A trip to Iran, its tourist attractions

Last week we talked a bit about Iran, about the country, its culture, a bit of its history and some basic information that is necessary to know before embarking on a trip. Yes, travel to Iran. That is what it is all about. Sometimes you have to turn off the TV a bit and let yourself go.

If you are curious and investigate a little the stories of travelers who have walked that country, fears will calm down and with each line you read and photo that you see, you will get more and more desire to discover a country that surely should not be so demonized . You enjoy history? Then you must visit these unique places, its main tourist attractions.

What to visit in Iran

Iran has a handful of major cities but to simplify the information we are going to narrow it down to two places, Tehran and Persepolis. I am not forgetting Esfahan and Shiraz, but we leave them for another article. Let's start with one of its best known attractions: Persepolis.

Persepolis is in Takht-e Jamshid and used to be the capital of the Persian Empire. It is only 75 kilometers from Shiraz so you just have to organize a little to draw a good itinerary. It began to be built by King Darius I but the works lasted about two hundred years. Alexander the Great got here, attacked it, occupied it and destroyed it in 330 BC, marking its abandonment and subsequent end.

Was left in ruins that throughout the centuries some travelers had the good fortune to contemplate. Later the European explorers would arrive and we owe them the drawings of what it looked like in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. Today, however, it continues to impact: monumental stairways, precious reliefs, imposing doors, columns knocked down here and there, all silent witnesses of a past and eternal glory.

Be careful that if you go to Persepolis from May to October you will find a lot of sun and very little shade so don't miss your glasses and water. Consider that entry with backpacks or tripods is not allowed so everything has to fit in your pockets. Admission is US $ 4 and there is a parking lot that charges US $ 1.

Tehran is the capital and as such it concentrates many attractions. The beautiful and colorful Bazar Tabriz is World Heritagel: It has seven square kilometers, huge covered rooms and almost a thousand years old, although the structure that we see today dates mostly from the XNUMXth century. There are many stores dedicated to the sale of rugs, the variety is numerous, but they are also sold spices, medicinal herbs, perfumes, traditional hats woven wool called azari, shoes, gold things, household utensils, etc.

Open from Saturday to Thursday from 8 am to 9 pm and the best way to enter is through the narrow alley that is to the east of the tourist office. It takes you right to the jewelry stores. Afterwards, good luck! Another destination in the capital is the Golestan Palace, a beautiful place that was the axis of the city. It is located between the Bazaar and the Iman Khomeini Square and it is actually a palatial complex surrounded by a beautiful garden.

The bad thing is to enter each building of the complex you have to pay entrance. The buildings are not that old, although they do stand on an old citadel, as they were built under the reign of Sha Nasser al-Din during the second half of the XNUMXth century. What not to miss? El Audience Hall of Ivan-e Takht-e Marmar, an open room that has a throne that will take your breath away, built in 65 pieces of yellow alabaster. This is where you get walking along the pool that you see just past the ticket office.

The second is a elevated terrace allowing a great view of the complex. It was built by Nasser al-Din and it is his marble tomb that is kept here today. The Hall of Mirrors It was closed for three decades but has already opened. It was a site of royal coronations and weddings and today houses gigantic chandeliers brought from Russia and gifts from other countries. It is also known by the name of Talar-e Ayaheh Museum.

You can also point: the Building of the Sun, with panoramic views of the city and an interior of mirrored rooms full of gifts and furniture brought from Europe, the Historical Photo Gallery with valuable images of life at court, the Diamond Hall or Talar-e Almas, with European decorative arts, the Ethnographic Museum with mannequins dressed in the old fashion and and the wind towers which were used as a primitive but effective air conditioning system. The complex open from Sunday to Friday from 9 am to 4:30 pm and admission costs US $ 4. Then you must add US $ 1 per building.

Also in Tehran is the Sad-abad Museum Complex. It was a royal summer residence during the Pahlavi Period and occupies 104 hectares near the mountains. It has 18 museums inside dedicated to real cars, miniature paintings, real tableware, whatever you can think of. Going through it can take three hours. This place open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9 am to 4:30 pmm and tickets are bought at the entrance door or at the north door but You must decide what you are going to visit before buying it because there is not one ticket that includes all the museums. Admission is US $ 4 and for each museum you pay an extra US $ 50.

If you enter through the main door you can get on the free minibus that connects two must-see sites: the White Palace and the Green Palace. The White Palace was built in the 30s of the 54th century and you will see two gigantic bronze boats at the entrance that is the only thing that remains of a huge statue of Sha Reza. It has XNUMX rooms and almost nothing has changed since the Revolution, it is very, very luxurious.

For his part, Green Palace It is up the hill and is more classic in style. Also it's opulent, with floor-to-ceiling mirrors even in the royal bedroom. Then you can do everything on foot and so you will know the Royal Automobile Museum With the Cadillacs and the Mercedes Benz, the Fine Arts Museum, the Royal Tableware Museum and the Military Museum, for example. A marvel of extreme wealth.

I add one more site: the National Jewels Treasure. It belongs to the Central Bank and is in fact inside its building. If you saw the photos of the royalty with jewels and sumptuous dresses then here you will see those jewelry live and direct. There are regular guided tours in English, Arabic, German and French and also brochures. These visits are included in the price of the ticket and in order not to leave anything in the pipeline, it is advisable to sign up.

There's a 182 carat pink diamond uncut, apparently the largest in the world, the Peacock Throne, XNUMXth century Kiani crown, the crowns of the last shah before the Khomeini revolution and the Jewelry Globe with more than 51 thousand precious stones where the world is built with emeralds, rubies and diamonds.

Of course, no photos or backpacks. This highly recommended site can be found on Ferdosi street and open from 2 to 4:30 pm, from Saturday to Tuesday and until 3:30 pm between November and March. The entrance fee is US $ 4 and children under 50 are not allowed. This article comes to an end and it is incredible how many tourist places have remained in my inkwell, but I promise to return because I like Iran more and more.