Are you planning to visit Iran on your next trip and you’re
looking for the best places to visit?
With many beautiful cities, a rich history, stunning landscapes,
mesmerizing islands, friendly people and of course delicious foods, I can say
without a doubt that Iran would be one of your interesting destinations.
To help you plan your trip, we have prepared this
list of the 39 best things to do in Iran, with all the highlights and
must-see attractions. It will for sure give you an idea of your travel to
Iran Itinerary.
So, what are the best points of interest in Iran?
You know that Iran
has a vast landscape and every cities and region have a different historical
background and natural attractions.
So it is not easy to
cover all parts of the country and all attractions, so to make it more
practical we will classify it as below;
· Classic
Route
Tehran,
Kashan, Yazd, Shiraz, Isfahan
• Tehran
1. Golestan Palace
2. Jewelry Museum
3. Azadi Tower
4.Tehran Grand Bazaar
• Kashan
5.Mosque of Agha Bozorg
6. Historical Houses
• Isfahan
7. Naqsh-e Jahan
8. Mosque of the Shah/Imam
9. Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque
10. Ali Qapu Palace
11. Vank Cathedral
• Yazd
12. Shaking Minaret and the
the abandoned village of Kharanaq
13. Amir Chakhmaq Complex
14. Tower Of Silence
15. Narin Castle/ Naryn Castle/
Narin Qale
• Shiraz
16.Persepolis
17.Nasir al-Molk Mosque
18. Eram Garden
19. Vakil Complex
• Kerman
20.Bam Citadel
21. Kalouts/ Kaluts/ Kaloots
Desert
• South Islands
22. Qeshm Island
23.Hormuz Island/ Hormoz Island
• North- West of Iran;
24. Kandovan
25. The Saint Stepanos Monastery:
26.Tabriz Bazaar
• South- West of Iran
27. Ziggurat Choghazenbil
28. Chahar Mahal and Bakhtiari
Province
• Most important pilgrim sites
29. Imam Reza holey shrine in
Mashhad
30. Fatemeh Masoumeh holy shrine
in Qom
31. Shah Cheragh Shiraz
• North of Iran
32. Rudkhan Castle
33. Masoule/ Masuleh
34. Badab-e Surt springs
• West of Iran (Kermanshah province)
35.Taq-e Bostan;
36. Bistoon/ Bisotoun Historic
Site;
• Sand dune desert;
37. Mesr desert
38. Varzaneh desert
39.Maranjab desert
Classic route
Here we start from the classic route which most tourists in
their first trip to Iran will visit it:
Tehran, Kashan, Yazd, Shiraz, Isfahan
·
Tehran
So we start this guide of the best things to do in Iran with
the Capital, Tehran.
Most tourists don't miss visiting Tehran, despite what you might
think, it isn’t the most tourist city in the country but still offers you tons
of tourist and historical sites.
1. Golestan Palace
The
magnificent Golestan Palace, it is the former Qajar complex, consists of
17 structures, including palaces, museums, and halls. Almost this entire
complex was built during the 131-year rule of the Qajar kings. These palaces
were used for many different occasions such as coronations and other important
celebrations. It also consists of three main archives, including the
photographic archive, the library of manuscripts, and the archive of documents.
2. Jewelry Museum
The Treasury of National Jewels is a museum in Iran. It is a collection
of the most expensive jewels of the world, collected over centuries.
Each piece recalls memories of victories
and defeats of former kings, their power and weakness.
3. Azadi Tower
Azadi Tower is known as the Landmark of Tehran
and even Iran.
This tower has a unique design and has
seen a lot of historical, political and social events as far as many people
have chosen it as the symbol of Tehran.
4. Tehran Grand Bazaar
Tehran Grand Bazaar is a must be seen site when you visit
Tehran. This Bazaar has over 10 kilometers of labyrinthine alleyways filled
with covered shops. You will find everything from jewelry to carpets and pots
and pans for sale here.
It is one of Tehran’s oldest areas; you
can see history and character at the same time and enjoy fantastic restaurants
around.
Click to this article and you can meet top
ten sites you can visit in Tehran.
And here you can have the list of other
sites (Cultural, Natural), you can visit In Tehran.
·
Kashan
A small city with a rich history, locating en
route from Tehran to Isfahan lets Kashan grab the attention of tourists easily.
5. Mosque of Agha
Bozorg
Mosque of Agha Bozorg is famous for its precise, symmetric
architecture and attractive appearance.
