Why should you visit Iran?

About Iran

We dress quickly, eager for the day ahead. We have treasures to visit in Iran : many are UNESCO World Heritage sites.

There are heavenly gardens and sumptuous palaces to stroll through and ancient bridges to cross, followed by hunting out antiques and exquisite handicrafts in row after row of boutiques.

Last year British Airways resumed direct flights between Tehran and Heath-row, and this week the country announced a 30 percent increase in annual visitor numbers. Iran has made a comeback on the travel scene in recent years, being listed as one of the hot spot destinations, and certainly with good reason. And although it may not rank as high with some travelers as it does with others, we recommend you to visit Iran at least for once in your life.

Many of the new visitors are backpackers from Europe and Asia, drawn by Iran’s history and culture. The most popular destinations are big historical cities such as Isfahan and Shiraz.

More than twenty of most important UNESCO HERITAGE SITES are in Iran and because Iran is a four season country, you can travel here whenever you want without worrying about the weather.

With new rule of government some years ago people of more than 80 countries can travel to Iran without visa and get their visa on arrival. In other side after Venezuela and Pakistan, Iran might be a good decision for the ones who want to travel cheap and one of the biggest middle-east countries, just with 2 EURO you can get a big set of fast food including drink or only pay 5 EURO for complete of dishes and main courses.

Iran is a lovely country and it is full of historical and cultural items with many exciting tours available, so you can easily plan an exciting vacation.

How safe it is to travel to Iran?

Safety is one of the major worries when it is talked about visiting Iran. However, Iran represents one of the safest places among Middle East countries to travel to.

Iran is generally a very safe place to travel. Many travelers describe it as the “safest country They’ve ever been to”, or “much safer than traveling in Europe”. Violent crime against foreigners is extremely rare. If you do your best to fit in with local customs, you are unlikely to be treated with anything.

Some particular areas are not generally recommended to be a travelling destination because they are close to border areas with Afghanistan or Pakistan which are seen as areas of higher risk by Western government.

Can Americans travel to Iran?

US citizens will have to have their itinerary and tour guide approved beforehand. Sticking to the itinerary is part of the conditions of visa approval.

The Iranian government is highly sensitive for historical and political reasons of any foreign involvement in the political process, in particular this applies to the United States. Avoiding political demonstrations and making any public political statements is another way to avoid any trouble.

Visa wait time for US citizens has been reduced to only two weeks, a government official says–reports Tehran Times.

Otherwise, Iranians will be keen to demonstrate their hospitality to US citizens and will offer to host them for lunch or dinner. Hostility towards particular actions of the US government, doesn’t stop the people of Iran having nothing but the warmest feelings for Americans themselves.

People and hospitality

Iranians are renowned for their hospitality and as a visitor you will be invited to many people’s houses for dinner or lunch. Iranian people are eager and will be pleased to make a wonderful time for their guests. Such a country with wide hospitality is difficult to imagine, Iran tends to get a lot of bad press, but somewhere in the mix, the good word about Iranian hospitality somehow got out.

It’s not only the remains of Persepolis, mosques of Isfahan, and wind-catchers of Yazd that have drawn travelers in, but also that unshakable curiosity about this renowned hospitality. You can see it everywhere – from shy smiles, to curious questions about where you’re from, Iranians are welcoming visitors and are generally happy to see travelers coming.

In traditional hotels and houses, they’ll treat you like family and you might even be invited for a homemade meal, just from a person on the street! No wonder Couch surfing is so popular here. I haven’t tried Couch surfing in Iran myself, but have heard the only potential ‘threat’ is that a host might be too friendly and might want to accompany you everywhere and this isn’t as forward as it may seem in other countries and is generally a sign of respect to the guest.

Ancient history

The history of Iran, commonly also known as Persia in the Western world, is intertwined with the history of a larger region, also to an extent known as Greater Iran, comprising the area from Anatolia, the Bosphorus, and Egypt in the west to the borders of Ancient India and the Syr Darya in the east, and from the Caucasus and the Eurasian Steppe in the north to the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman in the south.

