- A selection of the most interesting cities, major buildings and archaeological sites in this vast and varied country.
- Three full days to explore Isfahan; three full days in Tehran; ample time in Shiraz and Yazd.
- Suitable either for first-time visitors or for those with some familiarity already.
INTRODUCTION
Persepolis relief sculpture on the steps of Xerxes engraving 1888.
The successive civilizations of Persia were among the most potent and creative in Asia, and have provided the West with some of our most evocative images – of distant caravanserais and immense vaulted bazaars, of poets and rose gardens, of turquoise domes and priceless carpets. The very names of the cities breathe magic: Shiraz, Persepolis, Isfahan.
But the images are no mere symbols of a distant past. Historic Persian ways of life and the monuments which sheltered and articulated them are alive in Iran today. The fabulous mosques of Isfahan, the bustle of great bazaars, immense armies of nomads on the move or the magic of classical gardens bring Persia’s civilization vividly to life.
But it was virtually hidden from foreigners for some years after the 1979 revolution. Iran underwent cataclysmic upheavals: a national uprising against one of the strongest rulers in the world, a revolution with repercussions that still reverberate to this day, and one of the most destructive wars of the twentieth century. From these trials, triumphs and tragedies the Iranians have emerged much changed, but they are eager to show their country to the traveller once more.
Visitors to Iran can see some of the greatest sights in all Asia, such as Shah Abbas’s astonishing royal city of Isfahan, one of the great monumental cities of the world, or the silent ruins of Pasargadae and Persepolis, still much as Alexander’s destructive fury left them thousands of years ago. But equally interesting are the lesser-known splendours of Iran’s immensely rich heritage revealed by exploration of the old desert cities such as Yazd.
The friendliness and welcome which visitors receive come as a surprise after three decades of less than agreeable newspaper headlines. Whilst the revolution has brought about great changes, the essentials remain unchanged: the timeless landscapes, the villages, the great cities and the cultural heritage that includes not only outstanding architecture but also the poetry of Hafez, Sa’di, Ferdowsi and Omar Khayyam.
But it was virtually hidden from foreigners for some years after the 1979 revolution. Iran underwent cataclysmic upheavals: a national uprising against one of the strongest rulers in the world, a revolution with repercussions that still reverberate to this day, and one of the most destructive wars of the twentieth century. From these trials, triumphs and tragedies the Iranians have emerged much changed, but they are eager to show their country to the traveller once more.
Visitors to Iran can see some of the greatest sights in all Asia, such as Shah Abbas’s astonishing royal city of Isfahan, one of the great monumental cities of the world, or the silent ruins of Pasargadae and Persepolis, still much as Alexander’s destructive fury left them thousands of years ago. But equally interesting are the lesser-known splendours of Iran’s immensely rich heritage revealed by exploration of the old desert cities such as Yazd.
The friendliness and welcome which visitors receive come as a surprise after three decades of less than agreeable newspaper headlines. Whilst the revolution has brought about great changes, the essentials remain unchanged: the timeless landscapes, the villages, the great cities and the cultural heritage that includes not only outstanding architecture but also the poetry of Hafez, Sa’di, Ferdowsi and Omar Khayyam.
ITINERARY
DAY 1
Fly at c. 11.25am from London Heathrow (Turkish Airlines) to Shiraz (via Istanbul), arriving early the following morning.
DAY 2
Shiraz. Arrive Shiraz airport at c. 2.30am and drive to hotel where rooms will be ready for a rest before lunch. In the afternoon explore the city of gardens and poets. Naranjestan Palace, a 19th-cent. town house and garden of a wealthy patrician. Eram Gardens, the evocative tombs of Hafez and Sa’di, delightful mosques, madrassas and bazaars. First of three nights in Shiraz.
DAY 3
Persepolis. Excursion to Persepolis, the spectacular Achaemenid ceremonial city built by Darius I and Xerxes in the 5th and 4th cents.bc. In the afternoon continue to the Achaemenid royal tombs cut into the cliffs at Naqsh-e-Rustam. Overnight Shiraz.
DAY 4
Firuzabad. Full day excursion beginning with the scenic drive past the large salt lake of Maharlu and the impressive Qalh Dokhtar that is perched on a cliff top. Visit the large Sassanid palaces and the ancient city of Ardashir Khurreh, known as Gur. Final night in Shiraz.
DAY 5
Pasargadae, Yazd. At Pasargadae, see the ruins of the first Persian capital built by Cyrus the Great, whose tomb is situated in the windswept upland plain surrounding the city. Arrive Yazd for the first of two nights.
DAY 6
Yazd. An ancient caravan city on the edge of the desert with unique traditional architecture and some of the earliest fully-tiled monuments in Iran. Islamic monuments include the 14th and 15th-cent. Friday Mosque with its spectacular tiled entrance portal, the highest in the country. The centre of the ancient Zoroastrian religion, Yazd has one of the largest surviving of such communities in Iran. Visit the fire temple and funerary Towers of Silence. Overnight Yazd.
DAY 7
Maybod, Mohammediye, Na’in, Isfahan. Visit the citadel in the traditional pottery-making centre of Maybod. Stop at Mohammediye to see traditional wool-weaving. In Na’in, the geographical heart of Iran, visit the mosque which retains 10th-cent. features. Drive to Isfahan, where four nights are spent.
DAY 8
Isfahan. Three full days in Isfahan to experience the sights of the monumental capital of Safavid Persia (17th and 18th cent.). Opportunity to visit all the main monuments beginning with the great rambling Friday Mosque, a classic work of Persian art and a veritable textbook of Islamic architecture, incorporating most periods and styles. The great works of the royal city laid out by Shah Abbas include the tiled bridges and the palace pavilions of Chehel Sutun and Hasht Behesht. Surrounding the vast Imam Square (formerly Royal Square) are the Ali Qapu Pavilion, the Shaikh Lutfollah Mosque with near perfect dome, the monumental entrance to the grand bazaar and the immense tiled bulk of the Imam Mosque (formerly Royal Mosque). Some free time in Isfahan, to shop in the famous bazaars or relax in a teahouse.
DAY 9
As above.
DAY 10
As above.
DAY 11
Natanz, Kashan, Tehran. Drive via Natanz to see the Friday Mosque and the Shrine of Sheikh Abdul-Samad. In Kashan visit Bagh-é Fin, perhaps the most beautiful of classical Persian gardens. First of four nights in Tehran.
DAY 12
Tehran. Visit the Gulistan Palace, a jewel of Qajar-period architecture. The Abguineh Glass and Ceramics Museum is one of the most impressive in Tehran, not least for its architecture from the Qajar period. The Reza Abbasi Museum houses a fine collection of ceramics, fabrics and decorative arts and a very fine collection of Achaemenid and Sassanian gold and silver. End the day at the Malek Museum which has many excellent paintings and carpets. Overnight Tehran.
DAY 13
Tehran. Morning visit to the State Jewels Museum. The archaeological section of the National Museum of Iran contains items from many of the places visited on the tour. In the afternoon visit the Carpet Museum and the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art. Overnight Tehran.
DAY 14
Tehran. In the morning a visit to the Saad Abad Palace complex with its many museums and onto the Niravan palace, the home of the last Shah and the Empress Farah. End with a visit to the beautiful adjacent Niravan park. Final night in Tehran.
DAY 15
Morning flight to London Heathrow, arriving at c. 3.15pm.
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