Explore the Rich Culture and Beauty of Iran A MustSee Tour and Travel Experience
I have travelled to over 70 countries and after travelling to Iran twice I can honestly say Iran is one of the most beautiful countries in the world.
Sure, Iran is not your typical holiday or backpacking destination and it certainly doesn’t have a great reputation nowadays. But you know what?
Iran is absolutely one of the best places to visit in The Middle East, and if you’re willing to look beyond how the Western media portrays Iran, and see the country and the people for how they really are, you are going to have a trip filled with happiness, adventures and the most wonderful memories of a beautiful country.
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Plus you will leave having made a lot of Iranian friends as Iranian people are some of the most friendly people in the world!
In this article I will show you some of the most beautiful places in Iran – whether you fancy spending one week, 10 days in Iran, two weeks or even more! Or even if you don’t have plans to go but you are just interested to see pictures of Iran.
Personally I spent two weeks in Iran and followed the itinerary below, which will show you some of the most beautiful places in Iran, as well as the best things to see and do.
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Below the itinerary you’ll also find some invaluable tips to help make your travel to and around Iran as hassle-free as possible.
Iran has some of the most breathtakingly beautiful architecture and scenery I have seen. The amount of intricate detail on these historical centuries-old buildings, the mosques especially, was absolutely mind-blowing.
And what’s even more crazy to me is why these kinds of images of Iran are never shown to the public. Anything that is in the media about Iran is always negative, and sadly is always focused around geo-politics.
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When I visited Iran I wanted to document as much as I could about this wonderful country, so I could show people the beauty of Iran and hope to inspire people to look at Iran with a fresh pair of eyes and curiosity.
For photographers, I definitely recommend bringing a wide-angle lens such as the Tokina AF 16-28mm f/2.8 to be able to capture all the detail in the architecture.
Tehran, Iran’s capital, is extremely large and pretty chaotic. But it is also very modern and the most liberal city in the Islamic Republic.
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Despite there being so many things to see and do in Tehran, Iran’s capital, tourists often skip visiting this modern city and head straight to the picturesque and historical cities of Shiraz and Isfahan.
In fact, most Iranians who are not from Tehran will tell you to just skip Tehran when travelling through Iran. Compared to the other big cities Tehran does lack a lot of history and grand buildings that other Iranian cities and towns possess.
It can feel like a rat-race in Tehran too as it is so busy. Traffic is always bad, and so as a result the city is often covered in smog due to the pollution.
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Tehran is modern day Iran – you’ll see a real mix of people: from beautiful young women with their headscarfs barely covering their heads next to women covered head to toe in black chadors.
Spending time in this chaotic metropolis will really help you to understand Iran’s interesting modern-day history and the views of the Iranian people.
Tehran is very easy and cheap to get around on the metro – although the metro does get pretty packed! Alternatively you can use the ‘snapp’ app for taxis (Iran’s version of Uber).
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The walled palace is one of Tehran’s oldest buildings and is UNESCO World Heritage Site listed. It wasthe residence of the Qajar Dynasty, who from 1785-1925 ruled the Persian Empire.
Entrance to the courtyard is IRR 150, 000, and it costs another IRR150, 000 to enter the main room (mirror room) which was used for coronations and Royal Weddings.
But many people, myself included, only pay to visit the gardens and the main room (mirror room) as these are the most beautiful parts.
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The best way to get to Golestan Palace is by metro: get off at metro stopPanzdah-e Khordad on line 1 (red line).
Head up to the last stop on line 1 (red line) to Tajrish Metro station. Your first stop in Tajrish is the bazaar – a beautiful aesthetically pleasing andtourist-friendly bazaar.
You can shop for lots of nice crafts, souvenirs and traditional Iranian sweets here, as well as buy some cheap fruit and vegetables or stop in the many Iranian tea houses.
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Tajrish Bazaar backs onto the picturesque Imamzadeh Saleh shrine (also known as Tajrish Mosque). This is a very popular pilgrimage site for local people as it is the burial place of Imamzadeh – one of the sons of the seventh Shia Imam.
The shrine is beautiful, with the dome covered in beautiful tiles. Inside, like other shrines in Iran, it is covered with many mirrors. Visitors will be allowed inside the shrine outside of prayer times.
As you come out of the shrine you will see the incredible snow-capped mountains very close to you. Head in that direction next to the beautiful village of Darband.
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When the hustle and bustle and traffic smog of Tehran starts to get too much, the beautiful and unique village of Darband is the perfect escape.
Darband is one of Tehran’s oldest rural villages and was always known for it’s country life, fresh mountain water and cool fresh air.
Today the neighbourhood is one of the most upmarket destinations in Tehran for tourism, relaxing and casual dining, whilst still retaining it’s quaint village vibe.
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The village lies at the foot of Mount Tochal and is so unique and makes a totally different experience from the rest of Tehran. Darband is definitely an absolute must-visit on any trip to Tehran.
A 5-10 minute taxi ride from Tajrish Square (500 metre walk from the metro – close to Imamzadeh Saleh Shrine), takes you to Darband.
It is always a lot cheaper to get a shared taxi as opposed to just getting a private taxi. A shared taxi should cost around 15, 000 IR. A private taxi however can charge 4 or 5 times more as it knows you are a tourist!
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Alternatively you can just walk to Darband from Tajrish metro station – it is just under 3km walk uphill and it should take around 30 minutes.
Strolling along the pedestrianised street you’ll see lots of cute food stalls selling kebabs and dried fruit, as well as many restaurants and cafes dotted along a lovely little stream that runs below the middle of the street.
No visit to Darband is complete without enjoying a tea or some food in one of the many cafes or restaurants here.
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Darband is also the start of the hiking trail to Mount Tochal, which is another reason why people, especially the locals love to visit Darband.
‘ in the Farsi/Persian language. The hike to Mount Tochal is not challenging but it does take around 3 hours walking to reach the top of the mountain.
You can also get a cablecar up to Mount Tochal from Darband if you don’t have the energy or time to do the hike!
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From Mount Tochal you get views all over Tehran – just note that often the view down over the city can be a bit overwhelming if the city is covered in smog, as it will mean the smog will obstruct the skyline down below!
Whatever you decide to do, don’t skip this beautiful village in Tehran. It makes the perfect retreat from the bustling city below.
Lots of the restaurants in Darband have little tents (like in the picture below) where you can eat and drink in private if you wish for some peace and quiet.
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I definitely recommend to eat in one of these tents – for me it was something I had never done before and I just loved the informal setting!
Of course in these tents you will sit on the floor on a Persian rug for your meal and there will be a little table for your food. There is also shisha (hookah) available if you wish.
You are welcome to stay in the tents as long as you want – it’s a place to relax so you can stay there long after you’ve finished your meal if you want!
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You’ll also find lots of local Iranian people here as Darband is a popular place for them to enjoy, especially at the weekend. Nevertheless, it definitely doesn’t feel crowded.
Personally I love meeting the locals of a country, and Iranian people are so friendly and welcoming and really love to chat to visitors to their country.
As Darband lies at the foot of Mount Tochal it is a little cooler here than in the rest of Tehran. I visited at the end of February and it was snowing a little! Therefore you might want to bring an extra layer or two!
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The Azadi Tower, also known as the Freedom Tower, is Tehran’s iconic landmark. The tall white marble futuristic building completed in 1971 paystribute to the 2500th Anniversary of The Persian Empire.
It is adjacent to Mehrabad Airport,
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