The Land of the Arians, the Greater Persia, the land of the Shah. Throughout the centuries, Iran has fascinated artists, poets, queens, kinds, world leaders and all types of travellers.
Today a controversial and appealing destination, who wants to travel to Iran has landed in the right place. We will not only give you practical tips and information to organise and plan your Iran trip, but we will also tell you about the local culture, the history, the society that never fails to hit the headlines.
Do you need practical tips on how to organise your trip like how to apply for visa or how to book hotels? We provide them to you. Are you looking for some useful advice? Here the things to know before travelling to Iran, here how to plan your trip, here our tips on how to dress in Iran and how to get a visa.
Do you need guides for a classical tour or for single cities? We have written some and we are working on more. Some of our most popular? A complete guide to classic Iran, the things to do in Isfahan, exploring Yazd, visiting the old Tehran or what to do in Tabriz.
Do you want to explore the culture of Iran, the society of this beautiful country and its history? We got you covered. Explore the eternal Persepolis, read the best books written about Iran, find out what you can buy as a souvenir in Iran, discover the “real Iran” with us, discover Iran’s Christian architecture in Isfahan and learn about the open wounds of Khuzestan province.
Travelling to Iran alone as a woman? Nothing to worry, you can read about my personal experience here, here and here.
Still wondering whether or not visit Iran? Here are my ten reasons why you should ASAP!
Discover my best tips on how to plan a perfect trip to Iran after years of travels to Persia. How to deal with money, how to book a hotel, how to dress: find out how to enjoy a smooth Iran holiday.
A fascinating country that inevitably tickles our curiosity, to many Iran is still one of those mysterious and inaccessible places we long to visit but are afraid to. With an ancient history dotted with legendary figures, beautiful architecture and powerful kings, and modern times inescapably shaped by the controversial Islamic Revolution, there are countless books …
It’s recent news the diplomatic crisis between Iran and the UK, and when I visited the former US embassy in Tehran there was no sign it was going to happen. Following the protests of Iranian students in Tehran who claimed to have “occupied” the British embassy, the obvious consequence have been sending back to the …
Find out how to choose the best hookah flavors and some pretty great tips on how to have a perfect shisha experience without a headache or feeling dizzy.
Solo female travel in Iran, is it a good idea? Is it safe for women to travel to Iran? I decided to plan my Iran trip together with my friend Madi, an Iranian woman traveller. Her family had no problems in letting her travel around Iran with the only company of another woman. So we …
Discover the best parks in Tehran and take a break from the city’s traffic and pollution. Enjoy a picnic, a walk or a tea in one of these beautiful gardens, some of the favourite Tehran attractions.
Find out what are the best things to do in Tehran and the truly unmissable places to visit in the vibrant capital of Iran between opulent palaces, crowded bazaars and beautiful parks.
Enter the luxurious Abbasian House in Kashan to see what’s private life in Iran like and how traditional Iranian houses are led and organized.
One of the biggest highlights of the desert city of Yazd is certainly the beautiful Friday mosque. The sophisticated decorations of Yazd Grand Mosque, delicate yet sharp geometric shapes also used as patterns for local carpets, are a mesmerizing interplay of symbols and colors that hardly a series of photographs can do justice to. Brief …
Trying to understand what to pack for Iran? We got you covered! Find the essentials you can’t forget when traveling to Persia.
All about Iran dress code. My top tips on what to wear in Iran following the Islamic dress code for tourists, both men and women. Useful tips on what to wear in Iran in summer.
Strolling around colorful shops and local markets in the Iranian capital to capture the soul of vibrant Tehran in pictures.
Discover what to do to make the most of your trip to Abyaneh, an ancient village in central Iran, to feel in ancient Persia.
Be amazed and bedazzled at these fantastic things to see and do in Isfahan, scenic Iranian city and heart of the Persian Safavid reign.
All you need to know to apply for Iran visa, whether it’s visa on arrival, online visa or from the local embassy. Find out all the necessary Iran visa requirements.
Discover the benefits of Mah Card, an Iranian debit card for foreign tourists travelling to Iran, and avoid carrying too much cash while in Iran.
Iran romantic city par excellence, there are quite a few things to do in Shiraz that can easily fill two or three days of your whole Iran itinerary. From royal palaces to stunning mosques to archaeological sites, the places to visit in Shiraz will make you fall in love with this magical Iranian city. Top …
The ultimate guide to the best places to visit in Iran. Find out what are the top Iran tourist attractions to visit if you are planning your first trip to the wonderful modern Persia.
