Welcome to Enchanting Journeys

In the Middle East, history is not something you read about in books. A grand epic, a cradle of civilisations, it is a story written on the stones that litter the region, from the flagstones of old Roman roads to the building blocks of Ancient Egypt & the delicately carved tombs & temples from Petra to Persepolis. This is where humankind first built cities & learned to write and it was from here that Judaism, Christianity & Islam all arose.

Salam & welcome to Islamic Republic of Iran - one of the friendliest countries on earth. the jewel in Islam's crown, combining glorious architecture with a warm-hearted welcome. Land of fire, a journey of flavours, being one of nature – so many metaphors to describe the country.

Arrive in the dynamic & vibrant capital city Tehran, one of the world’s greatest megalopolises with its chaotic charm & juxtapositions found on every street.

After you exit in the Arrival Hall at Terminal? – Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport, subsequent to Immigration & Customs, you will be met by The Journeys representative who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to the hotel, help you settle in and provide you with some useful tips for exploring the area as well as discuss the program for the next day.

If, for any reason you are unable to make contact with our representative within 30 minutes of waiting, please call the local Emergency telephone # listed on your Contact List. Please follow the advice given by our 24 / 7 Duty Officer.  Please do not exit the Airport & make your own way to the hotel.

Reach the hotel & Check-in.

*Check-in time is 02.00 pm. For earlier arrivals in the morning, we will request the hotel for a complimentary early Check-in but cannot be guaranteed unless reserved & paid for ‘immediate occupancy’.

Balance of the day is at leisure to relax or independent exploration or optional activities (We shall be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements). 

Hugging the lower slopes of the magnificent, snow-capped Alborz Mountains, Tehran is Iran’s most secular & liberal city city that attracts students from across the country. Expect relatively bold fashion statements & a range of ethnic & international restaurants.

With its relatively short history, ugly mask of concrete, sometimes choking smog & manic streets flowing hot with machines, many travellers & no small number of Tehranis will tell you there is no reason to hang around in the capital. But to take their advice is to miss out. Spend time here - as you should - & you will soon realise that the city is so much more than a chaotic jumble of concrete & crazy traffic blanketed by a miasma of air pollution. For while Isfahan or Persepolis has a convincing case for being the soul of Iran, Tehran is indisputably its big, ugly, chaotic & dynamic beating heart & the place to get a handle on modern Iran & what its future will likely be.

And while Tehran lacks history, it makes up for it with many impressive Museums & serene Gardens (more than 800 parks, all well-kept). 

But to get inside the real Tehran you need to get beyond the Museums & into the contemporary chic cafes & traditional teahouses, plenty of Art Galleries & on the walking trails in the mountains. That is where you will connect with Tehranis & enjoy all that is good about Tehran.

Exploring this fascinating metropolis will transport you on a journey through more than 250 years of Iranian history - from the glittering Golestan Palace complex with its ornate rooms & marble Throne, was the seat of power of the Qajar dynasty and the adjacent Grand Bazaar to the notorious former US Embassy to beautiful modern structures Azadi Tower & the Milad Tower which have come to symbolize the city & offering panoramic views. The National Jewelry Museum holds many of the Qajar monarchs’ jewels while the National Museum of Iran has artefacts dating back to Palaeolithic times.

The cosmopolitan city is also home to many historic Mosques as well as several Churches, Synagogues & Zoroastrian fire temples. You can find an endless number of nice & cosy places in & around the city - if you know where to look.

No services are envisaged for this evening.

However, if time permits & you wish to explore independently, let us know (we shall be only too happy to offer suggestions).

Overnight.    

Morning, Check-out & meet your Tour-guide in the lobby at 08.30 am to proceed for a 6 hour sightseeing tour of the city.

Visit a selection of carefully-chosen highlights, from the remarkable buildings featuring some of the most stunning architecture to be found anywhere & concentrating on its excellent museums.

First stop will be at the Golestan Palace complex.

Located between Imam Khomeini Square & the bazaar, the Palace complex is made up of several grand buildings set around a carefully manicured garden. In what was once the heart of Tehran is this monument to the glories & excesses of the Qajar rulers. Although there was a Safavid-era citadel on this site, it was Nasser al-Din Shah (ruled 1848 - 96), impressed by what he had seen of European palaces, who built it into the ‘Palace of Flowers’. Originally it was much bigger, with inner & outer sections to encompass offices, ministries & private living quarters, but several surrounding buildings were pulled down under the Pahlavis.

Walk around the courtyard & along the long pool to Ivan-e Takht-e Marmar - a mirrored, open-fronted audience hall dominated by a magnificent throne. The throne is supported by human figures & constructed from 65 pieces of yellow alabaster mined in Yazd. It was made in the early 1800s for Fath Ali Shah (ruled 1797 - 1834), a monarch who supposedly managed a staggering (& quite likely very tiring) 200 odd wives & 170 offspring. This Hall was used on ceremonial occasions, including the Napoleon-style self-coronation of Reza Shah in 1925.

Then, walk outside to the open-sided corner known as Khalvat-e Karim Khani (Karim Khan Nook), all that remains of a 1759 building that served as Karim Khan Zand’s 17^th century Tehran residence

The Complex boasts several Museums that you might be able to see depending on the available time.

Negar Khane (Art Gallery) displays a fine collection of Qajar-era art and it was the brainchild of Nasser al-Din Shah, who had been particularly captivated by European museums. Especially interesting are the portraits of the shahs wearing the jewels & crowns that you can see in the National Jewels Museum (which you will visit), and pictures of everyday life in 19^th century Iran.

The dazzling Talar-e Ayaheh (Hall of Mirrors) Museum, closed for almost 30 years, is now open to the public. Built between 1874 & 1877, the hall was dedicated to the Peacock Throne before it was moved to the National Jewels Museum. More recently it was used for the coronation of Mohammad Reza Shah in 1967 (25 years after he came to power) and royal weddings. Today it houses gifts received by the Shahs, including a large green malachite vase from Russia & 13 huge chandeliers.

Further down, is the Howze Khaneh (Pool Room), named for the small pool & fountain in its centre. It houses a collection of paintings & sculptures of 19^th century European royalty - generously given to their Qajar counterparts by the same European monarchs.

At the east end of the garden, the imposing Shams-Al Emarat (Edifice of the Sun) blends European & Persian architectural traditions. Inside, a sequence of mirrored and tiled rooms house a collection of photographs, together with yet more furniture and vases gifted by European monarchs.

Next door you will see four soaring badgirs (wind towers, used for air-conditioning), rising above the recently restored Emarat-e Badgir, first erected in the reign of Fath Ali Shah. The interior has typically ostentatious mirror work and is worth a quick look. In the basement, the Aks Khaneh (Historic Photograph Gallery) exhibits a fascinating collection of photographs depicting Qajar court life; look particularly for the picture showing the inside of a Zoroastrian tower of silence, with bodies in varying states of decay, and the shot of ‘freaks and dwarfs’.

Next up, the tiny Talar-e Almas (Diamond Hall) displays a range of decorative arts - especially 18^th & 19^th century French ceramics - in a room with red walls and a tiled floor. The attractive teahouse underneath might well be more appealing.

After wandering back through the gardens you’ll come to the Ethnographical Museum near the main entrance, featuring a range of mannequins in traditional ethnic costumes.

The Palace tour finishes & you will walk out into the bustling ‘real world’ vibrant Bazaar & continue on to the National Jewels Museum.

On display is an impressive collection of some of the most famous and spectacular jewels in the world including many priceless pieces. Many pieces have disappeared over the years but the remaining collection of gemstones, jewelry, royal emblems, ornamental guns and jewel-encrusted furniture is still impressive. The majority of the items on display were given to Safavid kings as gifts but many pieces taken by Nader Shah on his conquest of India are also exhibited. These include the Darya-e Nur diamond, The Peacock Throne & the Jeweled Globe. Other pieces include the crowns of the Qajar and Pahlavi Kings.

Next, drive down to see the modern architectural marvel - the Tabiat (“nature”) Bridge, the largest of its kind in Iran. Designed by a 26 year old architect Leila Araghian while she was a student, winning a local competition for a plan to connect two parks separated by a highway in north Tehran.

Built on three large pillars, the 270-metre curved structure has broad entrances, multiple pathways & three floors of restaurants & cafes and sitting areas. It was recently named among the winners of the Architizer A+ awards, a global architectural competition based in New York & internationally acclaimed. It has since become a popular place for hangouts & morning sports as thousands flock to the bridge.

Return to the hotel.

Balance of the evening is at leisure to relax or for independent exploration (we shall be happy to offer suggestions, in case you want to walk around).

Overnight.  B D 

Very early morning, depart for Tabriz, enroute stopping at Zanjan & Soltaniyerh.

Zanjan is the capital city of Zanjan province in Iranian Azerbaijan & has a lot of historical sites in the city & around. A notable point here is Zanjan's population boasts the highest level of happiness among the people of 30 other provinces in Iran, according to a detailed survey conducted by an international organisation.

In ancient times, Zanjan was known for its beautiful handcrafts such as knives, traditional sandals called charoogh, & malileh, a decoration made with silver wires. Zanjani artists make many things like various decorative dishes & their special covers as well as silver jewelry. But this tradition is gradually becoming extinct by introduction of Chinese-made knives into the market which are far cheaper, more abundant & of course, less artistic. Many villagers today are traditional carpet weavers, perhaps Zanjan's most popular handcraft.

Zanjan has always enjoyed prominence, due to its strategic location on the trade route from Rey to Azerbaijan & is a city rich in history. Archeological excavations have founded traces of Paleolithic cave settlers in the area. According to some accounts & based on traces of Sassanid Fire Temples scattered around, Zanjan is one of the cities founded by Sassanid King Ardashir I, the Unifier (180 - 242 CE).

Some of the city’s famous sites include a traditional bazaar, a Jame Mosque, Mullah Hassan Kashi Mausoleum & the Zanjan Wash House.

The city is also where the Salt men of Iran have been discovered. The salt men are 6 salt mummies from the Achaemenid (550 - 330 BC) & Sassanid (226 - 651 CE) eras that were found in Chehrabad Salt Mine. One of these Salt men is housed at the National Museum of Iran in Tehran while the others are on display at the Archeology Museum of Zanjan located in Zolfaqari Mansion.

The city also has several natural attractions most notably Sharshar Waterfall, Kataleh Khor (or Katalehkhor Cave), Jinn’s Chimney, Mahneshan Colored Mountains & Garmab Thermal Spring. There is a ski resort named Papayi close to the city which accommodates 500 skiers every year.

You have time to visit some of the highlights here.

Stroll in the National Heritage designated site Zanjan Bazaar which has brickwork & tilework decorations with Qajar era (1785  - 1925) motifs & colors, and is considered to be the longest Bazaar in Iran that has expanded towards the west & east. Historical records show construction of the Bazaar began during the reign of Agha Mohammad Khan (1742 - 1797) and was completed during the reign of Fath-Ali Shah Qajar & later expanded to include several caravanserais, bathhouses & mosques.