In Persian architecture, buildings have
a central courtyard and a pool in the middle and Agha Bozorg Mosque, built in the
late 18th century, shows this ancient beauty in its extreme.
6. Historical Houses
Kashan's merchants have built these
luxurious houses to show their culture nicely. We call these wonderful
masterpieces historical houses.
The most important ones are:
Borujerdi
House
Tabatabaee
House
Abasian
House
·
Isfahan:
One of the most remarkable cities of
Iran is Isfahan. Isfahan is known for its Persian architecture. Here are
the sites you can visit in Isfahan.
7. Naqsh-e Jahan
The Naqsh-e Jahan Square (also known as Imam Square) is one of
the main attractions of Isfahan that has several architectural
wonders.
8. Mosque of the
Shah/Imam
At the southern edge of the square, which
is more than half a kilometer long, is the Imam Mosque. Completed in
1629, it is undoubtedly the premier example of Islamic architecture in
Iran.
9. Sheikh Lotfollah
Mosque
On the eastern side of the Naqsh-e
Jahan Square, you can see the mesmerizing Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque. Sheikh
Lotfollah is distinguished for his work of creamy gold tile and its
intricate decorations, not to mention the imposing central dome - enchanting
inside and out.
10. Ali Qapu Palace
Opposite the Sheikh
Lotfullah Mosque, there is the six-story Ali
Qapu Palace, a royal residence used by Shah Abbas to host his formal
meetings. It is Completed at the end of the 16th century.
11. Vank Cathedral
Vank Cathedral is the most impressive
worship site for Armenian subsequently is built in Iran in the 17th century. The exterior of
the cathedral is of relatively simple brick, brownish-yellow. On the contrary,
inside can be described as intricate and colorful wall paintings, containing
some disturbing depictions of the terrors of hell.
·
Check this article to meet the top ten sites you can visit in Isfahan.
·
And here you can have the list of other sites (Cultural, Natural), you can
visit In Isfahan.
·
Yazd
Yazd is believed to
be the world's oldest adobe city. The historic city of Yazd is the
first Iran city, which is submitted on the UNESCO list.
12. Shaking Minaret and
the abandoned village at Kharanaq
No day trip to
Yazd province completes without a tour to the ancient village of Kharanaq.
It's been inhabited for more than 1,000 years. Visitors are free to discover
abandoned remains. Highlights include a Qajar-era mosque and ancient aqueducts
below the valley.
You
can book a city tour from Yazd to Kharanaq, Chak Chak and Meybod desert here.
13. Amir Chakhmaq
Complex
The central architectural complex of Yazd, the Amir Chakhmaq complex, is located in the heart of the
city and a square of the same name. The heavy, three-story facade shows a beautiful symmetrical stone facade that glows brightly after sunset.
14. Tower Of Silence
Tower Of Silence was a place for
dead bodies, by the late 1960s, according to tradition, the bodies of the
deceased Zoroastrians remained in the main pits of the towers for the selection
of protective birds. Abandoned Zoroastrian buildings at the base of the
hills help to breathe the unnatural air of this place.
You
can book a city tour in Yazd here.
15. Narin Castle/ Naryn
Castle/ Narin Qale
In the center of
Meybod (56 K.m far from Yazd), crumbling Narin castle rose and
reveals three layers of construction, the oldest foundations suggest some kind
of the settlement was built here as early as 4000 BC.
The view from the
top of the castle gives an interesting view of the town of Meybod and shows how
the growing population of the citadel settled beyond the castle walls.
You
can book a city tour from Yazd to Kharanaq, Chak Chak and Meybod desert here.
·
Check this article to meet the top ten sites you can visit in Yazd.
·
And here you can have the list of other sites (Cultural, Natural) that you can
visit In Yazd.
·
Shiraz
16. Persepolis
The most glorious
sites of Iran, Persepolis, or Takht-e Jamshid in
Persian, was the capital of the great Achaemenid empire over 2500 years ago,
ransacked by Alexander, this site is the culmination of ancient Iranian
political and architectural achievements.
You
can book a city tour from Yazd to Shiraz includes visiting Persepolis here.
17. Nasir al-Molk Mosque
Nasir al-Molk Mosque, Also known as the
Pink Mosque, was completed in 1888. It is celebrated for its stunningly
colorful interiors: colored glass windows, intricate tiles and arches, and
countless Persian carpets creating a kaleidoscopic aesthetic. Along with a row
of delicately carved columns, every aspect of the Nasir al-Molk mosque is
very photogenic from the past.
