Step into a journey where the future and the past of Iran walk side by side. The Modern and Traditional Iran Tour is designed for curious travelers who want to see both faces of this country: glittering malls, stylish cafés, and seaside fun on one side, and ancient bazaars, royal gardens, and timeless monuments on the other. Each day offers a play of contrasts—metro rides in Tehran followed by carriage tours in Isfahan, seafood at a modern beach club balanced with homemade Persian stews in a family house. Even your meals are designed around this contrast: one modern bite and one traditional feast every day. This is not just sightseeing; it’s about tasting, feeling, and living the rhythm of a nation that exists in two worlds at once.
Duration
10 Days/ 9 Nights
Start Point
End Point
Tour Type
Tour Highlights
See Iran’s modern face (Milad Tower, Iran Mall, luxury cafés, contemporary galleries).
Feel Iran’s traditional heart (Persepolis, Naqsh-e Jahan Sq., Yazd mud-brick lanes, Kashan historic houses).
Daily contrast experiences: metro vs. carriage, luxury malls vs. old bazaars, fusion dining vs. home-cooked feasts.
Flexible island chapter: Kish or Qeshm.
About this Tour
Tour Include
- 9-nights’ accommodation (mix of modern hotels + boutique traditional houses)
- Domestic flight(s): Tehran ↔ Kish/Qeshm; island → Shiraz (or overland alternative)
- Private transport for intercity journeys
- Daily breakfast
- local expert guides
- Airport transfers
- Visa Authorization Code
Tour Exclude
- International flights
- visas, travel insurance
- personal expenses
- tips, Entrance fees
- Cultural activities: gallery visit, craft workshop, music/theater night (as available)
Itinerary
Day 1 – Tehran Arrival
Your journey begins in the vibrant capital. After a light brunch in a stylish café, you’ll explore the Grand Bazaar, where spices, carpets, and the sound of merchants surround you with centuries of tradition. As the sun sets, you’ll head to Milad Tower for breathtaking views of Tehran’s skyline, ending the night with a hearty bowl of dizi, a stone-pot stew that’s as Persian as it gets.
Day 2 – Tehran’s Contrasts
The morning takes you into the sleek halls of Iran Mall, where modern brands and concept stores reflect today’s Iran. Lunch is a creative fusion plate in one of the mall’s bistros, showing Persian flavors with a modern twist. Later, the ornate Golestan Palace tells stories of Qajar kings and old Tehran. Dinner is a traditional kebab with saffron rice in a heritage-style restaurant before a possible evening theater show in the city.
Day 3 – Off to the Islands (Kish or Qeshm)
A short flight brings you south. On Kish Island, your day blends sun, sea, and sport: jet-skiing or parasailing before a fresh international lunch at a waterfront café. By evening, you’ll share a simple grilled fish meal near the old fishermen’s pier, watching the sunset. If you choose Qeshm, your boat ride into the Hara mangroves is followed by a seafood bowl for lunch in a modern café, while dinner features the spiced southern dish ghalieh mahi, cooked by locals.
Day 4 – Island Exploration
Your second day deepens the contrast. In Kish, you’ll wander shiny duty-free malls in the morning and later sip coffee at a trendy beach café. By dinner, it’s back to the roots with mahi sefid, white fish cooked the traditional way. In Qeshm, minimalist beach cafés serve your light lunch before you step into the mud-brick alleys of Laft village. The evening is reserved for a fragrant southern shrimp biryani, cooked with saffron and local spices.
Day 5 – Shiraz, City of Poetry and Gardens
Shiraz welcomes you with an artistic morning—time in a contemporary gallery and coffee in a design-forward café. Lunch is fusion-style, where pomegranate glazes meet creative Persian plates. In the afternoon, tradition takes over as you walk the Vakil Bazaar and Narenjestan Garden, full of orange blossoms. Dinner is pure comfort: kalam polo Shirazi, a rice dish with cabbage, herbs, and meatballs, enjoyed in a cozy local restaurant.
Day 6 – Persepolis and Modern Nights
A short drive brings you face-to-face with the majestic ruins of Persepolis and Naqsh-e Rostam. After a traditional lunch of kofteh or local stew near the site, you return to Shiraz. The evening is modern and chic: dinner in a design-forward restaurant where chefs reinvent Persian classics for the 21st century, paired with mocktails or herbal infusions. Overnight in Yazd.
Day 7 – Yazd’s Timeless Desert
Arriving in Yazd, you’ll wander through its clay alleys, admire the tall windcatchers, and visit the ancient water systems called qanats. Lunch is a local specialty—gheymeh Yazdi or a bowl of hearty shuli soup—served in a traditional courtyard house. Later, relax with coffee and dessert in a minimalist café that blends perfectly with the desert’s calm mood. Dinner offers lighter modern plates like flatbread pizzas or fresh bowls, giving balance to your day.
Day 8 – Isfahan, Half of the World
Isfahan greets you with the majesty of Naqsh-e Jahan Square, its mosques glowing in turquoise. Lunch here is the famous Beryani-e Isfahan, a dish found nowhere else. The afternoon brings a shift to modern life as you explore Isfahan City Center, with cinemas, VR, and shopping. Dinner is international—anything from sushi to pasta—inside the lively food court. A carriage ride around the square after sunset ties modern pleasure back to tradition.
Day 9 – From Isfahan Bridges to Kashan Elegance
Start the day with tea and sweets by the historic bridges of Si-o-se-pol and Khaju, where locals gather to sing by the river. A traditional khoresht-e beh (quince stew) makes a warm lunch before your drive to Kashan. In the evening, discover boutique design shops and enjoy a modern chef-led dinner with creative small plates in a stylish Kashan eatery.
Day 10 – Kashan and return to Tehran
Your final day celebrates Kashan’s elegance with visits to Tabatabaei and Borujerdi Houses, and the refreshing Fin Garden. Lunch is light but traditional—perhaps saffron faludeh or a tasting of herbal distillates. Before heading back to Tehran, you step into a modern design studio or fashion gallery, closing your tour with a taste of Iran’s contemporary creativity. At the airport lounge, a modern-style farewell meal reminds you of the contrasts you’ve lived each day—between timeless tradition and today’s Iran.
Guest Reviews