The Bazaar includes 8 sub-bazaars where shoemakers, tailors, goldsmiths, textile merchants sold their goods & provided services to the public. The number of sub-bazaars & the diversity of merchants who occupied them, the number of mosques, caravanserais & bath-houses indicate that this market was once the heart of the city’s economy. Haj Karbalayi Ali & Haj Ali Qoli are 2 of the most famous Caravanserais in this complex which played an important role in local trade. If you there during lunch time, make sure you try Zanjan’s famous signature dishes - Morgh Aloucheh or Cherry Plum & Chicken Stew, Jaghour Baghour & Ash-e Gandom.

Then, you will see another National Heritage Site – the brick & stone Rakht-Shouy Khaneh (Zanjan Wash House) or as it is known locally, built in 1928 by the then mayor of the city Ali Akbar Tofiqi to provide the women of the city with a closed space to do their laundry.  The Wash House consists of a Managerial Quarter - a residential building & a courtyard with trees & flowers and a connected Laundry Room. The Wash House has a 17 meter long & 11.5 meter wide Khazineh, a room with a large hot water pool, & a  an 8 meter high ceiling. A terrace-like platform has been built directly across from the laundry room, where the manager of the Wash House would sit & oversee the business. A nearby Qanat (underground water management system) provided water for the Wash House. 

Zanjan Wash House was turned into an Anthropology Museum in 1998 & now houses wax statues showcasing the culture, costumes, jewelry, customs, & occupations of the people of Zanjan.

Spend an hour or 2 before departing for another interesting site on the city’s outskirts –

UNESCO World Heritage listed city of Soltaniyeh which used to be the 3^rd Ilkhanid capital after Maragheh & Tabriz of the 14^th century Mongol Ilkhanid rulers of Persia. Its name translates as "the Imperial". In 2005, William Dalrymple, an acclaimed Scottish writer & historian noted. Mongol Sultan Mohammad Khodabandeh Oljeitu (1280 - 1316) intended Soltaniyeh to be "the largest & most magnificent city in the world" but that it "died with him" & is now "a deserted, crumbling spread of ruins.

But some of the glory remains. See the Soltaniyeh Dome.

It was a place where the Ilkhanid rulers went to hunt & to relax. Muhammad Khodabandeh is said to have built the Soltaniyeh Dome to become the first Shia Imam Ali’s (599 - 661) new Shrine. After encountering fierce opposition from the Scholars of Najaf who were furious at the ruler for wanting to move Imam Ali’s remains, Khodabandeh abandoned his plan & Soltaniyeh Dome eventually became his own Mausoleum.  

Soltaniyeh Dome - 25.5 meters in diameter at its base and 48.5 meters tall - is the 3^rd tallest dome in the world after Santa Maria delle Grazie in Italy & Hagia Sophia in Turkey. It is a 3 story structure with an octagonal plan & 110 steps with 8 doors, 8 iwans (a vaulted hall, walled on three sides and open on one side) & 8 minarets. As dirt (Torbat) from the grave of the 3^rd Shia Imam, Hossein (626 - 680), has been used to inscribe the walls of the Mihrab (prayer niche), it has come to be known as Torbat Khaneh.

All of Soltaniyeh Dome’s walls are covered in inscriptions ranging from Quranic verses in Kufic & Thuluth calligraphy & the names of Allah, the Prophet & the Imams. The decorations belong to 2 distinct periods. In the first period, the Dome was decorated with brickwork & tiles. Decorations from the 2^nd period consist of stucco reliefs & painting on top, which have mostly covered the decorations from the first period. Many years ago, Soltaniyeh Dome along with its nearby buildings & the royal palace were encircled by a stone wall with 16 watchtowers. This wall has since then been dismantled.  

Today a small museum has been opened near the main entrance of the Dome where pictures & items from the past periods of Soltaniyeh are on display.

Continue on your drive to the final destination - Tabriz.

On arrival by evening, Check-in at the hotel.

Tabriz is the most populated city in the Iranian Azerbaijan, one of the historical capitals of Iran & the present capital of East Azerbaijan Province.

It is an ancient city with a checkered history going back about 4,500 years. Although shrouded in legend & mystery, the town's origins are believed to date back" to distant antiquity, perhaps even before the Sassanian era (224 - 651 AD).

The oldest stone tablet with a reference to Tabriz is that of Sargon II, the Assyrian King. The tablet refers to a Tauri Castle & Tarmkis which the historians believe was situated on the site of the present Tabriz.

During the reign of Aqa Khan of the Ilkhanids, as well as under the reign of Ghazan Khan, Tabriz reached the peak of its glory & importance. Many great artists and philosophers from all over the world traveled to Tabriz.  In the same period Khajeh Rashid od-Din Fazlollah, the learned historian, built the famous Rob'e Rashidi Center. 

Under the Safavids, it rose from regional to national capital for a short period, but when the second of the Safavid kings, Shah Tahmasb, moved the capital to Qazvin because of the vulnerability of Tabriz to Ottoman attacks, the town went into a period of decline, fought over by the Iranians, Ottomans & Russians and struck by earthquake & disease..

Balance of the evening is at leisure to relax or for independent exploration (we shall be happy to offer suggestions, in case you want to walk around). 

Overnight.  B D 

Morning, meet the Tour-guide at 08.30 am & embark on a full day 8 hour sightseeing tour of this ancient city & its surroundings.

Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site Tabriz Bazaar.

The magnificent, labyrinthine covered bazaar covers some 7 sq km with 24 separate caravanserais & 22 impressive timchehs (domed halls). Construction began over a millennium ago, though much of the fine brick vaulting is 15^th century. There are several carpet sections, according to knot-size & type. The spice bazaar has a few shops still selling herbal remedies & natural perfumes. A couple of hat shops (Bazaar Kolahdozan) sell traditional papakh (Azari hats) made of tight-curled astrakhan wool. Other quarters specialise in gold, shoes & general household goods.For such a huge construction, the bazaar is surprisingly easy to miss if you don’t find an entrance.

Next stop will be the ancient Kabud (Blue) Mosque.

When it was constructed in 1465, the Mosque was among the most glorious buildings of its era. Once built, artists took a further 25 years to cover every surface with the blue majolica tiles & intricate calligraphy for which it is nicknamed. It survived one of history’s worst-ever earthquakes (1727), but collapsed in a later quake (1773).

Devastated Tabriz had better things to do than mend it and it lay as a pile of rubble till 1951, when reconstruction finally started. The brick superstructure is now complete, but only on the rear (main) entrance portal (which survived 1773) is there any hint of the original blue exterior. Inside is also blue with missing patterns laboriously painted onto many lower sections around the few remaining patches of original tiles.

A smaller domed chamber further from the entrance once served as a private mosque for the Qareh Koyunlu Shahs. Steps lead down towards Jahan Shah’s Tomb chamber. The Khaqani Garden outside, honouring 12^th century Azari-Persian poet Shirvani Khaqani, is a good place to meet English-speaking students.

There are many more interesting places to see here but you will now drive outside the city to visit Makou denoted as the “Ancient Soul of Iran”.

Makou - a mountainous city situated 1,634 meters above sea-level - is in the frontier region of West Azarbaijan province, bordering with Turkey & Azerbaijan Republic. The huge rocks surrounding Makou have added beauty to this city’s landscape & remind visitors of the ancient castles &fortifications in its surrounds.

You will visit the most famous landmark in the region, the historical UNESCO World Heritage listed Qar-e Kelisa (or the Black Church) highly sacred to Armenians, located on the foothills & next to a creek.

Around 40 AD, a disciple of Prophet Jesus came to this region to promote Christianity. But he angered the Armenian king, on the orders of which this disciple & his followers were killed. Every year in July, Armenians gather in this Church & hold special ceremonies to mark their death anniversary. It has 2 sections. The older section constructed with black stones is smaller in size, situated in the eastern corner. The larger section which was built later on, is made up of white stones. The Church has a pyramidal dome with 12 sides. The inner walls are plain but the outer walls are highly decorated.

You will also see another historical monument nearby - Panj-Cheshmeh Bridge, situated over Zangmaar River. 43 meters in length & over 3 meters in width, the Bridge made of cut black & white stones which have added to the architectural beauty, was constructed by Armenians in 18^th century AD to shorten the path of pilgrims visiting Qar-e Kelisa Church.

Drive further to the village of Baghche Jooq to view the historical Castle.

Constructed in the early 20^th century, the Baghche Jooq Castle is situated in a scenic 11 hectare orchard, which is considered one of the feats of the late Qajarid Era. The Castle is a blend of Iranian, Russian & European arts & architecture & its precious antiques make an interesting Museum. The plasterworks & decorations of this Castle are highly attractive & the surrounding walls are covered with cut mirrors. Given its distinguished artistic & architectural features, the Castle was purchased by the then government in 1974 & was opened to public after renovation.

Return to the hotel in Tabriz.

Balance of the evening is at leisure to relax or for independent exploration (we shall be happy to offer suggestions, in case you want to walk around).

Overnight.  B D

Early morning, depart for Takab. Stop at Kandovan enroute.

Kandovan is a village in Sahand Rural District in the Central District of East Azerbaijan Province.

There is a collection of amazing cave houses, unlike any others in the world. For more than 7 centuries, people have inhabited the caves in the surrounding mountains & stone formations, building themselves a community you cannot see anywhere else in the world.

Reminiscent of Cappadocia (in Turkey), remarkable Kandovan is a photogenic settlement of troglodyte homes & storage barns carved out of curiously eroded rocks. These sit above a newer lower village like a conference of stone ice-cream cones. Scrambling along steep, narrow paths between them gives you ample idea of the place within a few minutes.

When you first come upon the houses, you might not notice them, as the stone used to expand the dwellings outside of the caves, mimics that natural color of the original stone. But once you get closer to the village, you can see there are modern doors & windows mixed in with more ancient looking carved out rooms & chimneys jutting out of the rock face.

Most communities have become modernized, with power & some even with running water, all while blending perfectly into the natural surroundings. The volcanic stone is both easy to manipulate & sturdy enough to support these ancient constructions. What is particularly amazing about these homes is that they have supported life for centuries. They look like ancient cave dwellings because they are. The first inhabitants were from ancient tribes, but these homes have been updated and passed down from inhabitant to inhabitant.

They have taken special precaution to preserve as much of the original cave as possible, so that both the exterior & the interior have that authentic Kandovan feel. Some houses rely on the natural cave formations, while others have been hollowed out into larger rooms & have even been whitewashed to create a more modern look & feel, decorated with colorful carpets & fabrics. These communities support almost 170 families.

Beyond Kandovan, smooth steep foothills mask a full view of Mt Sahand whose hidden volcanic summit rises to 3707 metre. David Rohl’s book Legend suggests that Sahand was the Bible’s ‘Mountain of God’. If true that would place Kandovan slap bang in the original Garden of Eden.