18. Eram Garden
Shiraz is known for
cultivating beautiful gardens and Eram Garden is certainly a
model of excellence. At the center, there is a small pool and the magnificent
Qajar palace, though closed to the public.
19. Vakil Complex
Vakil complex includes Vakil
bazaar, Vakil mosque, and Vakil bath.
-
Vakil Bazaar:
The wonderfully
photogenic Vakil Bazaar is Shiraz’s main market place and home to hundreds of
shops and stalls.
-
Vakil Mosque:
Vakil Mosque is one
of the most prominent Zand dynasty monuments and shines like a diamond in the
heart of Shiraz because of its stunning architecture.
-
Vakil Bath:
Iranian traditional
bath is deserved to be known as one of the symbols of ancient
Iranian civilization. They are perfectly adapted to the dry climate of Iran
to optimize the usage of water. Vakil bath, no doubt is one of the best
designed and best-preserved baths of its kind (together with Kerman Ganjali
Khan bath). Now it uses as a cultural museum.
· Check this article to meet the top ten sites you can visit in Shiraz.
· And here you can have the list of other sites (Cultural, Natural) you can visit In Shiraz.
Above sites were
some important ones you can visit in the classic route.
If you have more
days for more cities don't miss the next cities and the next attractions;
·
Kerman
20. Bam Citadel
Bam Citadel (Arg-é
Bam) is the world's largest mud-brick building. It is located near
the city of Bam in Kerman province in southeastern Iran and its
Cultural Landscape is an outstanding example of a Central Asian trading
settlement.
The ancient citadel
of Arg-é Bam probably has a history dating back around 2000 years ago
but most buildings were built during the Safavid dynasty.
Bam was almost
destroyed in an earthquake in 2003. Many countries as well as UNESCO
and, of course, Iran contributed funds and expertise to the Citadel's
restoration.
The restoration is
impressive not the least for the way the ruins are incorporated into the
restoration.
Bam is 190 K.m (2 hours
far) from Kerman, and unfortunately, many tourists skip from visiting it but it
is worth to be visited.
21. Kalouts/ Kaluts/
Kaloots Desert
130 K.m driving from
Kerman, we will visit Shahdad Kalouts and these glorious high and strange
cliffs that are shaped by centuries of water and soil erosion create
spectacular desert scenery giving a real scene of isolation.
Observing starry sky
of the Kalouts is a unique experience for everybody.
·
Here you can have the list of other sites (Cultural, Natural) that you can
visit In Kerman.
·
South Islands
22. Qeshm Island
Qeshm Island, the largest Iranian island, is located in the
Strait of Hormuz.
Qeshm is
fringed with biologically diverse landscape from mangrove forests, attractive
beaches, and 60 Harbor villages to geologically
significant canyons, hills, caves, and valleys,
most of which are protected as part of the UNESCO-recognised Qeshm Island Geopark.
23. Hormuz Island/
Hormoz Island
Hormuz Island located in the
Strait of Hormuz, it is the land of color and wonder. This magnificent
Island offers you wonderful views, untouched natures, special traditions and
lifestyles.
Most important
attractions in Hormuz are;
Salt Goddess,
rainbow valley, the valley of statues and red beach and Portuguese castle.
·
Read here one trip diary to Qeshm Island.
·
And here you can have the list of other sites (Cultural, Natural), you can
visit In BandarAbas and Hormozgan Province.
·
North- West of Iran
24. Kandovan
Kandovan Village is one of the most beautiful
tourist attractions of East Azerbaijan Province. There are three rocky
villages in the world, the village of Capadokiya in Turkey and the village
of Dakota in the US and the third one is the beautiful village of Kandovan in
Iran. Unlike the other two villages, local people are living there, who are
mostly farmers or ranchers. There are currently about 3 families living in the
village.
25. The Saint Stepanos
Monastery
The Saint Stepanos
Monastery, also known in Armenian as Maghardavank, is an Armenian
monastery located about 15 km northwest of the city of Julfa in the province of
East Azarbaijan, northwestern Iran. The St. Stepanos Monastery is
one of the most ancient churches in the world which was built back in the ninth
century.
The whole area of the
monastery is located in the heart of mountains and the middle of the green
nature of Jolfa and the Azerbaijan Republic borderline. It is situated
in a deep canyon along the Araxes, on the Iranian side of the border between
Iran and Nakhchivan.