Fascinating and historical, discover some of the most beautiful traditional local markets around the world. Iranian ancient bazaars, Shanghai’s flower and birds markets, Provence weekly markets, Herat bazaar from the Silk Road time. Each local market different products and its own character.
Home to one of the world’s oldest civilisations and masterpieces such as Isfahan’s Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque and Ali Qapu Palace, and important archaeological sites like Persepolis and Pasargadae, this Iran tour is the perfect deal for art and history lovers. If you are looking for affordable holidays in Iran, we found the perfect deal for …
Where to find the real Iran? is a question I’m often asked. As Iran can be hardly compared to any other country, here I try to give an honest answer.
You have been mulling over whether you should visit Iran or not, you have decided to start planning your trip to modern Persia, you applied for Iran visa. Once you have enjoyed what the country has to offer, don’t forget to buy some Iran souvenirs to bring back home as gifts. What are the things Iran …
[grwebform url=”https://app.getresponse.com/view_webform_v2.js?u=SGyov&webforms_id=10824305″ css=”on” center=”off” center_margin=”200″/] Take a few Iranian friends, a decent dose of Persian pride and the urge to introduce Iran to the world and you will witness the latest challenge to the image Western mainstream media want to give of the Islamic Republic. Nine young Iranian artists behind the project Iran Unveiled, Mahya Jaberiansari, Saeid Moridi, Neda …
Something strange happens to the human mind when a person is exposed to a culture different from his/her own. A mix of skepticism, suspicion, and fear can prevail preventing us from welcoming the stranger. The controversial topic of hijab in Islam is one of those sensitive issues that I feel we are not grabbing in Europe …
There is a place in Iran that, in my opinion, is not capturing the attention it should. Nestled in the very heart of Persia’s segment of the ancient Silk Road, Izadkhast caravanserai is worth stopping, visiting and photographing at any time of the day, with the highlights being early morning and just before sunset. Located in Fars province on …
From ta’arof to the tipping etiquette to the public transport, here are 18 things to know before you travel to Iran to ensure a perfect stay.
Known as one of Iran’s most polluted provinces, southwestern Iranian province of Khuzestan, bordering with Iraq and the Persian Gulf, encompasses a collection of contrasting social mores, different ethnic minorities and an appetizing wealth of natural resources, especially oil, making it one of the provinces on which the national economy largely depends on. Having mainly …
Exploring the beautiful Vank Cathedral in Isfahan’s Armenian district, New Jolfa. This is one of the must-see places for any first-time visitors in this Iranian city!
Here is my little tribute to the humans of Iran who crossed my path and their stories, some real some that I imagined looking at them, their different ages, backgrounds, and walks of life. I’ve been reading an outrageous amount of information on Iran, from books to poetry, epic poems, essays, novels, articles and news, yet, …
You know you are being introduced to an Iranian because the first thing they deliver a poem of their beloved Hafez, and secondly because they ask you what you think about Iran. You might think they do this because after years of little to no Iran tourism, now they finally want to monetize the newly developing …
Between palaces, gardens and mansions, Iran’s capital is as glamorous as it gets, but if you ask me, the most fascinating bits are right in the back alleys, the old Tehran, the narrow streets that so much reveal of the city’s daily life. Often overshadowed by the more touristy Shiraz, Isfahan, and Yazd, the Iranian capital offers …
The beginning of 1394 according to the Persian calendar, still haftsin (Nowruz-set tables) enlivening restaurants and hotel halls all over the country marked my third trip to the Islamic Republic. The first few days of this recent trip I stayed in Tehran to finally tour around the capital, and my wanderings brought me to the …
Granted, Nasir ul-Molk mosque is stunning, especially if you go early in the morning when the sun seeps through the stained-glass windows creating gorgeous reflections on the carpet. However, Shiraz boasts yet another historical worship place that remains unfairly underrated, Vakil mosque. Vakil mosque is located close to Vakil Bazaar in their namesake historical neighbourhood developed by …
Many are the posts I’ve already written about the capital of Iran’s Fars province, describing the romance Shiraz never fails to evoke and the colours and reflections of the enchanted Nasir al-Mulk mosque from inside and outside. However, I realized I was yet to write one about one of my very favorite experiences in Iran, a visit to Persepolis, the incredible …
Everywhere I go I always try my best to blend in with the locals, and this usually means finding (and buying) traditional handicraft and food delicacies, with the inevitable result of carrying a good deal of extra kilos back home (not only in my suitcase). During the trip I took to Iran last May, I …