Located at the foot of Mount Sahand, the mound-like Homes are carved from volcanic rock, meaning that most of the materials needed to construct them were already located on site. Technically, the dwellings aren’t true underground homes since a portion of them sits above ground, but since much of the living space is buried, inhabitants can expect cooler temperatures during the day without having to jack up the air conditioning (& saving a lot of energy).

While the area might look like it is from prehistoric times, it is actually a hoppin’ resort locale with hotels, restaurants & a special mineral water famed for its healing properties.

Finally, time to depart for your final destination.

Reach Takab & Check-in at the hotel.

Takab is a city in West Azerbaijan Province The city's inhabitants are predominantly Iranian Azerbaijanis who speak the Turki Azerbaijani language in addition to Kurdi Surani & Kurdi Kurmanji, as well as Farsi.

Takab is one of the most important cities of the province in terms of monuments, natural attractions & valuable mines around it. The famous UNESCO World Heritage listed historical complex Takht-e Soleyman is situated to the North-East of the city. Soleyman Prison is another important historical attraction.

Livestock & Agriculture constitute the main economy of this city. Apiculture  (art of rearing, breeding & managing honey bee colony in artificial hives for economic gains through the production of honey & other bee products for man's use. For bees to produce honey, they feed majorly on nectar & pollens), handicraft such as carpet weaving including the famous Afshar (known as steely carpet), Glim, Jajim & prayer rug (called Sajadeh) are the other economic activities of people here.. Weaving flourished here in the Safavid era. Numerous mines such as Zarshouran mine (the biggest gold mine of Iran), the 2^nd biggest active gold mine of Aghdare are the reason to rank Takab first in terms of gold production in Iran.

Balance of the evening is at leisure to relax or for independent exploration (we shall be happy to offer suggestions, in case you want to walk around). 

Overnight.  B D 

Early morning, depart for Kermanshah, enroute stopping at the famous Takht-e Soleyman, just outside the city.

The archaeological site of one of the oldest & principal Zoroastrian sanctuary, Takht-e-Soleyman was one of Takab’s oldest Fire Temple during the Sassanid Dynasty associated with one of the early monotheistic religions of the world. The site has many important symbolic relationships, being a testimony of the association of the ancient beliefs, much earlier than the Zoroastrianism, as well as in its association with significant biblical figures & legends. The ensemble of Takht-e Soleyman is an exceptional illustration of the continuation of cult related to Fire & Water over a period of some two & half millennia. The archaeological heritage is further enriched by the Sasanian town, which is still to be excavated.

Partly rebuilt in the 13^th century Ilkhanid (Mongol) period as well as a Temple of the Sasanian period (6^th & 7^th centuries) dedicated to goddess Anahita. The site has important symbolic significance & the designs of the Temple, the Palace & the general layout have strongly influenced the development of Islamic architecture.

Drive on to Kermanshah.

Arrive by evening & Check-in at the hotel.

Kermanshah is the largest Kurdish speaking city in Iran. Because of its antiquity, attractive landscapes, rich culture & Neolithic villages,it was onsidered one of the cradles of prehistoric cultures.

According to archaeological surveys & excavation, the Kermashah area has been occupied by prehistoric people since the Lower Paleolithic period & continued to later Paleolithic periods. Neanderthal Man existed here during this period. It was the site of one of the oldest pre-historian village in the Middle East dating back to 9800 BP. The Lower Paleolithic evidence consists of some hand axes found in the Gakia area to the east of the city. The Middle Paleolithic remains have been found in the northern vicinity of the city.

The known Paleolithic caves in this area are Warwasi, Qobeh ,Malaverd & Do-Ashkaft Cave. The region was also one of the first places in which human settlements including Asiab, Qazanchi, Tappeh Sarab, Chia Jani, & Ganj-Darreh were established between 8,000 - 10,000 years ago.

Kermanshah developed in the 4^th century AD under the patronage of Sassanian kings. The city squats astride the former Royal Rd to Baghdad & such strategic positioning has brought both prosperity & attack: Kermanshah suffered brutal damage during the Iran - Iraq War & it has not yet fully recovered even today. Briefly renamed Bakhtaran in the 1980s, the city is a melting pot of Kurds, Lori & other Iranians, many on pilgrimage west to the holy cities of Najaf (Iraq) & Kerbala.

Kermanshah played an important role in the Iranian Constitutional Revolution during the Qajar dynasty period & the Republic Movement in Pahlavi dynasty period. The city's proximity to the Achaemanid & Sassanid carvings of Bisotun & Taq-e Bustanis is the main tourist drawcard.

Balance of the evening is at leisure to relax or for independent exploration (we shall be happy to offer suggestions, in case you want to walk around). 

Overnight.  B D

Morning, Check-out & drive to the outskirts of the city to marvel at the Taghe Bostan rock reliefs. 

According to Arthur Pope, the founder of Iranian Art & Archeology Institute in the USA, "art was characteristic of the Iranian people & the gift which they endowed the world with."

Taqe Bostan is a site with a series of 30 surviving large rock reliefs from the Sassanid Era located a short drive from the city center of Kermanshah, located in the heart of the Zagros Mountains, where it has endured almost 1,700 years of wind and rain. 

Sassanid kings chose a beautiful setting for their rock reliefs along an historic Silk Road caravan route waypoint & campground. The reliefs are adjacent a sacred springs that empty into a large reflecting pool at the base of a mountain cliff. Like other Sassanid symbols, Taqe Bostan & its relief patterns accentuate power, religious tendencies, glory, honor, the vastness of the court, game & fighting spirit, festivity, joy & rejoicing.

The carvings, some of the finest & best-preserved examples of Persian sculpture under the Sassanids, comprise 2 big & small arches. They illustrate the crowning ceremonies & hunting scenes of Ardeshir I & his sons, Shapur I & Shapur II. One of the most impressive reliefs inside the largest grotto or ivan is the gigantic equestrian figure of the Sassanid king Khosrau II (591-628 CE) mounted on his favorite charger, Shabdiz. Both horse & rider are arrayed in full battle armor.

Originally, several sources were visible next to & below the reliefs & arches, some of which are now covered. Sources next to the reliefs still feed a large basin in front of the rock. The site has been turned into an archaeological park & a series of late Sasanian & Islamic column capitals have been brought together (some found at Taq-i Bustan, others at Bisitun and Kermanshah).

Drive down to the nearby Takieh Mo’aven ol-Molk.

Distinctively Shiite, Hosseiniehs are shrines where plays are acted out during the Islamic month of Moharram, commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hossein at Karbala (AD 680). The finest of these theatres cum religious buildings, is the Takieh Mo’aven ol-Molk.

Enter down stairs, through a courtyard & domed central chamber decorated with grisly scenes from the Karbala battle. The Shrine remains very much active, with pilgrims kissing the doors & being genuinely moved by the footprint of Ali on the wall of the 2^nd courtyard. This is set amid tiles depicting a wacky gamut of images from Quranic scenes, to pre-Islamic motifs including Shahnameh kings, European villages & local notables in 19^th century costumes. A lovely building to the right is now an Ethnographic Museum displaying regional costumes.

After spending a couple of hours here, drive on to Ahwaz.

Arrive by evening & Check-in at the hotel.

The capital of Khuzestan Province, Ahvaz is built on the banks of the Karoun River, the largest river & the only navigable waterway in Iran. Being an oil business oriented city, there are not a lot of interesting places to see in Ahvaz. You could visit the old & hectic bazaar area (Taleqani Street).

Some historians believe that Ahvaz was named Tareiana in the Achaemenid era (550 - 330 BC). Others believe that it is the city of Aginis referred to in Greek sources.

The founder of the Sassanid Dynasty Ardashir I (180 - 242 CE) rebuilt the city on both sides of the river, designating one half for God & the other half for himself & naming it Hormoz-Ardashir. In the early Islamic Sassanid era (224 - 651 CE) the city became a center for Textile production & a trade hub. Souq al-Ahvaz (Ahvaz Market). flourished in the market town & became known all over.

By the time of the Arab attack, half of the city was inhabited by nobles & named Hormshir & the other half was inhabited by merchants & called Hujestan-vacar (market of Khuzestan). After the Arab attack only the market half of the city remained intact. It fell into ruin in the course of centuries of conflict & endless power struggles. In the Qajar era, Nasser-al Din Shah (1831-1896) built a port next to the city & renamed it Naseri or Naserieh. The founder of the Pahlavi dynasty Reza Shah (1878 - 1944) changed city’s name to Ahvaz.

Ahvaz is known as the city of bridges for the 9 bridges that have been built over the Karoun River. Some of the bridges are Pol-e Sefid (White Bridge), Black Bridge (Victory Bridge), Naderi Bridge (Fourth Bridge) & Dialogue of Civilizations Bridge.

The city has a considerable number of the followers of John the Baptist, called the Mandaeans (or Sabians).  They can often be seen performing their weekly Baptism rituals along the River Karoun.

Balance of the evening is at leisure to relax or for independent exploration (we shall be happy to offer suggestions, in case you want to walk around). 

Overnight.  B D 

Morning, meet the Tour-guide at 08.00 am & proceed for a full day excursion to Chogha Zanbil & Susa

UNESCO World Heritage listed Chogha Zanbil is an ancient Elamite complex near Ahvaz. It is one of the largest & best preserved brick Ziggurat (a rectangular stepped tower, sometimes surmounted by a temple) .outside of Mesopotamia, located in the semi-desert landscape & is somewhat at odds with its wild surroundings.

Built around 1250 BC, it was part of a flourishing Temple complex within the town of Dur Untash until Ashurbanipal, who was also responsible for destroying Susa, sacked it in about 640 BC. It was only rediscovered in 1935.

The impressive Ziggurat, originally believed to be about 60 metres, stands at about 25 metres high today. You can’t go into it, or climb up it, which is just as well given its great age, but this is in keeping with its history as it was only ever accessible to the Elamite elite.

The uppermost 2 sections including a Temple are gone. Running around the Temple at approximately eye level is an inscription in Cuneiform. From the leaflet for the site, some have been translated & one section reads: “I Untash Napirisha with golden coloured, silver coloured, green & black bricks have built this temple & have gifted it to Napirisha & Inshushinak, the gods of this sacred place”

There are low ruins of various Temples around the Ziggurat, along with those of Palace & housing complexes, though nothing as well-preserved as the Ziggurat itself. Embedded in some baked clay near the base of the Ziggurat is a child’s footprint; one of those curious archaeological survivors that, like a potter’s thumb-print on a piece of ancient pottery, seems incredibly personal & to collapse the hundreds, or in this case thousands, of years between then & now.

Continue on to Susa, the site of one of the oldest cities in the world.

Excavations have uncovered evidence of continual habitation dating back to 4200 BCE. Susa was a principal city of the Elamite, Persian & Parthian empires (capital of the Elamites) & was originally known to the Elamites as 'Susan’ or 'Susun’. The Greek name for the city was Sousa & the Hebrew, Shushan. The excavated architectural monuments include administrative, residential & palatial structures. The site bears exceptional testimony to the Elamite, Persian & Parthian cultural traditions, which have largely disappeared.

