From September 29th to October 11th
DAY 1 – SHIRAZ
Once Iran’s capital, between 1747 and 1779, Shiraz is now the fifth largest city in the country and has a million and a half inhabitants. Our day will begin with a visit to the magnificent Nasir-ol-Molk Mosque, famous for its seven- colored tiles and stainedglass windows that provide a unique spectacle of light and color. From there we continue to the Vakil Mosque, the Hammame Vakil (ancient public baths) and have lunch at the Vakil Bazaar, which we will visit in the afternoon. Then we take a taxi to the Tomb of the Poet Hafez, whom the Iranians pay homage to in the evening.
Tour summary: Nasir-ol-molk Mosque, Vakil Mosque, Hammame Vakil, Vakil Bazaar, Poet Hafez Tomb
Pocket Money: 40€ aprox. (25€ monuments + 10€ meals + 5€
transports)
DAY 2 – SHIRAZ
We start the day with a visit to the Aramgah-e Shah Cheragh (mausoleum), a particularly interesting Shi’ite place of worship because it is completely covered with glass, which creates a somewhat mindboggling environment. We continue on foot to Karim Khan Citadel and to the Pars Museum. After lunch, we head to Baghe Eram which, in addition to botanical garden, is one of the nine Persian gardens that make up the World Heritage / UNESCO list in Iran. We ended the visits at the tomb of the saint and poet Sa’di.
afternoon. Then we take a taxi to the Tomb of the Poet Hafez, whom the Iranians pay homage to in the evening.
Tour summary: Nasir-ol-molk Mosque, Vakil Mosque, Hammame Vakil, Vakil Bazaar, Poet Hafez Tomb
Pocket Money: 40€ aprox. (25€ monuments + 10€ meals + 5€
transports)
DAY 3 – PERSEPOLIS -> NAQSH-E ROSTAM -> PASARGADAE -> YAZD Today will be a long day, but we will undoubtedly experience one of the highlights of the trip to ancient Persia. In a minivan, we will travel 60 km north to Persepolis, one of the capitals of the First Persian Empire, founded over 2500 years ago. After lunch, we will visit the tombs of four Persian emperors carved on a mountain slope in Naqshe Rostam, and finally we will explore Pasargadae where is the tomb of Cyrus the Great, founder of the First Persian Empire. At the end of the day, we continue to Yazd, a journey that will take about 3h30 minutes.
Tour summary: Persépolis, Naqsh-e Rostam, Pasargadae
Pocket Money: 30€ aprox. (20€ monuments + 10€ meals)
DAY 4 – YAZD
Yazd, with its 5,000 years of history, is one of the oldest human settlements on the planet. Today, the city has about half a million inhabitants. We start the visits at the Sayyed Roknaddin Mausoleum and head for the Jameh Mosque which is just a few meters away. In the mosque’s enclosure, we descended to a qanat, one of the incredible underground aqueducts that run through Iran. We will walk to the square of the Amir Chaqmaq Complex, visit some commerce - notably the city’s best candy house, Haj Khalifeh Ali Rahbar - and finish the morning at the Water Museum. The afternoon is spent in the adobe labyrinth that constitutes the historic center of Yazd, which is a World
Heritage Site / UNESCO.
Tour summary: Sayyed Roknaddin Mausoleum, Mesquita Jameh, Amir Chaqmaq Complex, Water Museum
Pocket Money: 20€ aprox. (20€ monuments + 10€ meals)
DAY 5 – YAZD
We go by taxi to the Towers of Silence, the places where the Zoroastrians left the bodies of their dead so that they would decompose with the help of the elements of nature and vultures. From the top of the towers, there is a magnificent view of the city of Yazd and the surrounding mountains. Still by taxi, we proceed to the Temple of Fire, a place of worship for the followers of Zoroastrianism. Shortly after lunch, we visit the Baghe Dolat Abad, a beautiful Persian garden where stands the former residence of the regent Karim Khan Zand. In the building stands the largest Badgir (cooling tower) in Iran. We end the day at Zurkhaneh (the house of strength), where we attended a training session of an ancestral sport.
Tour summary: Towers of Silence, Fire Temple, Baghe Dolat Abad, Zurkhaneh
Pocket Money: 30€ aprox. (20€ monuments + 10€ meals + 5€ transports)
DAY 6 – YAZD —> VARZANEH
We leave early for Varzaneh, the smallest locality (about 11 thousand inhabitants) that we will visit on this trip through Iran. The minivan trip will take about 3 hours. We’ll have lunch in the village, which is erected in the middle of the desert, and we’ll spend the afternoon visiting a very special ox who draws water
from a well only when the owner sings a certain melody the tower of pigeons, the salt lake and the desert dunes, from where we will see the sunset. We’ll have dinner and sleep in the desert.
Tour summary: Tower of Pigeons, ox and well, salt lake, desert dunes
Pocket Money: 15€ aprox. (5€ monuments + 10€ meals)
DAY 7 – VARZANEH —> ISFAHAN
In the morning, we visit the ruins of the Gorthan Citadel, which has more than two thousand years of history. After lunch, we ride on a Mini Van to Isfahan on a journey that will take about 2 hours. After we leave our luggage at the hotel, we’ll stroll on the banks of the Zayandeh River, between the historic Si Seh Pol and Khaju bridges.