26. Tabriz Bazaar
The Bazaar of Tabriz is a historical
market situated in the city center of Tabriz, Iran. It is one of the oldest
bazaars in the Middle East and the largest covered bazaar in the world.
Tabriz Historic Bazaar
The complex consists of a series of interconnected, covered, brick
structures, buildings, and enclosed spaces for different functions. It is one
of the most complete examples of the traditional commercial and cultural
system of Iran.
·
Here you can have the list of other sites (Cultural, Natural), you can
visit In Tabriz and East Azerbaijan province.
·
South- West
27. Ziggurat
Choghazenbil
Ziggurat
Choghazenbil is a temple that the Elamites built for their gods
around 1250 BC. Choghazanbil is located 45 kilometers south of Shoush near the
ancient area of Haft Tapeh in Khuzestan province.
The Choghaznebil
Temple is the largest surviving architectural work of Elamite civilization
to date. Ziggurat Choghaznebil building is made of brick and on its bricks,
many inscriptions can be seen in the Ilam line. Throughout the ziggurat, waterways can
be seen, perhaps because of their protection against flooding. Inside the
enclosure is also a large solar clock.
On the opposite side
of the city and on the northwest side there is an external fence for water, and
the ziggurat has the world's oldest water treatment plant.
Chogaznebil was the
a first historical monument in Iran to be listed on the UNESCO World Heritage
List. The international community values? it exceptionally and universally.
·
And here you can have the list of other sites (Cultural, Natural), you can
visit In Ahvaz and Khuzestan province.
28. Chahar Mahal and Bakhtiari
Province
Chaharmahal and
Bakhtiari Province is located in the Zagros Mountains, in the southwestern part
of Iran. Because of high altitude and having a considerable amount of snow, the province is home to numerous natural tourist attractions in the form of rivers,
jungles, waterfalls, and springs.
So if you want to
experience something different and you are a nature fan, I recommend
checking one proposed itinerary for this area here; A Trip to off the beaten parts of Iran
·
And here you can have the list of other sites (Cultural, Natural), you can
visit In Chahar Mahal.
·
Most important
pilgrim sites
29. Imam Reza holey
shrine in Mashhad
Imam Reza is the 8th
Imam of Shiites and his holy shrine is the largest mosque in the world. And at
the same time involves the most important and prominent religious center of
Iran that consists of the most features of Persian-Islamic architecture.
The Imam Reza’s holy shrine is a
complex of Shrine, dome, finial, Ravagh, Bast, courtyards, porches, mosques,
Saqa Khaneh which are the most worthwhile of architectural decoration.
·
And here you can have the list of other sites (Cultural, Natural), you can
visit In Mashhad and Khorasan Province.
30. Fatemeh Masoumeh
holy shrine in Qom
Fatemeh Masoumeh is
the sister of Imam Reza and her holy shrine is the second important one in
Iran, since it is between Tehran and Kashan (the classic route) many tourists
have the chance to visit it and absorb the spiritual and relaxing atmosphere of
the environment. Tourists are accompanied by a guide for necessary explanations.
31. Shah Cheragh Shiraz
Shah Cheragh is a
holy monument in Shiraz. It is the tomb of Ahmad and Muhammad the sons of 7th
Imam of Shiite. The beauty of this building is increased by the use of small
colored mirrors, tiling, with Persian and Arabic hand-writings in the shrine.
There are some rooms decorated with mosaic tiling around the yard. Shah Cheragh
means King of lights and it refers to this beautiful interior design and
reflection of lights with all these tile mirrors.
·
North of Iran
32. Rudkhan Castle
Rudkhan Castle is located in
Gilan province, North of Iran.
This monument is
built mostly by brick and stone and stands on top of a strategic mountain at
the elevation of 715m. To reach the castle, there are hundreds of stairs to
climb and that is one of the reasons this castle is also known as “The
Thousand Step Castle”.
It takes 1-2 hours
to get to the castle depends on how are you prepared for this hiking.
The castle consists
of several parts, like the water reservoir, the prison, twelve gates, 42
watchtowers, housings, and the king’s quarters. The king’s quarters are located
on the highest point of the castle and feature breathtaking views of the
surrounding area.
33. Masoule/ Masuleh
Masouleh village in Iran is one of
the most famous tourist attractions in Rasht and one of the most famous samples
of stepped architecture in the world. Of course, in Iran, there are other
stepped villages, such as Saragha Sayed village.