The modern city of Shush, Iran, presently occupies the ancient site. The old city, is situated between the modern rivers Karkheh & Dez (the rivers Choaspes & Eulaeus mentioned in the Biblical Book of Daniel 8:2, where Daniel received his vision), which bring mud down from the Zagros Mountains making the area one of the most fertile in the region. It was the political center of Elam early in the 4^th millennium & there is a fortress, still extant, which dates back to this period.

The Assyrian king Ashurbanipal destroyed Susa completely between 645 - 640 BCE to avenge the perceived wrongs the people of Mesopotamia had suffered at the hands of the Elamites. The city was rebuilt & inhabited sometime after Ashurbanipal’s attack, only to be conquered by the Persian king Cyrus the Great in 538 BCE. It was made the capital of the Persian Empire by Cambyses II & was expanded by the Persian king Darius the Great (549 - 486 BCE) who favored it over his other residences.

There were other capitals in Persia (Pasargadae, Persepolis & Ecbatana), but it is clear that Susa was the best known & most mentioned (Persepolis, owing to its location, was unknown to the Greek historians until it was destroyed by Alexander the Great). After the defeat & destruction of the Achaemenid Empire by Alexander, the Great & then Alexander’s death, Susa became part of the Seleucid Empire. It was then known as Seleucia on the Eulaeus & Greek architecture & styling began to appear beside the older works of the Elamites & the Persians. The city remained an important intellectual & cultural center until it was sacked by Muslim armies in 638 CE and destroyed. Rebuilt yet again, it thrived until 1218 CE when it was utterly destroyed by invading Mongols.

Later, if time permits you can also visit the nearby Tomb of Biblical Prophet Daniel.

A noble Jewish youth of Jerusalem, he was taken into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon & served the king & his successors with loyalty & ability until the time of the Persian conqueror Cyrus, all the while remaining true to the God of Israel. There is no consensus on Daniel’s existence but various conservative Jewish & Christian scholars reject this view.

6 cities claim Daniel's Tomb, the most famous being that in Susa at a site known as Shush-e Daniyal. He is not a prophet in Judaism, but the Rabbis reckoned him to be the most distinguished member of the Babylonian diaspora, unsurpassed in piety & good deeds, firm in his adherence to the Law despite being surrounded by enemies who sought his ruin & in the first few centuries CE they wrote down the many legends that had grown up around his name.

The various branches of the Christian Church do recognise him as a Prophet & although he is not mentioned in the Quran, Muslim sources describe him as a Nabi, a saintly & righteous man.

Time to get back to the real world. Drive back to the hotel.

Balance of the evening is at leisure to relax or for independent exploration (we shall be happy to offer suggestions, in case you want to walk around). 

Overnight.  B D

Early morning, Check-out & depart for Shiraz. But enroute, you will explore some more amazing sites.

Stop at Bishapour, or ‘Shapur’s City’ in Sasanid Persia, was the grand capital of possibly the greatest of the Sassannian kings, Shapur I & was originally built / expanded around 241 to 272 AD in the steep-sided Chogan Gorge, along the Shapur River by Romans.

Shapur & his armies defeated the Romans 3 times in 260 AD & their Emperor Valerian lived his final years in captivity in Bishapour. Though not as famous as the Persepolis, it was once one of the biggest & most important cities of Iran during ancient times.

The site has been partly excavated & some of the highlights of the Complex are the 2 monumental 9 metre high stone Columns, located right at the center of the city where the 2 main roads meet. These Columns are valuable historical sources as there are Parthian, Pahlavi & Sassanid inscriptions are on them. It is believed that a statue of King Shapour I was located between the 2 pillars & was gradually destroyed with the passage of time.

Surrounded by yet-to-be excavated dwellings in the heart of the Civic Centre, they give a sense of the sophistication of the ancients & a promise of wonders still to be unearthed.

There are remains of stone walls & vaults, presumably a hall which was covered with a lofty dome & which was used as the Ceremonial Hall where Shapour accepted official visitors & guests.

The Temple of Anahita here, a top architectural masterpiece of the Sassanid Era, is one of the best samples among all of the Anahita temples of the world. A holy place for praising Anahita, the Goddess of Water, (water was a sacred in ancient Iran), it has a stairway leading underground to a pool around which the faithful once walked & prayed. The walls, the mysterious corridors, the vaults are all built with large rubble stones & half of the construction is dug into the ground.

A recently opened Museum displays artefacts excavated at the site. Some fine Irano-Roman mosaics remain, but the best were stolen & are now in the Louvre.

A short walk from Bishapour, the rocky walls here are home to 6 large bas-reliefs carved out of limestone, commemorating among other historical moments, Shapur’s investiture as king & his victory over Roman invaders. The deep groove running through the reliefs was caused by a powerful flood in the 1960s; the groove marks the high-water mark.

Driving a little bit further along the gorge is the Tang-e Chogan Cave located on a 400 meter high mountain, one of the most impressive archaeological sites in Iran, known for its large 7 meters high & 2 meters wide Statue of Shapur I with long hair, beard, mustache, big eyes, a crown, weapons (a fair amount of walking is required so you will not be able to see it, probably).

Continue on to Shiraz.

Arrive at the hotel by late afternoon & Check-in.

“Blessed be Shiraz in its unparalleled state / may God Almighty guard against its demise.” So wrote Hafez, the revered 14^th century poet & native of Shiraz, a verse that has become for many the unofficial slogan of Iran’s esteemed cultural capital & the unique example of hospitality & warmth of the Shirazi people.

The earliest reference to the city, as Tirazis, is on Elamite clay tablets dated to 2000 BC. The modern city was founded or restored by the Umayyads in 693 & grew prominent under the successive Iranian Saffarid & Buyid dynasties in the 9^th – 11^th centuries, respectively. But, it was during the 13^th century that Shiraz became a leading center of the arts & letters, due to the encouragement of its rulers & the presence of many Persian scholars & artists.

It was one of the most important cities in the medieval Islamic world & was the Persian capital during the Zand dynasty (AD 1747 - 79), when many of its most beautiful buildings were built or restored.

Celebrated as the heartland of Persian culture for more than 2000 years, steeped in history & poetry, known for Love & Literature and the origin of first samples of Persian Gardens & Wine (despite Iran being an Islamic republic since 1979) & flowers. 

Set in a fertile valley, the first evidence of grape cultivation in Shiraz came around 2,500 BC, when vines were brought down from the mountains to the plains of south-west Iran & Shiraz wine was immortalised in the poetry of Hafez, whose tomb in the city is still venerated today.

In his 1893 book “A Year Amongst the Persians”, Edward Browne described Shirazis as ‘…amongst all the Persians, the most subtle, the most ingenious, the most vivacious’. And even in Iran, where regional one-upmanship is common, everyone seems to like Shirazis.

Synonymous with education - art, letters & literature, poets, nightingales & politics, Shiraz is home to the graves of Hafez & Sa’di, both major pilgrimage sites for Iranians.

Most of the Gardens for which Shiraz was once famous do not exist any more but it still has many extraordinarily beautiful eye catching gardens with fruit trees draw tourists & locals alike, especially during spring season when the fragrance of flowers permeates the air.  One of the most popular one is Bagh-e Eram (Eram garden) famous for its Cyprus trees & the 19^th century Qajar Palace with its own reflecting pool, that is situated in the middle of the garden.

A mesmerizing experience is visiting the fabulous colorfully painted exquisite Mosques & other religious sites. The amazing architecture here fascinates visitors, especially those who are interested in architecture & ancient architectural styles with whispered echoes of ancient sophistication. Shiraz has had major Jewish & Christian communities.

The crafts popular within the villages & among the tribes around Shiraz consist of inlaid mosaic work of triangular design; silver-ware; pile carpet-weaving & weaving of Kilim.

Modern Shiraz has industries such as cement production, sugar, fertilizers, textile products, wood products, metalwork & rugs Shiraz. It is a major center for Iran's Electronic industries - 53% of Iran's electronic investment has been centered in Shiraz. It is home to a major Oil Refinery & Iran's first Solar Power plant.

Balance of the evening is at leisure to relax or for independent exploration (we shall be happy to offer suggestions, in case you want to walk around). 

Overnight.  B D

Morning at 08:30 am, meet the Tour-guide in the Lobby & proceed for a full day sightseeing tour of the city of “roses & nightingales”, also known for its gardens.

Visit the pink tiled 19^th century Nasir-ol-Molk Mosque, one of Shiraz’s most famous buildings. The Qajar-era mosque, completed in 1888, is celebrated for its delightfully colourful interiors: the stained-glass windows, intricately painted tiles & arches and innumerable Persian carpets create a mesmerising, kaleidoscopic aesthetic which can’t fail to astound. Combined with rows of delicately carved pillars, each angle of this place of worship is more photogenic than the last. The gorgeously colorful porch is festooned with tiles of multitude of different colors, meant to relax all those who enter.

Not far is Shah-e Cheragh (‘King of Light’) Mausoleum, the picturesque resting place of 2 of the martyred brothers of Ali Reza, the 8^th Shia Imam.

Although killed by the Caliphate on this site in AD 835, the present-day burial site has been considerably developed. A dazzling Shrine was first erected over the Tomb during the 12^th century, but the courtyard with a fountain at its centre & the intricate blue mirrored tile work represent relatively modern embellishments from the late-Qajar period & the Islamic Republic. The bulbous blue-tiled Shirazi dome with dazzling gold-tipped minarets form a magnificent context for the Shiite rituals at this revered centre of pilgrimage, one of the prettiest Mausoleum in Shiraz.

The Museum next to the Shrine, houses an interesting collection of shrine-related objects, including some highly prized old Qurans upstairs & an exquisite door decorated with silver, gold & lapis lazuli downstairs.

Visitors are welcome to enter the courtyard (prescribed dress code to be followed) & to take discreet photographs (no large cameras or tripods), but entrance inside is restricted to Muslims only (non-Moslems can only see from outside).

Drive by (if time permits, you may go inside, at the discretion of the Tour-guide) the famed Bagh-e Eram (Eram garden), Shiraz University’s botanical gardens, in the northwest of the town, notable for its Cyprus trees, neatly trimmed hedges, rosebushes & the 19^th century Qajar Palace with its own reflecting pool. 

Next stop will be Musalla Gardens on the north bank of a seasonal river, that houses Hafezieh, the marble Tomb of Khaje Shams al-din Mohammad Hafez-e Shirazi, arguably the most loved & respected poet in the vast canon of Persian literature, attracting literature enthusiasts from around the world. Considered the master of the Ghazal (a short, amorous, rhyming poem), Iranians from all walks of life can quote his verses on demand. The 14^th century poet has profoundly influenced & continues influencing Persian poetry and invariably evokes admiration of his readers. His words, masterfully mingled with mystical concepts & embellished finely with oratory, have served as more than a collection of poems for Iranians during the centuries. His poems reflect the richness & a subtlety unequaled even by the other great talent, Sa’di.