Tour summary: Gorthan Citadel, Si o Seh Pol bridge, Khaju bridge
Pocket Money: 15€ aprox. (10€ meals + 5€ transports)
DAY 8 – ISFAHAN
Capital of ancient Persia more than once, Isfahan is a thriving city with almost
2 million inhabitants. Our first day of sightseeing is spent around one of the most fascinating places on the planet: Naqshe Jahan Square. We begin by visiting the wonderful and atypical Sheikh Loffollah Mosque and we continue to the Shah Mosque. After lunch, we visit Ali Kapu Palace and then headed to the
Grand Bazaar, one of the best in the country for shopping. We’ll have tea at the Azadegan Tea House and return to Naqshe Jahan Square to wander, observe and socialize with the Iranians, who flock to this place for picnics. We can join them for outdoor dining or look for a restaurant.
Tour summary: Naqshe Jahan Square, Sheik Loffollah Mosque, Sha Mosque, Ali Kapu Mosque, Grand Bazaar, Azadegan Tea House.
Pocket Money: 30€ aprox. (15€ monuments + 10€ meals + 5€ tranpsorts)
DAY 9 – ISFAHAN —> KASHAN
The day starts in the Armenian quarter of Jolfa where we visit the amazing
Vank Cathedral. Then we ride a taxi to the Jameh Mosque. The complex is 20,000 square meters and the mosque is Iran’s largest. We can walk across the bazaar on foot and return to the historic center for lunch. We’ll spend the rest of the afternoon visiting Chehelsotoon and Hasht Behesht Palaces and depart for Kashan at the end of the day, a mini van ride that will take about
2h30 (215km).
Tour summary: Vank Cathedral, Jameh Mosque, Chehelsotoon Palace, Hasht Behesht Palace
Pocket Money: 35€ aprox. (20€ monuments + 10€ meals + 5€ transports)
DAY 10 – KASHAN —> TEHRAN
Early in the morning, we visit the Agha Bozorg Mosque known for its symmetrical architecture, then we head for the sumptuous Sultan Mir Ahmad Baths and visit the lush traditional houses - Kahn-e Tabatabei and Khan-e Abbasian - that hide very discreetly behind simple adobe walls. We will have lunch in the restaurant of the house Khan-e Abbasian and in the afternoon we will take a taxi to visit the Fin Garden, exponent of the Persian gardens and World Heritage Site / UNESCO. On the way back to the center of Kashan we will go to the 800 year old city bazaar. Then we pass by the hotel to pick up our luggage and head for Tehran in a mini van. The trip will take about 2h45 (245 km).
Tour summary: Agha Bozorg Mosque, Sultan Mir Ahmad baths,
Tabatabaei and Abbasian traditional houses, Fin Garden, Bazaar
Pocket Money: 40€ aprox. (25€ monuments + 10€ meals + 5€ transports)
DAY 11-TEHRAN
We leave the hotel and take the metro to the heart of Tehran: the area of the grand bazaar. We’ll quickly realize that we will spend the next few days surrounded by crowds and dodging cars and motorbikes in the chaotic traffic. The visit to Golestan Palace, however, will soften this first impact. We continue to the Imam Khomeini Mosque and see the grand bazaar where we’ll have lunch. In the afternoon we’ll visit the amazing National Museum of Jewelry. Still dazzled by the brilliance of thousands of precious stones, we head to the Iranian Artist
Forum and finished the day at the modern Tabiat Bridge.
Tour summary: Golestan Palace, Imam Khomeini Mosque, Grand Bazaar, National Museum of Jewwlry, Iranian Artists Forum, Tabiat Bridge
Pocket Money: 35€ aprox. (20€ monuments + 10€ meals + 5€ transports)
DAY 12 – TEHRAN
Again by metro, we go to the elegant and very photogenic Azadi Tower and from there we continue to the Milad Tower. From the top we can admire the overwhelming dimension of the Iranian capital. We continue to Darband, where we have lunch and in the afternoon we visit Niavaran Palace, the residence of the last Shah of Iran. We walk through the neighborhoods of the northern zone, the most exquisite of the capital, where we also have dinner.
Tour summary: Azadi Tower, Milad Tower, Darband, Niavaran Palace
Pocket Money: 30€ aprox. (15€ monuments + 10€ meals + 5€ transports)
DAY 13-TEHRAN
We start the day with a visit to the former US Embassy in Tehran to observe and, of course, photograph the anti-American murals. Before lunch, we’ll visit the Museum of Contemporary Art and / or the National Carpets Museum (which are relatively small). After lunch, we will go by metro to the Book Garden, a huge cultural complex opened in 2017 which, in addition to one of the largest bookstores in the world, includes a restaurant, cinemas, art galleries and shopping area. It will be the last visit in Iran and its vibrant capital.
Tour summary: Former US Embassy, Contemporary Art Museum
and/or National Carpet Museum, Book Garden
Pocket Money: 25€ aprox. (10€ monuments + 10€ meals + 5€
transports)
How much will I spend:
1110 Euros
1250 USD
Pocket Money: 385€ aprox.
The tour includes:
Transfers between airports and hotels on arrival and departure
13 nights in 3 star hotels (or similar), twin rooms with private bathroom,
breakfasts
Transport in minivan between cities, from Shiraz to Tehran
Official guide in Persepolis
Constant followup from the guide
The tour does not include
Iranian Visa
Travel insurance
International flights
Public transports in Iran (subway, taxi, etc.)
Monuments and museum tickets
Meals;
Any other personal extras
