Iran, the cradle of civilization

Iran, history at your fingertips.

This beautiful country has a spectacular cultural heritage. Both its society and its architecture will be curious and exciting, and you will not be able to stop walking through the ruins of civilizations that have long since left the planet. Free from mass tourism, you will find a place full of natives who will go out of their way to help you.

WHEN TO GO

It is a very large country with many ecosystems, so you can actually travel all year depending on the area you go to. It has very cold winters in the north and overwhelming summers in the south, making early June an excellent time to go anywhere on this stunning land.

WHAT TO SEE

You are in the cradle of civilization, for our travelers most passionate about history and archeology, as well as those who adore ancient cultures, this is the perfect destination. The following recommendations come from our colleague Sara, who was there a while ago and tells us her favorite things.

The city of Shiraz, the capital of Fars, is probably one of the most cultural places on the planet. Known as the city of poetry and roses, you must go to the Pars museum and the Nasi rol Molk mosque.

The grave of the poet Hafez is also one of the emblematic places of Shiraz. His life is full of mysticism, and he was a poet of the court. Since you are in this city do not miss the ruins of Persepolis, capital of the Persian empire during the Achaemenid era, its ruins will leave you breathless.

CULTURE

Many times when imagining Iran we think that it is a place of continuous conflict and that it is the last place to go, but the day to day is not like that, especially for foreigners and tourists.

It is a reality that Iran is being closely followed by organizations like Amnesty International for having a great deficiency in human rights, from freedom of expression to religious or sexual freedom. However, this does not affect tourists in the same way as it does natives.

As a visiting foreigner you will enjoy a lot of hospitality, and while it is true that you must be respectful of culture and social codes, it should not be a problem for your visit. Iran is an Islamic republic and the dress code of this religion governs them. Women, including foreigners, must wear hijab, three-quarter sleeves maximum and that the legs are not visible (if you wear a long dress, wear pants underneath); Men are recommended to wear long pants and a T-shirt, no braces.

We want you to have a more complete and complex vision of the country, so that you can take into account all the factors if you decide to go on vacation to the cradle of civilization.

WHAT TO EAT

Iran is much more than kebabs, although the ones you try there will be unmatched. The best thing is that you look for traditional restaurants in the area where you are, ask: everyone will try to help you find a good place.

Dolma are vegetables (eggplant, onion, pepper ...) that are filled with nuts, rice, meat and spices, eat them still hot. Another dish that you cannot miss without tasting is the fasenyan, which is a meat stew with pomegranate! Strange, right? We promise you will love it.

As a dessert we recommend that you try Halva, a mixture of flour, butter and sugar, probably the most famous dessert in the Middle East. We are looking forward to hearing from us if you have tried it!

THE LAST TIPS!

Our colleague Sara recommends that you pay attention to the visa: many agencies charge you a fortune to do it, when sometimes you can get it at the airport directly depending on the country. Contact the embassy and they will tell you if this is your case.

If you are going to Iran or have been there after 2011, you may have problems entering the US, keep this in mind when organizing your trip, it will not be a surprise.