Entering from the southern section, a pretty sour orange orchard (Narenjestan) with water streams & rows of flowers draws attention. The Tomb sits solemnly in the center. For 60 years, his burial place was a plain Tombstone. In 1477, Shams al-Din Mohammad Yaghmai, the minister of Gurkani court, built a domed vault with a pool in front of it. Much later, in the 18th century, Karim Khan-e Zand expanded the surrounding area and ordered a hall to be built in the middle of the garden. The current Mausoleum was designed in 1935 by a French architect Andre Godard, assisted by some Iranian architects. The Tomb features an open pavilion structure & a marble gravestone inscribed in Nastaliq calligraphy with 2 sonnets (verses) from Hafez’s book, surviving from Karim Khan's era (1751 - 1779).

The northern side of the garden houses a Library & a Bookshop which sells maps, art books, postcards. You can even enjoy the chance of having your fortune told, using 1 verse from the master piece, Divan Hafez. There is a cozy Teahouse where you can enjoy a cup of tea or rose water. The west side contains a cistern from Zand era, Qavam family crypt & several graves of famous Shirazi residents.

Drive on to the nearby Aramgah-e Sa’di (Tomb), less busy than that of Hafez.

The 13^th century poet Sheikh Mohammed Shams-ed-Din, simply known as Sa’di, was an important precursor to Hafez & is one of the most cherished ancestors of modern day Shirazis. Many of his pithy maxims have attained a proverbial status & he is widely praised for the enduring simplicity of his verse. Unlike Hafez, Sa’di traveled extensively in Iraq & Syria, where he was even taken prisoner by the Crusaders. Upon his return to Shiraz, Sa’di wrote his most famous works, Bustan (The Orchard) & the Golestan (The Rose Garden), which are written either in verse or in a mixture of prose & verse.

Set amid generous gardens of cypress trees, evergreens, bitter orange & roses, one of Shiraz’s several Shrines, housed in an open-sided colonnade built during the Pahlavi era, the present Tomb was built in 1952 & replaces an earlier much simpler construction.

From here, move on to the last stop, the Zandiyeh Complex, the most attractive cultural & historical district in Shiraz. The Complex encompasses Arg-e Karim Khani, Vakil Mosque, Vakil Bathhouse, Vakil Bazaar, Water Reservoir & Nazar Garden.

A Bazaar full of stores, a Bath House for getting clean, an exquisite Mosque for saying prayers, a Castle of the erstwhile King of Iran, a Garden a Water Reservoir & a Museum.

You will pass by the burly 18^th century Castle Arg-e- Karimkhani, resembling a medieval fortress, built by the founder of the Zand dynasty, Karim Khan, that dominated the city centre.

Having made Shiraz his capital, the Fortress was one of Karim Khan-e-Zand’s many ambitious construction projects in the city. Karim Khan invited the best architects & artists of the time and bought the best materials from other cities & abroad for the construction.

Spread over 12,800 square meters, it is the biggest & most important building of the Zand Dynasty & the design of the Citadel combines military & residential architecture as it was the living quarter of Karim Khan & the military center of the dynasty.

Lofty & rectangular, the high walls of the fortress feature ornamental brickwork & are punctuated by 14 meters high circular Towers (which were historically used as prisons). The southeastern Tower has a noticeable lean, having subsided into the underground cistern that served as the Arg’s bathhouse.

The rooms had beautiful decorations (most now destroyed) which is typical of buildings during that time.  There is a large tile depicting the scene of killing of the white devil by Rostam (a hero of Shahnameh, a masterpiece by Ferdowsi) at the entrance gateway of the Citadel. There are still operational fountains, flower, vegetable gardens & fruit trees. During the Qajar period, the Fortress was used as the seat of Prince Abdolhosein Mirza Farmanfarma, Governor of Fars Province. After the fall of the Qajar Dynasty, it was converted into a prison by the Pahlavi dynasty & the Paintings inside were plastered over.

There is not much to see inside the Arg except the shade of the many citrus trees in a courtyard, a dusty Museum with mannequins & filled with citrus trees & a trickling central pool.

Visit the main market place, the covered Bazar-e Vakil, one of the most atmospheric bazaars in Iran, especially in the early evening when it is fantastically photogenic.

Shiraz’s ancient trading district is comprised of several bazaars dating from different periods. The finest & most famous is the Bazar-e Vakil, a cruciform structure commissioned by Karim Khan as part of his plan to make Shiraz into a great trading centre.

Home to hundreds of shops & stalls selling carpets, handicrafts, spices, clothes & household goods & lots of other miscellaneous things you can buy as souvenirs at this tourist-oriented part of bazaar. Saraye Moshir at the center of the Bazaar, comprises of a series of stores selling jewelry & other silverware.

The labyrinthine wide vaulted brick avenues & arched ceilings are masterpieces of 18^th century Zand architecture, with the design ensuring the interior remains pleasantly cool in summer & warm in winter.

Wander around, soaking up the atmosphere in the maze of lanes leading off the main thoroughfares, stumbling across Teahouses, Courtyards, Caravanserais & the traditional Bathhouse.

The sightseeing ends & you are transferred back to the hotel.

Balance of the day is at leisure to relax or for independent exploration (we shall be happy to offer suggestions, in case you want to walk around). 

Overnight.  B D 

Morning, meet the Tour-guide at 08:00 am & proceed for a full day 8 hour excursion to ancient ruins of Persepolis.

Persepolis was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenian Empire and perhaps one of the country's most beautiful & spectacular archaeological sites surviving today. The administrative center of the Achaemenians was actually at Susa, shifting during the summer to Hamadan while Persepolis was reserved only for ritual celebrations. Persepolis stands on a limestone terrace overlooking the Marvdasht plain at the foot of the Kuh-e Rahmat, the Mountain of Mercy.

Ruler of the largest empire the world had ever seen, Darius I started constructing the great metropolis to serve as a summer capital in around 512 BC. Subsequent Achaemenian kings, including Xerxes I, added their own palaces over the next 150 years.

There are about 15 major buildings, including the Apadana, the Hall of Hundred Columns, the Gate House of Xerxes, the Treasury, the Harem and the private palaces of the different rulers. The most important buildings at Persepolis were crowded onto a terrace of natural rock that rises over 9 m (30 feet) above the plain on three sides and is adjacent to a low mountain on the fourth side.

The Great Porch of Xerxes, flanked by winged bulls of stone, leads you into a massive ruined complex of royal palaces, halls, courts and apartments covered with inscriptions and carvings. A stunning wall of detailed bas-reliefs represents thousands of envoys from as far away as Ethiopia & Armenia, India & Cappadocia, bearing gifts to their almighty ruler.

A short drive away is Naghsh-e-Rostam, named after mythical Iranian hero which is most celebrated in Shahnameh & Persian mythology. Back in time, natives of the region had erroneously supposed that the carvings below the Tombs represent depictions of the mythical hero.

The impressive ancient Necropolis houses the immense spectacular rock-cut Tombs on a cliff high above the ground, of 4 Persian kings believed to be Darius II, Artaxerxes I, Darius I & Xerxes I, a reminder of the once famous & powerful Achaemenid Persian Empire, which thrived between 500 BC & 330 BC when it was defeated by Alexander the Great.

The Tombs are hewn into the rock at a significant height from the base of the hills & bear the resemblance of Crosses, hence the site is locally known as the “Persian Crosses”.

At the centre of the Cross are openings leading to the Chamber where the Sarcophagi may have been placed. In fact, it is not known whether the bodies were directly placed in a Sarcophagus inside or if the bones were collected from a Tower of Silence & subsequently placed in the Tombs, in the traditional Zoroastrian ritual.

Above the openings of each Tomb are carvings of kingly figures being anointed by god-like creatures. There are other rock carvings below, commemorating various battles that brought the Achaemenid dynasty to prominence.

The 8 Sassanian stone reliefs cut into the cliff depict vivid scenes of imperial conquests & royal ceremonies (signboards below each relief give a detailed description in English). One Carving actually seems to predate the Tombs, suggesting that this ancient site had been used by people even before the Achaemenid Persian Empire.

The reliefs above the openings to the Funerary Chambers are similar to those at Persepolis, with the Kings standing on thrones supported by figures representing the subject nations below.

Aside from the Tombs, a building also stands at the Necropolis. Called Ka’ba-ye Zartosht, (Cube of Zoroaster), it is a replica of the Zendan-e Solayman (Prison of Solomon) in Pasargadae, the first dynastic capital of the Achaemenid Empire.

This was long thought to be an Achaemenid Fire Temple, the site of a perennially burning Fire common in Zoroastrian temples, but the lack of ventilation suggests otherwise. It is widely accepted that it served a religious function although the Scholars now argue that it might have been a Treasury as the walls are marked with relatively well-preserved inscriptions in 3 languages, cataloguing later Sassanian victories.

The Complex has been somewhat overshadowed by the nearby ancient capital of Persepolis, but this royal Necropolis does stand out as a magnificent example of ancient Persian architecture & art.

Spend a couple of hours exploring the site before returning to the hotel by evening.

Balance of the day is at leisure (we will be happy to offer suggestions).

Overnight.  B D   

Early morning, depart for Kerman, enroute stopping at Sarvestan.

Sarvestan city is the capital of Sarvestan County, Fars Province.  Sarvestan's history goes back some 2600 years when the Achaemenids established the Persian Empire. It is the birthplace of Sheikh Yusef Sarvestani, who was a moralist.

Just outside the city, in the middle of a vast plain, there is the Iran’s National Heritage listed historical monument called Sassanid Palace (Kakhe Sasan). This huge building is made up of stone & plaster and has several domes, terraces, rooms & corridors. Different opinions exist on the date of its construction; probably this building is one of the works of Sasanian King Bahramgur or the 5^th Sassanid Bahram. It was either a gubernatorial residence or a Zoroastrian Fire Temple.

The Sarvestan Palace was built by King Bahramgur & dominates an immense, empty plain. The name "palace" is a bit misleading, because the monument's function is not really understood. It may in fact have been a hunting lodge or even a sanctuary. The approximate dimensions of the palace are 43 by 37 meters & its main facade is towards southwest. It has 3 terraces & behind the central terrace there is a square hall with domed brick ceiling. The building made of stone & mortar reminds one of the Ghal'eh Dokhtar & the Palace of Ardashir, both near Firuzabad; the difference is that the Sarvestan Palace is open to all sides. It had fine decorations, which have partly survived.

This 25 hectares complex in comparison with other Sassanid architectures has a more complex & diverse style of building, and has the oldest brick dome in Iran.

Some researchers of Sassanid architecture with regard to the advanced technique in the design & details of the building think that it belongs to the late Sassanid period, and they believe that the construction of this building was one of the first steps towards a special construction style of which the gothic architecture can be seen as its ultimate realization.