Masouleh village is
located on the slopes of Alborz forest, at a height of 1050 meters above
sea level, although the stepped architecture and historical texture of the
village and the difference of 120 meters height between its lowest and highest point, its main feature.
You also will find
pristine and spectacular forests, lush waterfalls, high mountains and many
other natural attractions in the village of Masouleh.
·
Here you can have the list of other sites (Cultural, Natural) that you can
visit In Rasht and Gilan Province.
34.
Badab-e Surt springs
Badab-e Surt springs are located in Mazandaran province,
south of Sari. They include two springs with completely different
colors, odor, taste, and volume. The spring is rich in saline water and has a
pool of about 4 feet in diameter and is used mainly for a bathe in summer and
is useful for the treatment of low back and leg pain, skin diseases, rheumatism
and especially migraine headaches.
It also does not
freeze due to the salinity in winter. The second fountain, located upstream and
northwest of the fountain, is sour-tasting, reddish-orange, and Iron deposited
there.
The sedimentary and
mineral water flows of these springs over the years have resulted in hundreds
of floors and dozens of beautiful pools of orange, yellow and red in various
sizes on its downhill slope. These floors and ponds are the main attraction and
a unique feature of Badab-e Surt springs. The beauty of these classes and the special location of the fountain in the mountains and the surrounding landscape
are especially impressive at sunset.
· Here you can have the list of other sites (Cultural, Natural), you can
visit In Sari and Mazandaran Province.
·
West of Iran
(Kermanshah province)
Kermanshah is a province that
has much to say about the history and culture of the country and is known as
one of the oldest historical settlements in the world.
35. Taq-e Bostan
Taq-e Bostan (Arc of
the garden), a reminder of the city from ancient times and the
Sassanid era to the third century AD, was created 5 kilometers far from Kermanshah.
This complex in the northwest of Kermanshah and on the mountain slope is
named as.
In Taq-e Bostan,
you can see a stone sculpture so you can see the Sasanian kings. The monuments
are a spectacular part of this monument.
36. Bistoon/ Bisotoun
Historic Site
Bistoon Historic
Site is one of the most prominent tourist attractions in the
province, with Darius's inscriptions being globally recognized.
Works such as Darius
the Great's World Scrolls, Hercules Statue, Sasanian Dam and Paul Remnants,
Sarab Bistoon, Ilkhanid Monuments, Safavid Monuments, Ancient Caves, Goddess II
and Blash's Stones, King Abbasi's Carvings, etc., which is one of the richest
and most prestigious They constitute the most historic sites in the world.
Perhaps the reason
for the accumulation of so many works from different historical periods in one place is the great sanctity that Mount Bistoon has had for many years
among Iranians.
·
Here you can have the list of other sites (Cultural,
Natural), you can visit In West provinces: Kermanshah, Kordestan, Lorestan.
·
Sand dune desert
Whether you are
coming from a green nature or not, Iran deserts will mesmerize you.
In the heart of Dasht-e Kavir, a large desert in Iran, there is an enormous area
of dunes.
Most popular ones
are
37. Mesr desert
Mesr desert is as
beautiful as you can take several hours there and you are mesmerized by its
beauties such as yellow sandhills. You can stand up the place and watch
endless yellow hills. Touching warm sands between your toes is an unforgettable
memory that you ever have had.
You can book a tour to Mesr desert here; Mesr desert tour
38. Varzaneh Desert
Varzaneh Desert is
one of the beautiful deserts of Iran.
This area is located
100 kilometers east of Isfahan. One of the attractions you can find around this
desert is the Gavkhoni Wetland and the Gourtan Castle. There are also local
lodgings where you can spend the night and enjoy the beautiful desert night
sky.
You
can book a tour to Varzaneh desert here; Varzaneh desert tour
39. Maranjab desert
It is only 4 hours
away from Tehran, there is a desert full of tourist attractions. This area is
such famous that you can never see them without tourists. So it can be
concluded that if you are looking for a safe destination that is not too crowded, Maranjab is the best option.
you can also visit Maranjab Fortress and Wandering Island there.
Of course, there are lots of other amazing attractions that we had
to skip from them to make the story short but you may know by a handful the whole
sack.
If you have any questions from any part of Iran please send the message by contact.
To get the Iran visa, just fill up the visa form.
Join our Iran cultural tours and Iran combination tours to visit any of the above sites you are interested in.