Highlights
Isfahan
Naqsh-e Jahan Square, one of the largest city squares in the world, is lined with the Shah Mosque, the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, Ali Qapu Palace and the entrance to the bazaar. The historic bridges over the Zayandeh River, such as Si-o-se-pol, are popular in the evening.
Persepolis
The ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire, founded by Darius I around 518 BC, near Shiraz. Its stone staircases are carved with processions of delegations bringing gifts from across the empire.
Shiraz
A city of gardens and poets, with the tombs of Hafez and Saadi, the Eram Garden and the Nasir al-Mulk Mosque, whose stained-glass windows fill the prayer hall with coloured light in the morning.
Yazd
An adobe desert city famous for its windcatchers (badgirs), which draw cool air into houses. It has a Zoroastrian fire temple, the hilltop Towers of Silence and a historic centre listed by UNESCO.
Kashan
An oasis town with grand nineteenth-century merchant houses arranged around courtyards, and the Fin Garden, one of the classic Persian gardens listed by UNESCO.
Tehran
The capital has the Golestan Palace, the National Museum of Iran, the Grand Bazaar and the National Jewelry Treasury, and the Alborz mountains rise directly behind the northern suburbs.
Tabriz and the north-west
Tabriz's covered bazaar is one of the oldest and largest in the Middle East and a UNESCO site. Nearby, Kandovan is a village of houses carved into volcanic rock cones.
The Lut Desert
A UNESCO-listed desert in the south-east with huge wind-carved ridges called kaluts and some of the highest land surface temperatures recorded on earth. Visit with experienced local guides.
Interesting facts about Iran
- Nowruz, the Persian New Year, begins at the spring equinox and has been celebrated for thousands of years; UNESCO lists it as intangible cultural heritage.
- Qanats, underground channels that carry water from the mountains to desert towns, have been used in Iran for millennia and are listed by UNESCO.
- Iran uses the Solar Hijri calendar, and the weekend falls on Friday.
- Prices are often quoted in toman, an informal unit equal to ten rials, so always check which unit is meant.
- Persian poetry is part of daily life: many Iranians can quote Hafez, and his collected works are used for divination at celebrations.
Best time to visit
Spring (roughly March to May) and autumn (roughly September to November) are the most comfortable seasons for visiting the main cities, with mild temperatures and gardens in bloom in spring. Nowruz in late March is a major holiday when many Iranians travel and some businesses close. Summer is very hot in the deserts and the south, while the Caspian coast and mountains stay cooler. Winter is cold in the north and mountains, with snow in Tehran's ski resorts, and mild along the Persian Gulf.
Practical information
| Capital | Tehran |
|---|---|
| Currency | Iranian rial (IRR); prices are often quoted in toman (10 rials) |
| Languages | Persian (Farsi) |
| Plugs | Type C, F |
| Voltage | 220 V, 50 Hz |
| Emergency | 110 police, 115 ambulance, 125 fire |
| Driving | On the right |
| Tipping | Not obligatory, but around 10 percent in restaurants and tips for guides and drivers are appreciated. Note the custom of taarof, where a seller may politely refuse payment at first; insist gently. |
Getting around
Domestic flights link Tehran with Isfahan, Shiraz, Yazd, Tabriz and other cities. Long-distance buses are frequent and comfortable, and overnight trains run on several routes. In cities, Tehran, Isfahan and Shiraz have metro lines, and taxis and ride-hailing apps are widely used. Many visitors travel with a licensed local guide or tour operator, which can make arrangements much easier. Foreign-issued bank cards generally do not work in Iran, so visitors usually bring cash to exchange.
Staying connected in Iran
Mobile coverage is good in Tehran and the major cities and along main roads, with weaker or no signal in deserts, mountains and remote villages. Access to many international websites, social networks and messaging apps is restricted in Iran, and internet speed and access can change at short notice. Hotel Wi-Fi is available but often slow. Download offline maps, translation packs and any documents before you arrive. Install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land, but expect some services not to work.
See Iran eSIM plans · How to install an eSIM
Useful apps for Iran
- Snapp: Iran's main ride-hailing app, widely used in cities; download it before you arrive if you can.
- Neshan: An Iranian navigation app with detailed local maps and traffic information.
- Google Translate: Translating Persian, with an offline language pack that works without internet access.