventive use of contemporary art. There are many galleries in Tehran which present contemporary art such as Aran art, Elahe Gallery, Homa art gallery, Aun gallery, Etemad gallery, Seyhoun art gallery, Silk Road art gallery, and Sien gallery.

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13. Islamic Bazaar

In the age of the superstore, most Iranians rely on these mazes of covered lanes, madrasehs and caravanserais for much of their shopping. Tehran, Esfahan, Shiraz, Kerman, Qazvin, Lar and Kashan all have atmospheric bazaars where you can browse beneath domed ceilings, dodge motorcycles and stop in teahouses for a brew. Perhaps the greatest is the World Heritage listed, Tabriz Bazaar, the world’s largest covered bazaar and once among the most important trading centers on the Silk Road.

14. UNESCO world heritage city of Iran, YAZD

Few places have adapted to their environment as well as the desert city of Yazd. It’s a gem of winding lanes, blue tiled domes, soaring minarets, bazaars, and Court yard homes topped by badgers (windrowers) and watered by Qanats (underground water channels). Several of these homes have been restored and converted into evocative traditional hotels. Many travelers declare Yazd to be their favorite city in Iran, and it’s not difficult to see why, combining as it does a whiff of magic on the cusp of the desert. Summer places not far from this desert area are the unexpected combination you can’t miss.

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15. Western Iran

With the slowdown in overland travel, few make it out west, but that’s just the way we like it. Track down UNESCO World Heritage, listed Armenian churches. Follow the route through Howraman on your way between Marivan and Paveh, named Thousand Masuleh for owning many villages the same as Masuleh. Explore the Aras Valley or spend time getting to know the Kurds around Howraman, the mountain villages around Paveh, the Azeris in the northwest, the Gilan on the Caspian Coast, the Arabs of Khuzestan and so many more unique attractions. Put them together and Western Iran is worth building your entire trip around.

6. Yummy Trip

Iranian food is one delicious surprise after another. Once you’ve tried several varieties of kabab, khoresht (stew), ash (soup), and flatbread, ask for Fesenjun (chicken in walnut and pomegranate sauce) or anything with Bademjan (eggplant), or try Gilan cuisine with its predominantly sour flavors, this city is the only registered UNESCO creative city of food under the name of Iran. Then you can try the Shirini (local sweets), … As exquisite as so many Iranian flavors are, it’s the buzz that surrounds eating, the primacy of food in so many social encounters that makes it truly one of life’s great pleasures.

7. Esfahan, city of the blue-tiled dome

There are moments in travel that will long stay with you, and your first Sight of Esfahan’s majestic Naqsh-e Jahan (Imam) Square is one of them. This Square is home to arguably the most majestic collection of buildings in the Islamic World: the perfectly proportioned blue-tiled dome of the Masjed-e Shah, the supremely elegant Masjed-e Sheikh Lotfollah, and the indulgent and lavishly decorated Ali Qapu Palace. Far from being a static architectural attraction, the square and the nearby traditional tea houses overlooking the river throng with life. The Qeysarieh bazaar which is surrounded by the square won’t let you feel the time passing!

8. Imam Reza Holy shrine

Iran is an Islamic Republic country and while most travelers find Islam is not nearly as all-pervasive as they had expected, the Shiite faith remains an important part of Iranian life. It is at its most obvious in the passionate devotion seen at monuments such as the huge Haram-e Razavi in Mashhad. The main draw here is the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza, the only Shiite imam buried in Iran. The passion and warmth you’ll encounter here lend a powerful sense of Islam as a force for good in the world. The city of Mashad is one of the important stops along the Silk Road.

9. Persian carpets

The Persian carpet is best known and appreciated among all hand-knotted carpets over the world. In the East, the carpet has particularly dated back to the 5^th or 6^th centuries; later the knotted carpet has been introduced in Persia by the Seljuks in the 11^th century. The oldest carpet we received is known as Pazyryk Carpet, from approximately 500 BC. The art of Persian rug reached the highest peaks during the Safavid dynasty or the beginning of the 17^th century. We classify the Persian carpets according to the knotting time: ancient, old, new, and modern Persian carpets; they usually take the name from the city or knotting area so we can divide them out of the areas of origin.

10. Persepolis

The artistic harmony of the monumental staircases, imposing gateways, and exquisite reliefs leaves you in little doubt that in its prime, Persepolis was at the center of the known world. These days it’s Iran’s premier ancient city. Built by kings Darius and Xerxes as the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire, located not far from the great city of Shiraz, is one of the attractions you need to add to your tour like it or not J. And do not miss the monolithic tomb that sat nearby Necropolis or Naqsh-e Rostam.

To be continued…

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1. Friendly People

The first impression after entering the country is “Do they know me?!”

In any competition for the title of the world’s friendliest people, Iranians would be definite finalists.

It’s the people that leave the most lasting impressions from any journey to Iran, their warmth and their hospitality, their willingness to set aside enmities between countries and welcome you with open arms and doors.

Whoever you meet, you will regularly bask what you think of Iran, told ‘You are our guest’ and brought tea, local sweets, and even food. Meeting Iranians is, quite simply, the best experience in Iran. 

 2. Desert

Three different types of deserts including various attractions have made Iran a popular destination for desert lovers. The welcome is rarely warmer than in the vast, empty silence of Iran’s two great deserts. Garmeh is the oasis village of your dreams, with a crumbling castle, swaying date palms, and the sound of spring water. It’s the sort of place you come for one night and stay more. Nearby Farahzad and tiny Toudeshk Cho, between Esfahan and Na’in, also offer memorable desert-style family homestays; think beds on the floor, basic bathrooms, fresh, delicious home-cooked food, and endless horizons just outside your door.

3. Not only sand dunes

In addition to big desert areas in the land of Persia, mountain chains of North and West are the big reasons for a completely different nature in the western and northern parts. Mount. Alborz is located in the north of Iran and Zagros in the west.

You can enjoy unique nature such as mountain parks, Nomadic life, mountain villages, 100 years old jungles, and much more attractions.

4. Nomads of the Zagros

About two million Iranians from several different ethnic groups still live a nomadic existence, traveling with their goats in spring and autumn in search of pasture. Qashqa’i and Bakhtiyari nomads spend the summer months in the Zagros Mountains, before heading down to the coast for the winter. You can get a taste of nomad life on a day trip from Shiraz to Sepidan or Khan Zenyan.

5. Skiing

Think Iran and skiing is hardly the first thing that springs to mind. But Iran has more than 20 ski fields and most of the action is conveniently concentrated around Tehran. The Dizin and Shemshak resorts are the pick, with steep downhills and plenty of untracked Powder to keep skiers of all levels interested. Chalets and ski passes are inexpensive compared with Western countries and the slopes are relatively liberal, beloved as they are by Tehran’s upper-middle class. Pooladkaf ski resort is another one located in the south of the country.

To be continued…

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