Iran (or Persia as it was called just before 1935) is really a interesting destination, with its ancient ruins, historic cities, vibrant bazaars and rich cultural heritage. It is also a land of surprising contrasts. Lots of people think about Iran as mostly desert land, and are amazed to learn that it has snow-capped mountains in winter. (Only about one-quarter in the land it’s actually desert.) A lot of also imagine Iran as a traditional and conservative society, and are amazed to find its urban, cosmopolitan aspect.
Without doubt, Iran counts as one or more of the world’s richest cultural legacies. It can be, in any case, residence towards the age-old city of Persepolis, the richest location in the historical globe, the ceremonial capital in the mighty Persian Empire. Its impressive ruins, absolutely a must-see, stir the imagination as they bear mute testimony to the majesty that was once Persepolis.
The beauty of Persian architecture is unrivaled, and a single viewing Iran must see Naghsh-e Jahan Square (or “Imam Square”) in Isfahan Urban centre. With its amazing mosques and palace, it is a world-famous historical web site, listed in UNESCO’s Earth Heritage Websites.
If aged mosques and ruins aren’t your cup of tea, Iran features other, additional prosaic points of interest. Purchasing (and haggling) in bazaars brings innocuous pleasure. So do the simple acts of sipping black tea in a cozy teahouse (a favorite nearby haunt), being attentive to the locals converse in Farsi ( one or more of the world’s oldest languages), eating chelo kabab (the national dish of rice and kabab), spending time with hospitable Ghashghaie nomads, baking under the sunlight from the well-liked beaches along the Caspian coast, or skiing in Tehran’s snowy slopes. Out within the city streets, a person always remember, however, that the gentlemen ought to not put on shorts and earrings, though the women ought to put on scarves.
One must not miss going to Tehran, the busy, cosmopolitan Iranian capital. Here, the tourist will be kept busy browsing museums, bazaars, palaces, mosques, churches, parks and gardens. The Grand Bazaar, spanning some ten kilometers of stores and other buildings, is a shopper’s paradise. The National Jewels Museum has on display the world’s biggest uncut diamond, called Daryaye-Nur (“sea of light”).
1 can likewise go to Milad Tower in Tehran, the world’s fourth tallest tower. These, and many other nearby points of interest, make the city a worthwhile location, despite its traffic and pollution difficulties.