Continue driving to Kerman, passing along salt lakes, spectacular mountains, outstanding fig & almond orchards planted on the steep slopes of the mountains.

Reach Kerman by late afternoon & Check-in at the hotel.

Kerman is one of the largest & most developed city in Kerman Province. It is famous for its strong cultural heritage & long history during which it became the capital city of many Iranian dynasties. Situated on an important Asian trade route, it was ruled by the Arabs, the Buyids, the Seljuq's, the Turks & the Mongols. The remoteness of Kerman resulted in the town remaining without much wealth through the centuries.

At first the city's relative isolation allowed Kharijites & Zoroastrians to thrive there, but the Kharijites were wiped out in 698 & the population was mostly Muslim by 725. The Abbasid Caliphate's authority over the region was weak & power passed in the 10^th century to the Buyid dynasty, which maintained control even when the region & city fell to Mahmud of Ghazni in the late 10^th century. The name Kerman was adopted at some point during Ghazni’s time.

Under the rule of the Seljuq Turks in the 11^th & 12^th centuries, Kerman remained virtually independent, conquering Oman & Fars. When Marco Polo visited Kerman in 1271, it had become a major trade emporium linking the Persian Gulf with Khorasan & Central Asia. Kerman expanded rapidly during the Safavid dynasty. The present city was rebuilt in the 19^th century to the northwest of the old city, but it did not return to its former size until the 20^th century.

The economy is mostly based on Farming, with the province being the largest producer of pistachios & nuts in Iran & the world. There is also Mining & the Sarchashmeh Copper mine here is the 2^nd biggest copper mine in the world after the one located in Chile.

By the 8^th century, the city was famous for its manufacture of Cashmere goats-wool shawls & other Cotton Textiles. Carpets & rugs were renowned internationally & exported to England & Germany during this period. The city’s legacy of other traditional embroidery known as Pateh Satchels & other hand woven articles and Carpet, Jajeems, Kilims (a coarse carpet) weaving continued & propelled it to evolve into the largest carpet producing & exporting center in modern Iran today. The oldest carpet discovered in Kerman, dates from about 500 years ago. A number of modern Textile Mills & Brickworks also have been constructed.

Big, sprawling Kerman is something of a cultural melting pot, blending Persians with the more sub-continental Baluchis, who dominate areas east of here. This mix is most evident in the long, ancient covered Bazaar, which is the city's entrancing main highlight. Home to many historic Mosques & Zoroastrian Fire Temples. The strong cultural heritage is expressed in the local accent, poetry, local music, handicrafts & customs that Kerman has introduced to the world.

The only Anthropology Museum which showcases the cultural heritage artifacts & ancient history of Zoroastrians in Iran was founded as a defensive outpost in Kerman's Fire Temple with the name Veh-Ardashir, by Ardashir I, founder of the Sasanian Empire, in the 3^rd century AD. It evolved into its present avatar & new objects to the Collection are constantly being added.

Balance of the evening is at leisure to relax or for independent exploration (we shall be happy to offer suggestions, in case you want to walk around). 

Overnight.  B D 

Morning at 08.00 am, meet the Tour-guide & proceed for a full day excursion to Rayen & Mahan.

The medieval city of Rayen is similar to the Arg-e Bam city which was destroyed in an earthquake in December 2003. Rayen displays all the architectural elements of a deserted Citadel. This historic city has countless mudbrick houses, some of them unfortunately decaying, but it is this decaying charm that makes the city even more attractive. Comparatively well preserved, despite numerous natural disasters that have destroyed similar structures nearby, and it is one of the most interesting sites in Iran. Moreover, the people here are very friendly & enjoy interacting with guests.

According to the old documents, it was situated on the trade route & was one of the centres for trading valuable goods & quality textiles. It was also a centre of sword & knife manufacturing, and later on, also guns. During the reign of 3^rd Yazdgerd, the Sasanid King, Arabs could not conquer this city thanks to its high walls supporting the counterparts of the city. Existence of a waterfall near the city, several fruit gardens, the mines of green & pink marble, Sodium Sulphate & several thermal springs, makes it an attractive touristic destination.

On a hill overlooking the town is the Arg-e Rayen, an ancient adobe ‘citadel’, a miniature version of the Arg-e-Bam, with all the architectural features of a desert citadel dating back to the 5^th century. Its hotchpotch of architectural styles suggests it is well over 1000 years old, though its exact age is unknown. It may have foundations from the pre-Islamic Sassanid era. With an area of 40,000 square metres, the Citadel has been functioning as a small city until 150 years ago.

Built entirely of sun-dried mud bricks, the Arg has an outer wall 3 metre thick at the base & 1 metre thick at the top, which supports most of the 15 towers. The entrance leads onto the bazaar & from the Gatehouse you can climb to the ramparts for spectacular views.

The highlight is the Governor’s complex, entered from the Square, where 4 separate houses have been restored (labelled) & reflect the relative luxury the Governor & his family enjoyed.  Note the subtly different shades of mud & straw, demonstrating different earth used for each Khaneh (home). Covered Kuches (lanes) weave their way through the rest of the Arg, Look out for the small Zurkhaneh (literally ‘house of strength’).

From here, you will drive a short distance to the small town of Mahan famous for the beautiful pilgrimage Shrine of the great Sufi saint Shah Ne'emat Ollah-e-Vali, as well as Shazdeh Garden (Prince Garden).

Nematollah was born in Aleppo (now in northern Syria), spent much of his early life in Iraq, including 7 years in Mecca & then traveled to Samarkand, Herat & Yazd perfecting his spiritual gifts, before finally settling in Mahan in 1406. He is said to have lived for one hundred years, from 1331 to 1431 & is the founder of the Nematollahi order of Sufi Dervishes, which continues to be an active spiritual force today as pilgrims still flock to the sanctuary.

The Shrine complex comprises 3 courtyards, a reflecting pool & a Mosque with twin minarets covered with turquoise tiles from the bottom up to the cupola.

The Mausoleum was built by Ahmad Shah Bahmani, one of Shah Nematallah's most devoted disciples, who erected the sanctuary chamber in 1436. Shah Abbas I undertook extensions & renovations in 1601, including reconstruction of the blue tiled domed central burial vault, one of the most magnificent architectural masterpieces in old Persia.

During the Qajar period the site was particularly popular, necessitating the construction of additional courtyards to accommodate increased numbers of pilgrims. The minarets also date from this period. The small room where Nematollah Vali prayed and meditated contains beautiful tile decorations & has a wonderfully peaceful feeling.

Reach back to the hotel in Kerman.

Balance of the evening is at leisure to relax or for independent exploration (we shall be happy to offer suggestions, in case you want to walk around).

Overnight.  B D 

Morning, Check-out & meet the Tour-guide at 08.00 am and embark on a 4 hour sightseeing tour of Kerman.

First stop will be Hamam - e Ganj Ali Khan. Built in the Safavid period, this courtyard is home to what was once Kerman’s most important hammam, now restored and transformed into a museum. Wonderful frescoes adorn the walls and wax dummies illustrate the workings of a traditional bathhouse. The reception area, for example, was divided so men practising different trades could all disrobe together. Look for the ‘time stones’ at the east and west ends of the Hammam; translucent, 10 cm thick alabaster doorways through which bathers could get a rough idea of the time according to how light it was outside.

We now walk to Bazar-e Sartasari, one of the oldest trading centres in Iran. This main thoroughfare is made up of 4 smaller Bazaars & a further 20 or so branch off to the north & south. It is, however, easy enough to navigate & has a vivacity that should keep you interested, especially in the morning & late afternoon.

On the north side of the courtyard is the photogenic Bazar-e Mesgari Shomali (Coppersmith’s Bazaar), and & the Square’s north-eastern end is Masjed-e Ganj Ali Khan, Ganj Ali Khan’s lavishly decorated private Mosque. Next door Golshan Caravanserai has recently been restored & is now home to a bunch of antique-cum-bric-a-brac stores.

The tour finishes & you will immediately after, depart for Zeinodin Caravanserai - a desert retreat, sitting on the legendary Silk Route, surrounded by oases & hot springs, this is a building with history, where gold, ivory & spice traders would hole up and gossip.

Here, in the midst of a vast desert plain flanked by mountains, this 16^th century brick Caravanserai has been beautifully restored to accommodate travellers the same way it did when it was active on the trans-Asia trade routes. Utterly enchanting, unlike anywhere else you have been before. An "atmospheric & fascinating" place to spend a night.

Located on the ancient Silk Road which was, until 1500, the main trade route between Europe & Asia. Today a motorway to Yazd passes through Zeinodin but in earlier centuries, it was reached after a 2 day camel ride from south of Yazd. It is one of 999 such Inns that were built to withstand inclement weather, during the reign of Shah Abbas I to provide facilities to travelers. The Caravanserai is a 2 storied structure, square in plan, with a courtyard & a water pool. Only two caravanserais have been built with circular towers & Zeinodin is one of them.

Its recent renovation took 3 years to complete & included the use of 13,000 pumice stones to remove the grime on the interior walls to make it look as it would have originally. The Caravanserai's exterior view appears like a "derelict ruin" though its interior is well furbished in its original form.

Restored to a near original state, the rooms are on a raised base & mattresses are provided on the floor, which are covered with carpets. With large wooden doors, vertiginously high ceilings, carpeted brick floors & little wooden ladders up to your raised bed, hidden behind a wall of heavy curtains, it is Harry Potter-gone-Persian.

Accommodation is simple: the raised rooms offer mattresses on top of carpets & there is no door separating the rooms from the corridor, with only a curtain providing privacy to the occupants. Aside from a couple of added wooden steps, this is exactly the experience the caravan traders would have had.

Where it differs, however, is in the stylish & crystal clean communal bathrooms upto western standards, the service & the food. There’s an exquisite dining room where you feast on chicken with walnuts & pomegranate & bowls of saffron rice.

As the caravanserai is located away from the city, the noise level is minimal and the night skies are clear & star studded. An amateur astronomer conducts astronomy lectures on the rooftop.

Check-in on arrival by early afternoon.

Balance of the day is at leisure (we will be happy to offer suggestions).

Overnight.  B L D   

Morning, depart on a short drive to Yazd. Enroute, you will stop at Meybod & ChakChak.

Meybod is a sprawling mud-brick desert city with an ancient past. The city, which resembles Yazd city in many aspects, is considered to be much older than the city of wind towers with a history of over 7,000 years.

Some believe the city was founded by Meybodar, a Sassanid (226 - 651 CE) commander, who named the city after himself & others say the city was founded by Keyumars, the First Man in Avestan accounts & the first of the Pishdadi Kings in Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh (Book of Kings). Pishdadian are considered the first Aryan dynasty in Persian mythology.

The Meybod minted Sassanid coins found in excavations in different parts of Iran suggest the city was an important center towards the end of the Sassanid era as only a handful of the 111 known Sassanid cities were able to mint coins. Meybod is famed for its ceramics & countless shops throughout the city sell these fine Persian creations.