I had read that due to its beauty, the former capital of ancient Persia, Isfahan or Esfahan, in its heyday was dubbed Half of the World. When I got there and started ambling about, I understood why. My first time in Isfahan was entirely devoted to visiting as many landmarks as I could but I …
The charming city of Yazd is famous for its typical desert architecture, and among the most distinguished features are by all means the badgirs, or wind catchers, as they are romantically reworded in English. In the quest for the tallest badgir, or for a green oasis in the middle of the desert, we ended up in Dolat …
Sand and blue pastel hues, a clutter of low-rising sandstone buildings that during the dry summer give some break from the blazing heat that invades the city. “Be ready, Yazd is very conservative,” warned me my friend when we were arriving on the bus from Isfahan. “I lived here for five years when I was in …
“My beloved is brighter than the sun,Put in the heavens, my only one.Placed the hearts upon the earthTo watch the sun’s daily run.” ∼ Hafez, Rubaiyat 08 When you think of Iran many things cross your mind, the Persian empire, history, art, architecture, politics and, last but not least, sanctions. But let’s face it, how …
Any trip to Iran is made more pleasant by the many aspects of the local culture, from its food to the local famous (and seemingly favourite piece of info in US travel writing) sense of hospitality, to the emotional overload built up by the burst of colours that rules everywhere no matter what. That’s why the culture …
When you travel, some of the most memorable moments are the unplanned ones, and this is precisely what happened during my first visit to Isfahan in May 2014. After visiting the beautiful Armenian Valk Cathedral, on our way back to the more central Imam Square, my friend and I couldn’t help being attracted by the …
One of the the best things to do in Tabriz, and one of Iran’s most precious bazaars, Tabriz Grand Bazaar is a must if you are travelling around northern Iran. Here is a fascinating photo journey through its labyrinthine alleys, beautifully covered brick domes and countless shops selling any delicacy, handicraft work and refreshment you …
Known as the “city of firsts”, Tabriz is the capital of Iranian northern province of East Azerbaijan and hometown of many of the country’s pioneers. At about 1350 meters above sea level, Tabriz is usually cold in winter and cool-ish in summer, although when I went, just last May, the weather was already quite, and …
It’s a tradition that belongs to a not-so-remote past, and while now it’s not in use anymore, the traces it left are still visible and epitomized in small doors, revealing the almost imperceptible nuances of Iran. Different knobs for different guests, a heavy, sturdy and thick knob for men, the stronger gender, opposed to a …
“A traveller without observation is a bird without wings” Saadi Shirazi, Iranian poet. Being this one of my favourite travel quotes, could I go to Shiraz and not visit Saadi’s mausoleum? Of course not. Shiraz Saadi, poet, sage and traveller Saadi, nom de plume of Abū-Muhammad Muslih al-Dīn bin Abdallāh Shīrāzī, is one of the …
Nasir al-Mulk mosque is one of the top places to visit in Shiraz. Find out why it’s famous, what makes it so stunning and our best tips on how to enjoy the visit.
Should I or should I not visit Iran? You’ve been pondering, mulling over, thinking about it, even planning, yet you still haven’t booked your trip to Iran. You don’t even know why, maybe holidays for you are synonymous with beach so you head to Thailand, maybe you think spices are only available in India, or maybe …
One of my very favourite activities everywhere I go, be it a destination I know or a new discovery, is to visit the local markets, and Iran bazaars were just about to become my favourite photography subject in the Islamic Republic. Many studies have been carried out about Iran bazaars, and the reason why they …
Tabriz Blue Mosque was built in 1465 under the rule of Muzaffar al-Din Jahan Shah, leader of the Qara Quyounlu tribal federation that ruled over a territory comprising modern Azerbaijan, north-western Iran, eastern Turkey, Armenia and Iraq. In 1779 an earthquake that took the lives of some 10,000 people heavily damaged this mosque, and today what …
After breakfast naturally comes lunch, and in Iran, every meal is a very serious business. You guessed it, after the delicacies, I wrote about in my previous post, we had the nerve to seat for lunch too. Madi’s mom prepared the most delicious treats of Iranian food taken from traditional Gilaki cuisine, but for as …
In Lahidjan, beautiful town in northern Iran’s Gilan province, lapped by the Caspian Sea on one side and framed by an evergreen forest on the other, I was a guest of Dream of Iran‘s editor, Madi, and her lovely family. Her mom, in a very authentic Iranian style, showed the best of the country’s sense …
Different styles, different professions, different leisure activities. Here is an overview of the people I ran across in the two weeks of my trip to Iran.
When it comes to picnicking, Iran is the real deal. If your first thought for a Sunday picnic involves relaxing and taking it easy without the worry of cooking, setting the table and washing up, you might want to think again. During the recent two-week trip to Iran I’ve embarked on with my friend and fellow …