Iran was one of the countries I was most curious about visiting. As an American and someone who had spent five years in the U.S. Marines, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect before arriving. It didn’t take long for many of those expectations to change. The people I met were among the warmest and most welcoming I’d encountered anywhere in my travels, and many were genuinely excited to meet a foreign visitor and share their country with me. Even my interactions with immigration officers and officials at checkpoints were polite and respectful.
As a travel destination, Iran offers an incredible variety of experiences. In the north are the shores of the Caspian Sea and the towering Mount Damavand, while throughout the country you’ll find mountains, deserts, ancient ruins, elaborate Persian architecture, and cities with thousands of years of history. Add in a fascinating culture and some of my favorite food, and Iran became one of the most memorable countries I’d traveled through.
Explore Tehran
Iran’s capital is a huge modern metropolis backed by the Alborz Mountains. Tehran is green during the warmer months, while winter can bring snow to the city and surrounding mountains. Some of the most interesting places to visit include Golestan Palace, the former royal residences, numerous museums, sprawling bazaars, and national landmarks such as the Azadi Tower. Beyond the attractions themselves, Tehran gave me my first real introduction to everyday life in Iran and the people who would make such a strong impression on me throughout the trip.
Explore Esfahan
Esfahan is often described as one of Iran’s most beautiful cities, and after visiting it’s easy to understand why. Its famous Persian saying, Esfahan nesf-e jahan, roughly means “Esfahan is half the world.” The city is filled with spectacular Persian architecture, including enormous mosques, palaces, gardens, and centuries-old bridges. Walking through Naqsh-e Jahan Square and along the Zayandeh River made Esfahan one of the architectural highlights of my trip through Iran.
Explore Persepolis
Persepolis was one of the great ceremonial centers of the ancient Achaemenid Persian Empire. Construction began under Darius I around 500 BCE, and even after roughly 2,500 years, an impressive amount of the complex survives. Towering columns, monumental staircases, gateways, and incredibly detailed stone reliefs offer a glimpse of the enormous empire that once ruled from this region. For anyone interested in ancient history, Persepolis is one of Iran’s essential destinations.
Explore Shiraz
Like Esfahan, Shiraz is one of Iran’s great cultural centers, with historic buildings, beautiful gardens, mosques, shrines, and centuries of Persian history. The celebrated Persian poet Hafez lived in Shiraz, and his tomb remains one of the city’s most popular places to visit. Shiraz has long been associated with poetry, gardens, and Persian culture, giving the city a character that felt noticeably different from the other places I visited in Iran.
Explore Yazd
Yazd is one of the best places in Iran to experience the country’s ancient Zoroastrian heritage. Zoroastrian communities have lived in the region for centuries, and temples and other historic sites preserve traditions connected to one of the world’s oldest surviving religions. Yazd itself is equally fascinating, with narrow lanes, mud-brick buildings, traditional courtyards, and distinctive windcatchers rising above the desert city. Walking through its old neighborhoods sometimes felt like stepping back hundreds of years.
Explore Abyaneh
Abyaneh is a small historic village in the mountains between Tehran and Esfahan. Its red mud-brick houses climb the hillside in terraces, giving the entire village a distinctive appearance against the surrounding mountains. Traditional architecture, narrow streets, and the village’s preserved local character make Abyaneh one of Iran’s most picturesque small towns and a memorable contrast to the country’s much larger cities.
