15 Days Iran Cultural Tour

Transfer from airport to hotel. Tehran as the showcase and capital city of Iran is a megalopolis. This city is home to many invaluable museums to some we will pay a visit. Drive to the north of Tehran where the Iranian upper-class lives.

• Sa’dabad Complex: was impressively built by Pahlavi dynasty.
• Tajrish Bazaar: Experience the local life in cozy Tajrish Bazaar.
• Darband: Go hiking along the mountain trail through Darband and visit the most beautiful scenery in Tehran from that top. Enjoy tea, Qalian water pipe and the delicious Persian traditional cuisine, Dizi.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Hotel: Pahlavan Razzaz, Tehran

Continue visiting Tehran with two more museums. Then an hour and a half flight from Tehran takes you to Ahvaz from which we will head to Susa.

• Archeological (national) Museum: thanks to the immense volume, diversity and quality of its monuments, it ranks as one of the few most significant museums of the world.
• Imperial Crown Jewels Museum: is home to a vast number of unsurpassed precious gems.
• Golestan Palace: a masterpiece of the Qajar era which is a successful combination of Persian crafts and architecture with Western influences. The most characteristic features and ornaments date from the 19th century.

Susa, the ancient city of Elamite, Persian and Parthian empires of Iran, is the highlight of this day.

• Tomb of Daniel: the traditional burial place of the biblical prophet Daniel.
• Apadana Palace: the magnificent winter castle of Achaemenid empires.
• Chogha Zanbil Temple and Haft Tapeh: the ancient Elamite ziggurat to honor the great god Inshushinak
• Shooshtar waterfalls and historical bridges: a UNESCO recognized site.

Depart Ahvaz for Shiraz on surface and enjoy a day visiting the historical relics.

• Sarab-e-Bahram: a bas-relief of the scene of Sassanid triumph.
• Bishapoor and Chogan strait: an ancient city having a fort with rock-cut reservoirs and a river valley with six Sassanid rock relieves.
• Anahita temple: a fascinating structure from Sassanid time.

Shiraz is the center of Persian culture and sophistication, gardens and poetry.

• Karim Khan palace, Vakil mosque, Vakil Bazaar and Saray-e-moshir: the highlights of Shiraz when it was the capital of Iran during Zand Dynasty.
• Nasir al-molk mosque: being built during the Qajar era, this mosque has extensively colored glass in its facade, and other traditional elements in its design.
• Hafez tomb: pay homage to the mystic poet who impressed everyone with his mastery.
• Sa’di tomb: a philosopher poet who was a tourist and the author of Golestan and Boostan.
• Qoran gate: the city’s main entrance. The original gate was built as an ornamental decoration about 1000 years ago, but this was replaced 60 years ago by new gate, which is considered one of the finest architectural designs in Iran and has won numerous awards.
• Khajooy-e-Kermani tomb: from Qoran gate a stone stairways goes up to a picturesque and panoramic views of Shiraz where the tomb of Khajooy-e Kermani, a famous poet is located.
• Ali-Ebn-e-Hamzeh shrine: with marvelous beauties.
• Some Persian Gardens such as Jahan Nama and Delgosha: gardens are the manifestation of Shiraz.

You have been long waiting for today visit to the great gem of ancient Persia, Persepolis. Evening is free.

• Persepolis: the capital of Achaemenid Empire was founded by Darius, the Great in 518 B.C. was not only a governmental palace but also a center for festivals.
• Necropolis: the magnificent burial place of Achaemenid kings with seven bas-reliefs dating back to Elamite and Sassanid era.

Zeinoddin a UNESCO award winner Caravanserai dating back to the Safavid era is located in the heart of desert 65 km to Yazd. Spending a night there, conjure up the old style of Persian accommodation.

• Pasargadae: the majestic tomb of Cyrus the Great, the originator and founder of Achaemanian Emperor, (500 years BC).
• Abarkouh: a historical city which is a showcase of desert architecture.

Yazd, the oldest adobe city is juxtaposed to the central deserts of Iran. On the way, we will have a short visit to another desert city, Mehriz and the old Saryazd.

• Fire Temple: a Zoroastrian holy place for ritual purity.
• Dakhmeh (Tower of Silence): a circular structure used by Zoroastrians for exposure the dead to hunting birds.
• Wind Tower: the architecture Yazd is famous for. Those are used to create natural ventilation in buildings.
• Water museum: where interesting information about the Canat water distribution system is offered.
• Persian Garden of Doulat Abad: with a building with a beautiful large badgir.

Continue the tour by driving on a 300 km road to Isfahan immersing in the desert sceneries.

• Nain: the city of cisterns.

Isfahan entitled “Half the World” is the legendary city of traditional Islamic archeology and turquoise domes.

• Naqsh-e-Jahan Square: the second huge square of the world after Beijing’s Tiananmen Square.
• Sheikh Lotfollah and Jameh Abbasi Mosques: are brilliant masterpieces of Islamic-Persian architecture.
• Aliqapu, Chehel Sutoon and Hasht Behesht Palaces: renowned garden palaces that Isfahan is famous for.
• Isfahan bazaar: purchase traditional arts & crafts.

Today we will hit the road to Kashan, a city dating back to 6000 years ago.

• Tabatabaiha and Borojerdiha houses: in Kashan dating back to the previous century, the Qajar era.

Continue discovering the other cultural sights of Isfahan. In the evening board on a flight to Mashhad holy city.

• Isfahan Jame’ mosque: a gallery of the progress of Islamic architecture.
• Vank Church: a typical example of the Christian churches of Armenia.
• Monar Jomban: tomb of a Sufi with shaking minarets.

The holy city of Mashhad is the place of Imam Reza martyrdom.

• Imam Reza Holy Shrine: the huge complex of Shiite Muslim holy shrine.
• Ferdosi Tomb: the great epic poet of 10th AD located in Tus.
• Nader Shah Museum
• Harounieh: a nice structure with unknown function in the old times.

Visiting the highlights of Neishabour is what we aim to do today. Afterwards, we will drive back to Mashhad and fly to Tehran.

• Hakim Omar Khayyam-e Neishabouri tomb: a mathematician, astrologer, philosopher and poet of the 11th century AD.
• Attar tomb: a well-known mystic poet.
• Kamal-Al-Molk tomb: the great contemporary painter.