Honestly, this title should say a MILLION reasons why you should go pick Iran for your next trip but unfortunately, my column isn’t long enough to cover all of them. A few months ago, I was fortunate enough to visit this country. The stars aligned for this one and I was able to take a couple of weeks off for a mini vacation in November. When I told people that I would be traveling to Iran, I received mixed but strong reactions. Some thought it was an amazing and rare opportunity. The other group was worried for me and I even heard someone label it as “thug city.”
I must credit the people who organized it for us because if you were to ask me about the experience, it was truly one of the most memorable vacations I’ve had. For those two weeks, we tried our best to cover several places of interest in the three cities of Esfahan, Shiraz and Tehran. Here are some of the highlights you should check out:
1. Abbasi Hotel, Esfahan
This is one of the oldest hotels in the world. After eight years of construction, the hotel was ready for operations by the end of 1345. Make sure to visit the Chehelsotoun Hall which is adorned with artworks inspired from the Qajar and Safavids periods.
2. Naqsh-e Jahan Square, Esfahan
This is one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites, built between 1598 and 1629. It commands a space of 89,600 square meters. Aside from the mosques found in the square, it hosts the Imperial bazaar which is one of the oldest and biggest bazaars in the Middle East with parts of the institution going back to over a thousand years. Shopping in the midst of all that history and culture! Now, that’s something you don’t do every day.
3. Ä€li QÄpu, Esfahan
This grand palace in the Naqsh-e Jahan Square is also home to what I consider one of the prettiest spaces in the entire trip – the Persian historical musical room and their beautiful cutout Muqarnas. It is built from the humble mud and baked bricks and combined with vaulted ceilings that are gorgeously decorated with carved stucco to assist with the acoustical requirements of the area.
4. Nagash-e-Jahan Traditional Banquet Hall, Esfahan
For some nourishment, we visited this traditional restaurant that is filled with takhts, which are daybeds instead of the usual chairs and, tables. It is walking distance from the large bazaar and decorated with stained glass and tiles from floor to ceiling, transporting us guests to the Qajar dynasty.
5. Vank Cathedral, Esfahan
This Armenian Orthodox Vank Cathedral is another UNESCO World Heritage Site completed between 1655-1664. In the Armenian language, Vank means “monastery.” The interiors are filled with paintings inspired by both the Old and New Testaments and created by Armenian masters and three monks.
6. Khaju Bridge, Tehran
This 400-year-old bridge serves as one of the significant examples of Iranian architecture during the Safavid cultural influence.
7. Necropolis, Shiraz
Necropolis or Naqsh-e Rustam is the burial place of the great Achaemenid kings: Darius II, Artaxerxes I, Darius I, and Xerxes I. The oldest relief dates all the way to 1000 B.C.
8. Persepolis, Shiraz
I got to visit these ruins which gave me a glimpse of the Achaemenid style of architecture. It is filled with ruins dating back to 515 B.C., but the remaining elements helped visitors envision just how wealthy the previous kings were. It was burned down during Alexander the Great’s time and declared a World Heritage Site in 1979.
9. Golestan Palace, Tehran
From the 18th to the early 20th century, the palace was where the royal Qajar family resided. Aside from the Ä€li QÄpu in Esfahan, this was another pretty palace to visit. Stained glass windows and mirrors can be appreciated in many of the structures here, but do take time to visit the building of wind towers (Emarat-e-Badgir) and prepare to be overwhelmed by the beauty inside.
10. Tabiat Bridge, Tehran
The largest pedestrian bridge in Iran was designed by young architect Leila Araghian and won various awards. It connects two parks in Tehran.
For comments and topic suggestions, please email me at [email protected]. For my personal adventures, follow my Instagram @cal_tavera.
