Iran
On the hill above the Treasury are two rock-hewn tombs. The larger and more elaborate of the two belongs to Artaxerxes II, and clambering up to this…
Must-see attractions in Iran
Iran
Large, lovingly renovated historic hammam with newly marbled floors and attractive ceiling patterns. If closed, ask at the caretaker's house by the…
Shiraz
This picture-perfect shrine houses the tombs of two brothers of Mir Ahmad.
Tehran
This modest museum is no Louvre, but it is chock-full of Iran’s rich history. The collection includes ceramics, pottery, stone figures and carvings,…
Tehran
The mausoleum of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, easily reached via metro, is one the grandest architectural endeavours of the Islamic Republic. Built on an…
Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art (TMOCA)
Tehran
In a striking concrete modernist building on the western side of Park-e Laleh, this museum's impressive collection boasts works by Picasso, Matisse, Van…
Iran
On the hill behind the Susa Museum, ancient Persia is unearthed at this fascinating Unesco-listed archaeological site occupying the whole southern flank…
Iran
Inscribed into the base of a towering cliff, these extraordinary Sassanian bas-reliefs of ancient victorious kings divide opinions. Some travellers feel…
Iran
Backed by a rocky crag, Roein's old section is a stepped village of high, porch-fronted traditional homes, looking rather like a less verdant version of…
Iran
While several cities lay claim to the biblical Daniel's last resting place, within Iran both Jews and Muslims agree that this ornate Khuzestani ourchin…
Iran
The city’s main square is paved with marble and pedestrianised, offering a grand vista of the Hazrat-e Masumeh. The square takes on a carnivalesque…
Iran
This massive river-cave system 70km north of Hamadan is normally visited as a day trip. It's popular with Iranian tourists, but foreigners usually have…
Iran
Running parallel to the modern Azadegan Bridge connecting historic Shushtar to the New Town are the substantial remains of this Sassanid-era bridge and…
Tehran
Dominating the skyline of Tehran’s western suburbs, Milad Tower is 435m high, including 120m of antenna, making it, in 2017, the world’s sixth-tallest…
Iran
The view of distant mountains from the top of this low, open hill is pleasantly rewarding, especially in the late afternoon, but it's what lies below that…
Iran
Little-visited Zafaraniyeh village has a Safavid-era brick caravanserai in a state of photogenic part-collapse, but more importantly maintains a large…
Iran
Dominating the skyline, Iran's magnificent 'Taj Mahal' rises dramatically 48m above the surrounding dusty archaeological digs and crumbling city walls…
Tehran
The former US embassy was the focal point of the 1979 revolution, when it was stormed by students who then held 52 diplomats hostage for 444 days. Today…
Iran
Dramatically perched above a sea of badlands sit three small mausoleums. The most important commemorates a certain Khalid Nibi; although he was apparently…
Tehran
Named after one of the great artists of the Safavid period, this museum showcases Iranian art from ancient times and the Safavid-era paintings of Abbasi…
Iran
Sitting upon an astoundingly lonely knoll with wistful views over the cliff-edged valley, this circular, conical-topped tower was built in 1020 for a…
Iran
At the heart of ancient Bastam, now a village-suburb of Shahrud (around 7km from centre), is a collection of mostly 13th-century historical buildings. The…
Iran
This conically spired 25m brick tower has baffled visitors for centuries. Was it a tomb? A coronation spot? According to Iranian archaeo-astronomer…
Iran
Very popular as a picnic place in summer, Cheshmeh Ali's centrepiece is a pair of Qajar-era pavilions facing each other across a reflecting pool. It's…
Iran
With nearly 30 towers and a partial restoration of the imposing 11m-high north wall, Belqays citadel is one of Iran's most visually impressive mud…
Iran
Set on a prominent cliff overlooking the river, historic Salosel Castle is no longer much to look at above ground. However, the caretaker will gladly show…
Iran
The Takieh Mo’aven ol-Molk is Iran's finest Hosseinieh, a distinctively Shiite shrine where plays are acted out during the Islamic month of Moharram to…
Southeastern Iran
The 'contemporary' section of this wide-ranging gallery is a selection of thought-provoking photographic and illustrative social commentary in the rear…
Iran
Rey's main attraction is this shrine built for a 9th-century descendant of Imam Hossein. The mausoleum has elaborate tilework; a golden dome; a pool in…
Tehran
A hike up the northwest end of the Sa'd Abad Museum Complex, the classical-looking Green Palace was built at the end of the Qajar era when it was known as…
Iran
Semnan's cross-shaped covered-bazaar marks the old heart of the city. While far less extensive than the great bazaars of Kerman or Tabriz, there is plenty…
Southeastern Iran
Where Shohada St approaches the arid crags that abruptly mark the city's eastern edge sits this hefty octagonal structure of mysterious provenance. Some…
Iran
This dramatic 97m conical peak dominates the valley landscape for miles around. If you’re reasonably fit, climbing to the crater’s edge should take less…
Southeastern Iran
This historic bathhouse is now a museum in which wax dummies illustrate the workings of a traditional hammam. Signage is a little garbled ('AD' dates…
Esfahan
Built between 1704 and 1714 as part of an expansive complex that included a caravanserai (now the Abbasi Hotel) and the Bazar-e Honar, this madraseh is…
Iran
Nader Shah’s 'Khorshid Palace' isn't really a palace at all but a distinctively fluted, circular tomb-tower, on an octagonal base set in manicured lawns. …
Iran
Set in the side of a large cliff, 42km from Takab in neighbouring Kordestan, this mixture of natural and human-made caverns was used for habitation from…
Southeastern Iran
Arriving at these handsome gardens is like being beamed onto a different planet. One second you’re in the arid semidesert, the next it’s all flowing…
Tehran
Housed in a beautiful Qajar-era mansion surrounded by a pleasant garden, this interesting museum has well-displayed and explained (in English) exhibits of…
Shiraz
This fine city mansion, named after the daughter of the owner, was originally the andaruni (private quarters) area of the neighouring Bagh-e Naranjestan…