Meybod is rich in historical sites that are scattered in & around the city such as the Stone Mill, Kelar Ab-Anbar (cistern), conical-roofed Safavid-era Ice House & Pigeon Tower (dovecote). Most notable is the crumbling Narin Castle, in the centre of town.

The Castle dates from Sassannian times & may well be the oldest existing mud-brick structure in Iran. Climb to the top for fantastic views across Meybod’s rooftops & into the desert. This mud brick Parthian (247 BC – 224 CE) structure, which has been built in 5 stories on a hill overlooking the city, was used as a military fortress for most of its life but there are expert who say that the Castle was originally an Elamite Ziggurat (temple) built over 4,000 years ago.

There are also 2 sites of minor interest near each other in the west of town: a 300-year-old Post House & a huge Caravanserai where a few locals operate Handicraft shops. In front of the Caravanserai is a handsome Ab-anbar & opposite is a huge, conical-roofed Safavid-era Iice house (yakh dan).

From here, you will drive a short distance to Chak Chak, a village perched beneath the towering cliff face in the desert.

It is the most sacred of the mountain shrines of Zoroastrianism and serves as a pilgrimage point for pious Zoroastrians. Each year from June 14 - 18, many thousands of Zoroastrians from Iran, India & other countries flock to the fire temple at Pir-e Sabz. Tradition has it that pilgrims are to stop riding the moment they catch sight of the temple & complete the last leg of their journey on foot.

In Zoroastrian belief, Chak Chak is where Nikbanou, 2^nd daughter of the last pre-Islamic Persian ruler, Yazdegerd III of the Sassanid Empire, was cornered by the invading Arab army in 640 CE. Fearing capture Nikbanou prayed to Ahura Mazda to protect her from her enemies. In response to Nikbanou's pleadings, the mountain miraculously opened up and sheltered her from the invaders.

Notable features of Chak Chak include the ever-dripping spring located at the mountain. Legend has it that these drops are tears of grief that the mountain sheds in remembrance of Nikbanou. Growing beside the holy spring is an immense and ancient tree said to be Nikbanou's cane. Legend also has it that a petrified colorful cloth from Nikbanou was also visible in the rocks, although pilgrims have since removed it.

The actual Temple is a man-made grotto sheltered by 2 large bronze doors. The shrine enclosure is floored with marble and its walls are darkened by fires kept eternally burning in the sanctuary. In the cliffs below the shrine are several roofed pavilions constructed to accommodate pilgrims.

Finally, it is on to Yazd.

Arrive by early evening & Check-in at the hotel.

The UNESCO World Heritage listed desert city of Yazd is as picturesque as Middle Eastern cities come. In 1272, it was visited by Marco Polo on his way to China & he called it the "good & noble city of Yazd". It may not have the big-ticket sights of Isfahan or Shiraz, but, with its atmospheric alleyways & centuries of history, it exceeds both in its capacity to enchant.

Located in the heart of Iran between the northern Dasht-e Kavir & southern Dasht-e Lut, 5,000 year old Yazd, known for its silks & other fabrics, was a major stop on the international Caravan routes to Central Asia & India.

Isolated from any approach by a huge tract of monotonous desert, the vibrancy of Yazd is invariably a surprise, indeed. During the invasion of Genghis Khan in the early 1200’s A.D. it became a safe haven & home for many artists, intellectuals & scientists fleeing their war ravaged cities around Persia.

In the course of history, due to its distance from important capitals & its harsh natural surrounding, Yazd remained immune to major troops' movements & destruction from wars, therefore it kept many of its traditions, city forms & ancient architecture until recently.

The city has resisted the modern urbanisation changes & maintained its traditional structure. The geographical features of this region have encouraged the locals to develop special architectural styles.

Consequently, most of the older houses are built of mud-bricks with sun-baked domed roofs. The mud bricks served as insulation preventing heat from passing through. The existence of special ventilation structures, called Badgirs (wind catchers, a high structure on the roof under which, in the interior of the building, there is a small pool), on the roofs is a distinctive feature of the architecture of this city & is an ingenious way to maintain natural air-conditioning. These Wind Towers are seen all over Iran but are most highly developed in Yazd.

Visiting one of these Towers will show how the slatted Towers capture the slightest desert breeze, drawing it down to the lower level where it is cooled by passing over water & circulated through the house. Enormous domes starting at ground level would act as protective roofs for deep water-tanks built 6 metre below street level (access to these tanks was by steep staircases).

Yazd’s well-preserved Old Town, with winding lanes, distinctive Badgirs, dotted around the skyline & numerous historical sites, makes Yazd essential to any journey to Iran.

Yazd is famous for its various handicrafts. Termeh, a lavish hand-woven cloth is synonymous with the city. It can be only produced by Masters of the craft & requires good-quality wool with long fibers. The final product is a beautiful densely woven cloth with great longevity & comes in many colors & designs.

Other handicraft items are copper dishes, gold & silver, carpet, silk fabrics & cashmere. Like other cities of Iran, it has both traditional Bazaars & modern Shopping Centers. We recommend the traditional Bazaars where guests can enjoy the great architecture as well as buy Souvenirs.

Yazd is also famed for its sweets & confectionery. Qottab, baklava, cotton candy, noghl & sohan are just some of these sweets that come in various shapes & sizes.

Later in the evening, meet the Tour-guide & walk to the Amir Chakhmaq Complex - a well-known structure in Yazd, noted for its symmetrical sunken alcoves. It has a mosque located on a square by the same name. The complex also houses a Caravanserai, a Tekieh (a place where religious mourning rituals are held), a public Bath, a cold water well & a Confectionery. At night, the building is lit up after sunset twilight hours with orange lighting in the arched alcoves making it a spectacular sight.

Come back to the hotel.

Balance of the evening free. You may want to chill in the city's cafes & chat with local Iranians. Most likely, they will be very interested in talking with you.

Overnight.  B D 

Morning, Check-out & meet the Tour-guide at 08.00 am and proceed for a 6 hour sightseeing of Yazd, before departing for Isfahan via Na’ian.

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The Old Town, a mesmerizing labyrinth, with winding streets that are extraordinarily well preserved; some say that this is one of the oldest continually-inhabited cities in the world. The architecture here is perhaps the most traditionally Persian to be found, preserved by the dry climate and spared the devastations of the Mongols.

First stop will be one of the outstanding 14^th century well preserved buildings in Persia - the exquisite Jame Mosque (Friday Mosque) visible from all around the Old Town.

Like many early mosques it was constructed on the site of a Sassanid fire temple. Largely rebuilt between 1324 - 1365, it exemplifies Iranian-Islamic architecture with the portal's façade, decorated from top to bottom in dazzling predominantly blue colour mosaic tiles, crowned by a pair of Minarets, the highest in Persia. Some elements of the Mosque date back even earlier to the 12^th century and the intricacies & inscriptions of the grand Iwan are a particular highlight.

Within, there is a long arcaded court where, behind a deep-set south-east Ivan, is a sanctuary chamber under a squat tiled dome, exquisitely decorated with faience mosaic: its tall faience Mihrab, dated 1365, is one of the finest of its kind in existence. There is a modern library to house the Mosque's valuable collection of Books & Manuscripts.

The view from the dome shows the sun-baked roofs & Wind Towers of the city. These Towers are seen all over Iran but are most highly developed in Yazd.

Other notable Islamic monuments in Yazd are the Seljuk shrine dedicated to the Twelve Shi'ite Imams, and the Ziaieyeh Theological School known as Zendan-e-Eskander, or Alexander's Prison. There are also many beautiful old houses in Yazd, among them the Dowlat-Abad Garden, with an 18^th century hexagonal house.

Yazd is also an ancient centre of Zoroastrianism, considered the world's first monotheistic religion dating back to around 3500 years ago. It was the principal religion in Iran before the Islamic conquests, & the community still lives on in some parts of the country. Seeking refuge from the invading Arabs, the Zoroastrians found a safe haven within Yazd's fortified walls.

You will visit the most important site, Ateshkadeh Varharam (Bahram - Fire Temple) containing a central fire that has allegedly been burning continuously since the 5^th century A.D.

The sacred flame of the Temple, which is considered to be the symbol of the God of Light, has been burning for the past 3000 years, which makes the place one of the most important fire temples for the Zoroastrians, so that the believers from the whole world come to venerate the sacred and eternal fire.

This Fire Temple is located on a hill in a small garden & is surrounded by evergreen trees. There is also a large round pool in the courtyard, which offers a vivid reflection of the temple for artistic photography.

A couple of paintings, including the Zoroaster’s, can be pointed out as another attraction of the place. The initiated meet at the Fire, but nobody apart from the Grand Priest, who is a descendant of the Magi, has access to the Saint of Saints (the brass Fire room).. There exists a winged figure atop the facade as well. This figure is the visual representation of the supreme god in Zoroastrianism

Yazd Tower of Silence (Zoroastrian's Dakhmeh) - the name Tower is misleading as they consist of huge circular walls on top of 2 hills, within those the dead were left to be picked clean by the vultures. This is done in accordance with Zoroastrian belief. However, the towers are not in use anymore and open to the public. A quiet serene place. The modern Zoroastrian cemetery is just there as well.

Afternoon, depart for Na’in - a charming desert town half-way between Yazd & Isfahan.

Na'in is a pre-Islamic town, more than 2,000 years old, on the edge of the Central Desert.

More than 3,000 years ago the Persians learned how to construct aqueducts underground to bring water from the mountains to the plains. In the 1960's this ancient system provided more than 70 percent of the water used in Iran and Na’in is one of the best places in all the world to see these qanats functioning.

Unique to Nain are some of the most outstanding monuments in all of Iran: the Jame Mosque, one of the first four mosques built in Iran after the Arab invasion; the Pre-Islamic Narej Fortress; a Pirnia traditional house; the Old Bazaar; Rigareh, a qanat-based watermill; & a Zurkhaneh (a place for traditional sport).

Besides its magnificent monuments, Na’in is also famous for high-quality carpets & wool textiles,

In the past it was known for its ceramics and textiles; these days it is primarily known for its carpets & camel-wool cloaks, many of which are sold in Yazd

Walk through the old part of the town & visit the 10^th century Friday Mosque & the 17^th century. Pirnia House / Ethnographic Museum

Continue on to Isfahan - perhaps the most beautiful of all Iranian cities.

Arrive by late evening & Check-in at the hotel.

After consolidating his control, Shah Abbas I initiated one of the world's grandest experiments in city planning, moving the capital from Qazvin to Isfahan in 1598 where it remained until 1722. Mosques, palaces, bazaars & public parks were built under the monarch's personal supervision over the next thirty years. Its profusion of tree-lined boulevards, Persian gardens & important Islamic buildings gives it a visual appeal unmatched by any other Iranian city & the many artisans working here, underpin its reputation as a living museum of traditional culture.

