Tehran
At the Sa'd Abad Museum Complex and set inside and around a palace that belonged to the shah’s nephew Shahram, this museum contains a wide range of…
Must-see attractions in Iran
Iran
This iconic Qajar mansion, one of several historic buildings in town that are undergoing excruciatingly slow renovations, hides seven courtyards behind…
Iran
This 12th-century brick tower rises up 20m and was originally topped by a conical dome that has long since collapsed. The tower, surrounded by a small…
Tabriz
The measurement museum is hidden down a small, walled alley in a beautifully restored 160-year-old Qajar mansion. Skip it if you're not into rococo German…
Iran
The ruins of a crumbling Mongol-era caravanserai lie directly opposite Farhad Tarash, some 200m on from the main Bisotun inscriptions.
Mashhad
Behind heavy wooden doors, this 90-year-old caravanserai is full of underwear stalls run by Afghan merchants. It's fascinating for its cameo scenes of…
Iran
Inside a historic bathhouse, fronted with charmingly naive Qajar-era picture tiles, this museum displays 3000-year-old pottery from the archaeological…
Shiraz
The 30-minute climb to the summit of this hill is rewarded by fine views across the city. It is probably best to stick to daylight hours for a visit as…
Tabriz
Dating from the 12th century, St Mary’s is a still-functioning Armenian church that was mentioned by Marco Polo. It was once the seat of the regional…
Shiraz
The northern spur of its famous neighbour, Bazar-e Vakil, across Karim Khan-e Zand Blvd, this Qajar-era bazaar is fringed with shops along Zand Blvd…
Iran
The horseman statue facing down Sa'di St mall from Shohoda Sq depicts Kuchuk Khan, the Jangali leader of ‘Soviet Iran’.
Iran
The architecturally fanciful Sardar Mosque has a Qajar-style tri-lobed cornice, a beautifully brick-vaulted interior and a blocky clock-tower minaret…
Tabriz
The most intriguing exhibit here is the scripture-covered undershirt worn by Qajar monarchs during coronations. The museum is housed in the well…
Iran
A steady flow of well-wishers visits Kuchuk Khan's tomb (Manzariyeh St), sheltered by a contemporary brick gazebo with an intricate wooden roof. The tomb…
Iran
Sari's original main mosque is an unusual courtyard structure with Mazanderani tiled roofs. From some external angles it looks more like an old Italian…
Iran
The extensive, much-restored covered bazaar slopes up from Modarres St. With a couple of dilapidated old caravanserai courtyards at the western end, it's…
Iran
Squatter and slightly older than St Stephanos Gregorian church next door, the Armenian Evangelical Church was built in 1886 and now serves as a museum of…
Iran
The massive Ali Qapu was originally a 16th-century gateway to the royal precinct, a kind of forbidden inner city. Today it’s a police post, so don’t take…
Iran
A church dedicated to Armenian saints Stephen and Gregory has existed on this site since the 1600s, though this latest incarnation dates from the early…
Iran
In a back alley on a hill, this beautifully restored Qajar house has impressive views of Shushtar's ancient hydraulic system.
Yazd
Forming part of the Amir Chakhmaq Mosque Complex, this mosque is overshadowed by the iconic neighbouring Hosseinieh – one of the most photographed sites…
Iran
A popular local weekend excursion is to this dam 19km west of the centre, followed by chay at one of the riverside teahouses in Band (9km from Orumiyeh).
Iran
Spiked with blue-tiled baby minarets, Darvaza-e Arg is Semnan’s dinky but iconic Qajar-era city gate, with appealing tile murals adorning the northern…
Iran
Grandly tiled, the mosque's dome and minaret appear best at dawn and dusk, when they're framed by the giant revolutionary 'organ-pipes' monument of…
Iran
Dedicated to the daughter of the sixth Shia Imam, Ja'far al-Sadiq, this colourfully domed 14th-century shrine has a fine blue conical spire and Kufic…
Shiraz
On the north side of Karim Khan-e Zand Blvd, this Qajar-era bazaar caters largely to local shopping needs but makes for an interesting stroll nonetheless.
Iran
This unadorned Ilkhanid Mongol–period brick shrine to Sufi mystic Sheikh Boraq is surrounded by the courtyard of a khanqah (dervish monastery).
Iran
In a back alley surrounded by apartment blocks sits this 13th-century classic 12-sided, pyramid-roofed tomb tower that was once used to defend the city.
Iran
The beautiful dome of this enormous, symmetrical mosque provides a fine counterpoint to the more organic shrine complex at the other end of Astane Sq.
Iran
This historic, octagonal late-Qajar mansion sits in a neglected garden accessed through the unmarked grey gates of a clinic just north of Chahara Sq.
Yazd
Often dotted with the tents of refugees being granted free medical treatment in Iran, this park offers a shady place to wander on a hot summer's day.
Tabriz
This small garden honours 12th-century Azeri-Persian poet Shirvani Khaqani and is a favourite haunt of students looking to practise their English.
Iran
Situated halfway between the bazaar and the bus terminal, the partly 9th-century Jameh Mosque has a blunt, gently leaning brick-and-tile minaret.
Iran
Little remains of the actual castle other than some crumbling stone walls following the ridgeline south from the road, but the views are amazing.
Iran
The Mongol Ilkhanid Congregational (Friday) Mosque was once a truly gigantic brick edifice. It's built on the site of a Sassanian fire temple.
Iran
This attractive three-arched Qajar bridge over the Zanjan Rud river is visible west of the road to Bijar, southwest of the railway station.
Qeshm Island
The extensive bazaar off the main drag is at its most active in the morning. It includes a fruit and vegetable area and a fish market.
Iran
Worth a look is the Qajar-era Imamzadeh-ye Hossein, tucked behind Hotel Yass in a little courtyard with an ancient mulberry tree.
Tabriz
A burst of sunshine beckons you out of the warren of the Tabriz bazaar past whiffy fruit and delectable juices onto Motahhari St.
Tabriz
The relatively central Sarkis Church serves the Armenian community. It’s hidden in a basketball court behind high white gates.