When we are talking about Iran, many people think of the first Persian Empire and sites such as Pasargadae and Persepolis, and while Persian history largely takes shape from this time (550-330 BC), there are sites such as Tepe Sialk in Kashan, Ecbatana in Hamedan, and Susa and Chogha Zanbil in the Khuzestan province which predate this period.
If you are planning to visit Iran prepare yourself to be drawn in art, culture and history!

Architecture

Through it’s complex cultural past, Iran’s architecture has achieved its own distinct vernacular. Monumental mosque design reflects the religiously affiliated architecture of the past but contemporary architects in Iran are concerned with defining their place in non-secular design.

Whether you’re marveling at the tiled domes and ceilings of mosques or exploring the historical houses of Kashan or discovering the mechanism behind the windcatcher, the architecture in Iran will keep you enthralled. And although it’s mostly the older structures that lure visitors in, Iran has seen the construction of some impressive modern buildings and apartments in recent years that will have visitors questioning whether this is the Iran they’ve heard about in the news.

Iran has seen an increase in the number of annual visitors over the past few years, and the lifting of economic sanctions is sure to attract even more. Home to one of the oldest civilizations, Iran has no shortage of sites to see. When it comes to UNESCO World Heritage Sites, it boasts an impressive 19 registered cultural sites.

The Iranian World Heritage Sites listed by UNESCO cover a wide range of various types of properties from examples of engineering, architecture, city planning, etc to bazaars, sets of buildings, etc. The UNESCO list includes:

1. Historic City of Yazd (2017)
2. The Persian Qanat (2016)
3. Susa (2015)
4. Cultural Landscape of Maymand (2015)
5. Shahr-e Sokhte (2014)
6. Golestan Palace (2013)
7. Gonbad-e Qābus (2012)
8. Masjed-e Jāmé of Isfahan (2012)
9. The Persian Garden (2011)
10. Tabriz Historic Bazaar Complex (2010)
11. Sheikh Safi al-din Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble in Ardabil (2010)
12. Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System (2009)
13. Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran (2008)
14. Bisotun (2006)
15. Soltaniyeh (2005)
16. Bam and its Cultural Landscape (2004)
17. Pasargadae (2004)
18. Takht-e Soleyman (2003)
19. Persepolis (1979)
20. Tchogha Zanbil (1979)
21. Meidan Emam, Isfahan (1979)

Romantic Persian gardens and poetry

All my visions from Persian gardens are abridged in the things I imagined by reading the poem – “The rose has flushed red, the bud has burst, and drunk with joy is the nightingale,” written by the 14th century poet Hafez.

These gardens are the heritage of Persian culture and they go back to 2000 years ago. Evidences show that women were the reason for the existence of gardens.
Actually the word paradise comes from “Pardis” (means: garden).
The Persian garden has shown a wonderful system of auspicious, beautiful and useful thing in a complex.

There is a garden in the corner of every Iranian’s mind.
” Arthour upham pope”

Iranians are keen to show water in their gardens. Chahar Bagh is the main pillar of the Iranian garden and they paid attention to geometric shapes, specially square and rectangular.

Cultural and ethnic diversity

Iran is culturally and ethnically diverse with each region having its own traditions, customs, and in many cases, language.

The largest groups in this category include Persians (who form the majority of the Iranian population) and Kurds, with smaller communities including Gilakis, Mazandaranis, Lurs, Tats, Talysh, and Baloch. Even Iranians who travel domestically will find themselves experiencing a bout of culture shock.

As you travel from Azeri-Turkish speaking Tabriz, to Kurdish speaking Kordestan down to the nomadic tribes around Shiraz all the way to the Arab-influenced southern port cities and islands and everywhere else in between, you’ll discover the various cultures and people that make up the collective Iranian identity.

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