Shiraz 2N/Yazd 2N/Isfahan 3N/Tehran 2N

Salam! You will fly to Shiraz with flight TK884 Turkish Airlines via Istanbul. Your flight will land at 02:05 o'clock at Shiraz International Airport. After your welcome, the tour guide will transfer you to the hotel. Since you arrived in Shiraz in the morning, all your check-in have already been

done. Have a good rest and collect your energy for the next morning

Visit the Nasir-ol-Molk Mosque (Pink Mosque) after breakfast. This mosque was built as per the order of one of the lords during the reign of the Qajar Dynasty, Mirza Hasan ‘Ali Nasir-ol-Molk, and it took 12 years to complete. It’s interiors are a magnificent masterpiece of design with stunning colors. This is a space where light and worship intertwine. The mosque comes to life with sunrise and coloors dance on its floor throughout the day like whirling dervishes.  Also visit the orange-scented Narenjestan Garden, laid out in the 19th century, before heading for the bustling Vakil Bazaar, home to hundreds of stores, beautiful courtyards and even an ancient caravanserai. Your next destination is the Karim Khan Citadel, built during the Zand Dynasty. End your day in Shiraz on a tranquil note in the lovely  garden  tombs  of  Sa’adi and Hafez, two of the most outstanding poets of Persia.

We spend today exploring the heritage of the Achaemenid dynasty in Persepolis and the royal tombs of Naghsh-e-Rostam. Persepolis, the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid kings with remains of the palaces of Darius the Great, Xerxes and Artaxerxes, is famous for its bas-reliefs depicting kings, courtiers and gift-bearing representatives of tributary nations of the Persian Empire ranging from India to Ethiopia. We then visit nearby Naghsh-e-Rostam to see Ka’be-Zardosht (a fire temple) and the royal tombs dug into the rock itself. This site also has seven magnificent Sassanian rock-reliefs including Shapur the First’s famous victory over Roman Emperor Valerian. We will continue to visit Pasargad, the site of the simple, but impressive tomb and remains of the palaces of Cyrus the Great, the founder of the Persian Empire.  After a long day, we arrived in Yazd at night and go to the hotel.

This ancient desert city was a major stop on the caravan routes to Central Asia and India during the Silk Road period – Marco Polo even visited the city on his way to China – and it still retains a rustic feel today. Yazd is also the heart of the Zoroastrian religion. On arrival, set out on a walking tour visiting the Jameh Mosque, notable for its fine mosaics and beautiful exterior.

   From here you are ideally placed to explore the older parts of the city, which are some of the oldest on Earth according to UNESCO. Walk the narrow kuches (lanes), past simple courtyards and the ornate doors of the mud brick buildings. One of the most distinctive features of Yazd are the wind towers (‘badgirs’) that capture even the softest of breezes and send them to the buildings below in a forerunner of modern air-con.  The water museum shows how the quants (underground water channels) brought water to the city from the mountains for thousands

 of years. You will also visit the Fire Temple and Towers of Silence, both vestiges of the city’s Zoroastrian heritage. In the Zoroastrian religion, fire and water are agents of ritual purity, and the fire in the Atashkadeh Fire Temple is said to have been continuously burning since 470 AD.

   The places we will see in Yazd include: Amir Chakhmagh Ensemble, Fahadan old neighborhood, ZIyaiyeh School (Aleksandra Prison), Congregational Mosque, old Fire Temple, Water Museum, and Dolat Abad Garden.  Return to the hotel and rest.

We start overland journey from Yazd to Isfahan. Take a detour to the small town of Meybod. Set along an ancient trade route, Meybod also offers a number of fascinating sites to visit, including its caravanserai. Built in a typical Safavid style, this ancient desert inn features verandahs, shaded passageways and nearly 100 rooms – some of which are now used as workshops.    Visit Na’in, an ancient community with origins dating back to the 8th century AD. At the local Ethnographic Museum, set in an erstwhile private residence, you’ll get the chance to learn more about

the region’s history and culture. Before going to Esfahan, we go to the Jame Mosque. At the local icehouse, you’ll learn about the thick-clay construction and subterranean chambers that allowed local residents to store ice and food even during the intense desert heat of summer before refrigeration came along.

  Reach Isfahan, the 17th-century capital of the Safavid Empire and one of the world’s greatest cities – architecturally striking, wealthy beyond imagining, and politically powerful with Europeans, Ottomans, Indians and Chinese coming to its court. It was also the heart of a vast Persian empire that stretched from the Euphrates River in present-day Iraq to the Oxus River in Afghanistan. Indeed, its grandeur was such that it inspired the rhyming proverb, Isfahan nesf- e Jahan (Isfahan is half the world).

  Join our expert guide in exploring the city, starting with some of the centuries-old, still-elegant bridges that span the Zayandeh River. The 14th-century Shahrestan Bridge, for example, reminds one of the aqueducts of ancient Rome and is the oldest bridge in Iran.

  Other famous bridges on the Zayandeh River are Sio-se-pol and Khajou. There are sluice gates below the bridges to let the water flow down the river in the spring and there are beautiful stony archways above each gate.

Start the day by exploring Imam Square, the 17th-century site which is also one of the largest public spaces in the world. Visit the Shah Mosque, revered as a masterpiece of Islamic architecture and easily recognized due to its magnificent tile work and a soaring cupola and minarets.

   Marvel at the beautiful music rooms and balconies of Ali Qapu Palace and get the chance to explore the Qeisarieh Bazaar, which surrounds Imam Square. With hundreds of local vendors that specialize in traditional arts and crafts, it’s a wonderful place to shop for pottery, enamel, jewelry and delicately inlaid board games.