"One could explore for months without coming to an end of them," marveled British traveler Robert Byron on his 1933-34 journey across Asia. In his 1937 travelogue The Road to Oxiana, he was slightly more geographically specific when he ranked ‘Isfahan among those rarer places, like Athens or Rome, which are the common refreshment of humanity’.

Walking through the historic bazaar, over the picturesque bridges & across the UNESCO World Heritage listed Central Square are sure to be highlights of your visit. Inevitably, then, traffic jams are a regular occurrence. Despite these modern realities, the inner core of the city remains a priceless gem.

Balance of the evening is at leisure to relax or for independent exploration (we shall be happy to offer suggestions, in case you want to walk around). 

Visit one of the famous Tea-house (traditional restaurant) for a sumptuous dinner.

Overnight.  B L D

Morning, meet the Tour-guide at 09:00 am & proceed for a 6 hour tour of the beautiful city of Isfahan, the 17^th century capital of the Safavids, referred to as Nesf-e-Jahan (Half of the World).

Walking through the historic bazaar, over the picturesque bridges & across the UNESCO Heritage listed Central Square are sure to be highlights of your holiday.

First stop will be the Armenian Vank Cathedral & the Armenian Museum complex. The exterior of the church may appear drab, but the interior is richly decorated & shows a mixture of styles - Islamic, Persian & Christian European.

Visit the Friday Mosque. In its vaulted ceilings and lofty domes, the complex displays more than 800 years of Persian religious architecture, from the 11^th to 18^th centuries & it is truly one of the world's greatest mosques. It is built using a traditional plan with four ivans or vaulted halls placed on the axes of a central courtyard. The northwestern ivan was originally constructed during the Seljuk period in about 1121 although its vibrant surface decoration dates from the reign of Shah Soltan Hosayn. Also in the mosque you can see the Mongol influence on Persian architecture, (Chinghis Khan's son, Olgedi, lived here as a Shah).

From here we drive to the Palace of Forty Columns, a charming pavilion used to receive dignitaries & ambassadors. Here the walls & paintings are covered with frescos & paintings and the superb wooden roof of the porch is painted with a series of geometrical decorations interspersed with flowers. The roof was waterproofed by covering the roof with a fresh layer of beaten eggs every year, the weight of which has caused many to collapse.

Come back to the hotel.

Morning, meet the Tour-guide at 08.30 am & proceed for a 3 hour sightseeing tour to discover more of this iconic & historical city.

Visit one of the world's grandest squares - the Maidan-e-Naghsh-e-Jahan or Royal Square. The square is actually a huge rectangle measuring 502 m (1,674 ft) by 162 m (540 feet) & it is enclosed by double-storied arcades. Four jewels of 17^th century architecture adorn each side of the square, symbolizing the political, economic & religious spheres of Safavid Persia.

On the north side is the entrance to the Royal Qaysariyyeh Bazaar with hundreds of shops displaying the art & handicrafts for which Isfahan is world-famous; on the east is the Lotfallah Mosque. This mosque was constructed between 1603 & 1617 and served as a private chapel for the Imperial family. The domed ceiling has the finest faience tilework of 17^th century Persia. The inscriptions were executed by Ali Reda Abbasi, the greatest calligrapher of the Safavid period. On the west is the Ali Qapu Palace which has enchanting music rooms & a balcony overlooking the Maidan, from where the Safavid Kings watched polo games. On the southern side, the towering portal of the Shah Mosque, a monument to the grand vision of Shah Abbas the Great who died shortly before its completion.

During our stay in Isfahan you will also pay a sunset visit to the Safavid Bridges on the Zayandeh Rud River followed by tea in a traditional tearoom.

Come back to the hotel.

Early morning, Check-out & depart for Kashan, enroute stopping in the UNESCO Heritage Site, village of Abyaneh, located at the foot of Mount Karkas.

When the Arabs invaded Persia in the 7^th century, some followers of the Zoroastrian religion fled to the surrounding mountains & deserts to escape forced conversion to Islam. In a long & narrow valley in the Karkas Mountains, north of Isfahan, the Zoroastrians are believed to have founded a string of villages. Abyaneh is one of the last surviving villages of the valley.

The ancient village is a muddle of narrow & sloped lanes, and crumbling mud-brick houses with lattice windows & fragile wooden balconies that cling to the slope. The terrain around Abyaneh contains iron oxides which give it a reddish colour & because the houses are built with mud bricks, they have the same colour as the rock above the village.

The village’s remote location & isolation have, however, helped preserve the culture & tradition of its founders. Many elderly residents speak Middle Persian, an earlier incarnation of Farsi that largely disappeared some centuries ago.

The local clothing is another example of great antiquity. The women's traditional costume typically consists of a white long scarf with colourful floral design, which completely covers their hair & shoulders. They also wear colourful dresses, along with a special pair of pants. In winter, a velvet vest is added to this outfit.

Abyaneh’s most impressive building is the 11^th century Jameh Mosque, with its walnut-wood mihrab & ancient carvings. In addition to the mosque, there are some other places which are worth a visit including the Zoroastrian fire-temple dating back to the Sassanid period, three castles, a pilgrimage site & two other mosques.

Spend an hour there before driving on to Kashan.

Kashan, a delightful oasis city on the edge of the Dasht-e Kavir, is one of the most alluring destinations in Iran, boasting a highly atmospheric covered bazaar, a cluster of architecturally significant 19^th century houses. Its charm is also due to the contrast between the parched immensities of the deserts & the greenery of the well-tended oasis.

Archeological discoveries in the Sialk Hillocks which lie 2.5 miles (4 km) west of Kashan reveal that this region was one of the primary centers of civilization in pre-historic ages & boasts numerous historical places.

King Shah Abbas I was so enamoured with Kashan that he insisted on being buried here rather than in Esfahan. Other historical figures of note who are associated with the town include Abu Musa al-Ashari, a soldier & companion of the Prophet Mohammed whose army took the town in the 7^th century AD. Legend has it that his troops tossed thousands of scorpions from the surrounding desert over the city walls, causing the terrified Kashanis to capitulate.

During the Seljuk period (AD 1051-1220), the town became famous for its textiles, pottery & tiles. Today it is a major centre for the production of textiles, rugs & rose water, and a great place to stock up on quality souvenirs. The most popular time of the year to visit is April, when the fields of rose bushes outside town are in full & fragrant bloom.

Check-in on arrival & relax.

Afternoon at 02.00 pm, meet the Tour-guide & proceed for a 4 hour walking tour of Kashan & marvel at the 19^th century traditional mansions.

First stop is at the historic Borujerdi House, built in 1857 by architect Ustad Ali Maryam, for the wife of Seyyed Mehdi Borujerdi, a wealthy merchant, Haj Seyed Hassan Natanzi (who was nicknamed Boroujerdi because of the trade he did with the city of Boroujerd).

Legend has it that the  Boroujerdi family were seeking the hand in marriage of a girl who came from the affluent Tabatabaei family, for whom Ostad Ali had built The Tabatabaei House some years earlier. The condition set for the marriage was the construction of a house as beautiful as the Tabatabaei House. It is distinguished by a six sided wind tower & a large hall decorated with mirrors. The unique features of the House have resulted in a minimal amount of renovation & alteration of the original structure. The House is famous for its unusual shaped wind towers which are made of stone, brick, sun baked bricks & a composition of clay, straw & mortar.

Move to the bride’s place. Tabatabaei House, one of the most beautiful traditional houses of Kashan that was built By Mr.Tabatabaei who was famous carpet businessman of this city about 200 years ago. Beautiful building with Iranian architecture & magnificent ornaments that can fascinate you for hours.

Traditional houses in Iran offer interesting details like the interior & exterior of homes, indicating the different aspect of Persian moral characters in & out of home. This unique building, near one of the city’s other beautiful historic homes ‘Boroujerdi house, that belongs to the groom’s family.

Last, visit Ameriha House which is the biggest Iranian house with 85 rooms, structured in the form of three traditional houses & five courtyards.

You will also visit a Silk Factory before returning to the hotel.

Morning, at 08.00 am, meet the Tour-guide & proceed for a 3 hour tour of some more highlights.

Walk over to the famous Fin Garden.

Fin Garden or Bagh-e Fin, is a historical UNESCO World Heritage Site Persian garden in Kashan. The Garden in its present form was built under the reign of Abbas I of Persia (1571 - 1629), as a traditional garden near the village of Fin. It was developed further during the Safavid dynasty, until Abbas II of Persia (1633 - 1666). It was highly recognized during the reign of Fath Ali Shah Qajar & has been considerably expanded.

The garden covers 2.3 hectares with a main yard surrounded by ramparts with four circular towers. In keeping with many of the Persian gardens of this era, the Fin Garden employs a great many water features. These were fed from a spring on a hillside behind the garden, and the water pressure was such that a large number of circulating pools & fountains could be constructed without the need for mechanical pumps. The garden contains numerous cypress trees & combines architectural features of the Safavid, Zandiyeh & Qajar periods. It also contains Fin Bath, where Amir Kabir, the Qajarid chancellor, was murdered by an assassin sent by King Nasereddin Shah in 1852.

Continue on to Sialk Tappeh - a large ancient archeological site tucked away in the suburbs of the city, close to Fin Garden.

Sialk Tappeh is a large ancient structure, believed to contain the world's oldest ziggurat, dating to the 3rd millennium BCE. At the site, there are actually two structures, situated several hundred feet from each other. The three platforms of the larger ziggurat however still remain in place. Not much remains of the smaller structure. The Louvre Museum has also excavated a cemetery near the structures that have been dated as far back as 7500 years.

But like the thousands of other Iranian historical sites, the treasures of Sialk eventually found their way to museums such as the Louvre, the British Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York & private collectors.

Return to the hotel to Check-out & depart for Tehran.

On arrival by early evening, Check-in at the hotel.

Alas, like all good things, the wonderful experience comes to an end & it is time to say au revoir.

5,000 years of cultural influences flowed into ancient Persia from the Far East, Arabia, Russia & Europe. Whilst from afar, modern Iran is dominated by the singular might of Islam, the culture here is every bit as rich & varied as its history suggests.

Even considering Iran’s abundance of worthy sights, travellers, particularly North Americans, are most impressed with the warmth of open-minded Persians & really discover what life is like - away from politics & newspaper headlines. Interacting with well educated, friendly locals, often curious about the West & keen to show the best of their country, foreign guests in Iran are guaranteed endless cups of tea, spontaneous gifts & home invitations.

A journey to Iran is a chance to peel away the layers of a country with a serious image problem. Beyond the stereotypes, you will experience a country desperate to be seen for what it is, rather than what it is perceived to be.

So, you see, you have much more to discover if you come to mystical Persia ‘again’ & we will of course, look forward to be able to facilitate that.

“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller” - Ibn Battuta

In time, you will be met by a Journeys Rep, who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to Terminal? - Teheran Imam Khomeini International Airport for the flight back home.  B

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