Burke Andrew - Lonely Planet Iran

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If travel is most rewarding when it surprises, then Iran might just be the most rewarding destination on Earth. If you fancy travelling somewhere neither East nor West, and exotic and fascinating yet perfectly comfortable, read on...

A Qashqai nomad girl looks out from her familys tent, ZagrosMountains
ANDREW BURKE/LONELY PLANET IMAGES

Before you come to Iran, you might be thinking the main reasons to visit the Islamic Republic are because its a bit adventurous and theres a lot to see from the years when Persia was a great world power. At some levels youd be right. Walking around the sublime, turquoise-tiled domes and minarets of Esfahans Naqsh-e Jahan (Imam) Square, the awesome power and beauty of the Achaemenids ancient capital at Persepolis, the mud-brick alleys and rooftops in Yazd, and the wonderfully immense Elamite ziggurat at Choqa Zanbil will put you in the footsteps of some of historys most outstanding figures. And certainly you wont find yourself crowded out of any sights. Which is fun.

These highlights, together with the atmospheric teahouses, bustling bazaars, deserts punctuated by historic oases and rugged mountain ranges, gives Iran more than its fair share of fantastic places to see. But to think of Iran only in terms of sights is to miss the real story.

If you like people, youll like Iran. The Iranians, a nation made up of numerous ethnic groups and influenced over thousands of years by Greek, Arab, Turkic and Mongol occupiers, are endlessly welcoming. For those who have grown up on an endless diet of images depicting Iran as a dark, dangerous place full of fundamentalist fanatics, discovering the real Iran is the most wonderful surprise. Before long youre asking yourself: how can somewhere supposedly so bad be so good?

Beyond the stereotypes is a country desperate to been seen for what it is, rather than what it is depicted to be. Sure, not every Iranian you meet is going to invite you around to dinner. But if youre open to the idea, you probably will be, and through it experience the ancient and sophisticated Iranian culture first-hand. Its these experiences that will live longest in the memory.

If you make your travel decisions based on what your friends and family say, youll probably never make it to Iran. This is a country whose politics are impossible to escape. For most travellers that will mean little more than some pre-departure questions about their sanity, but it can make getting a visa a challenge. Except for Americans, who must be accompanied, once in Iran independent travel is easy and, through the people you meet, rewarding and sometimes sobering. However you chose to plan your travel, a journey in Iran will change the way you see this part of the world.

The skyline of Yazd.
CTIRBEODRIT BOGNR/CORBIS

From watching the TV you could be forgiven for thinking Iranians are scary, America-hating fundamentalists bent on destroying the world. Nothing could be further from the truth. Indeed, its the people that leave the most lasting impressions from any journey to Iran. You will regularly be asked What do you think of Iran?, and be bought tea and food with intonations that You are our guest. The people () are, quite simply, the best experience in Iran.

Shopkeeper, Shiraz
TIM BARKER/LONELY PLANET IMAGES

Esfahan, Half of the World

There are moments in travel that will long stay with you, and your first sight of Esfahans majestic Naqsh-e Jahan (Imam) Square () is one of them. For this square is home to arguably the most majestic collection of buildings in the Islamic world: the perfectly proportioned blue-tiled dome of the Masjed-e Shah, the supremely elegant Masjed-e Sheikh Lotfollah and the indulgent and lavishly decorated Ali Qapu Palace. Robert Byron ranked ...Isfahan among those rarer places, like Athens or Rome, which are the common refreshment of humanity.

Ma sjed-e Sheikh Lotfollah,
Naqsh-e Jahan (Imam) Square
TIM BARKER/LONELY PLANET IMAGES

Yazd

Few places have adapted to their environment as well as the desert city of Yazd (). Its a gem of winding lanes, blue-tiled domes, soaring minarets, covered bazaars, and fine old courtyard homes topped by badgirs (windtowers) and watered by ingenious qanats (underground water channels). Several of these homes have been restored and converted into marvellously evocative traditional hotels.

Rooftops, Yazd
RICHARD SLATER/ALAMY

More than Kabab

Like peeling the layers of the ubiquitous lunchtime raw onion (which tastes pretty good and keeps nasty bugs at bay), Iranian food is one delicious surprise after another (). Once youve tried several varieties of kabab, khoresht (stew), ash (soup) and flat bread, ask for fesenjun (chicken in walnut and pomegranate sauce) or anything with bademjan (eggplant). Then you can try the shirini (sweets) And if you get invited to eat in someones home, say yes.

Iranian treats
GOURMET-VISION/IMAGEBROKER

Ancient Persepolis

The artistic harmony of the monumental staircases, imposing gateways and exquisite reliefs leaves you in little doubt that in its prime Persepolis ().

Birds of Homa Statue, Persepolis
TIM BARKER/LONELY PLANET IMAGES

Nomads of the Zagros

About 2 million Iranians from several different ethnic groups still live a nomadic existence, travelling with their goats in spring and autumn in search of pasture. Qashqai and Bakhtiyari nomads spend the summer months in the Zagros Mountains, before heading down to the coast for the winter. You can get a taste of nomad life on a day trip from Shiraz ().