   Next up is Chehel Sotun. Set in a landscaped and forested park in front of a tranquil reflecting pool, this graceful pavilion was built by Shah Abbas II for entertainment and court receptions. Enter into the building through a portico supported by twenty slender wooden columns and discover soaring halls embellished with frescoes, paintings and mosaics. The Hall of Mirrors is especially breathtaking!    In the city’s Armenian quarter, you’ll get the chance to delve more deeply into the region’s complex history. Visit several churches in the area, including the 17th-century Vank Cathedral with its lavishly decorated interior and a unique blend of Islamic and European architectural elements.

You have a free day to explore this lovely city, so take time to wander along the city's many tree-lined boulevards and spacious gardens. Visit the Jameh Mosque (Friday Mosque), the biggest in all Iran and full of lovely designed stuccos, or Afif Abad museum and garden, or you could also discover the bizarre Manar Jomban (shaking minarets). Perhaps head to the Armenian Quarter and the Church of St. Joseph of Arimathea, which has a striking interior of gilded ceilings, walls and paintings. The stunning, delicate artwork of the dome depicts the biblical story of Genesis, from Creation to Man’s expulsion from the Garden of Eden. Make sure to take a stroll by the Zayandeh River and stop for a well-deserved chai at one of the stunning bridges.

Drive to Kashan after breakfast. Visit the Abyaneh Village  en route. The  village  is  also known as the Red Village because of its red-mud houses (the area has red soil).

 The houses of Abyaneh bear an ancient architectural style and feature the use of clay as the main construction material along with latticed windows and wooden doors.

On reaching Kashan, head for its two famous traditional houses, Boroujerdi or Tabatabaei. Travel to the Fin Garden, a UNESCO World Heritage site, This Persian garden reflects ancient landscaping principles that trace their roots to the time of Cyrus the Great in the 6th century BCE. Leaving Kashan behind in the evening and head for Tehran.

Salam! Welcome to Tehran.

   This marvellous city sits at the bottom of the Alborz Mountains – their snowy peaks serving as a photogenic backdrop for the colourful buildings below. Tehran is commonly known as one of the country’s most liberal metropolitan areas and this may become obvious through an adventure into the depths of their hospitality scene. Lamb, chickpeas,

tahdig (crispy rice pies) and potatoes are all big staples in Iranian cuisine – just don’t forget they’re best washed down with a cup of dugh (minty yoghurt drink).

   Upon arriving in Tehran, we go straight to the restaurant, once you arrive, get to know the other travellers over a juicy Iranian kebab served with a side of local bread or rice – the kebab’s rich aroma should have you smelling it well before it reaches the table. Once you’ve filled up, wash it all down with a cup of tea. After a delicious dinner we go to the hotel and crawl into bed before tomorrow’s adventures.

   It’d be easy to call Iran a land of kebabs, but the country’s gastronomy is a little more complicated than that.

Start the day by exploring Imam Square, the 17th-century site which is also one of the largest public spaces in the world. Visit the Shah Mosque, revered as a masterpiece of Islamic architecture and easily recognized due to its magnificent tile work and a soaring cupola and minarets.

   Marvel at the beautiful music rooms and balconies of Ali Qapu Palace and get the chance to explore the Qeisarieh Bazaar, which surrounds Imam Square. With hundreds of local vendors that specialize in traditional arts and crafts, it’s a wonderful place to shop for pottery, enamel, jewelry and delicately inlaid board games.

   Next up is Chehel Sotun. Set in a landscaped and forested park in front of a tranquil reflecting pool, this graceful pavilion was built by Shah Abbas II for entertainment and court receptions. Enter into the building through a portico supported by twenty slender wooden columns and discover soaring halls embellished with frescoes, paintings and mosaics. The Hall of Mirrors is especially breathtaking!    In the city’s Armenian quarter, you’ll get the chance to delve more deeply into the region’s complex history. Visit several churches in the area, including the 17th-century Vank Cathedral with its lavishly decorated interior and a unique blend of Islamic and European architectural elements.

   In the morning we will go to see National Museum of Iran, aging more than 70 years, containing 300,000 museum objects.  Then we will have the visit of Iran Glassware and ceramic Museum, in order to see objects of 4th millennium B.C. up to the present time.

   After that we will go to see a UNESCO World Heritage: Golestan Palace that has many places to offer: The Marble Throne, Karim Khani Nook, Museum of Gifts, Containers Hall, Mirror Hall, Salam Hall, Edifice of the Sun (Shams ol Emareh) and many other places. after that visit the fabulous State’s Jewels Museum, housed in the vaults of the Central Bank of Iran displaying the most dazzling and priceless collection of jewels and gems in the world.

   We see more of Tehran today with full day visits including the Golestan Palace Museum Complex, built by Fath-Ali Shah of the Qajar Dynasty and dating from the 18th to the early 20th century. We continue to the Shams-ol-Emareh (Sun) Palace and the Ethnographic Museum, with a walk around the garden to enjoy the beautiful tile-covered walls and buildings. In the afternoon, we visit the fabulous State’s Jewels Museum, housed in the vaults of the Central Bank of Iran displaying the most dazzling and priceless collection of jewels and gems in the world.

Drive to the north of Tehran after breakfast. Get the chance to learn more about the Qajar and Pahlavi history in the  Sa’dabad  Palace  Museum  and  we continue to the Niavaran Palace and the Tajrish Traditional Bazaar, the favourite shopping destination of the locals. A luxurious dinner with live music in one of the luxury restaurants, transfer to the airport, say goodbye and return home.