To speak about the reasons to travel to Iran, first, it is necessary to answer the question, ‘Why should we travel?’. The answers would be different, but people mostly travel to extend their knowledge about other cultures and enrich their world, prove their life experiences and also learn about themselves, meet new people and make to understand that people are more alike than different; they travel to gain and increase the abilities like time management, money management, etc.
Iran is an old country with a history going back to more than 2,500 years ago. Cyrus the Great founded the biggest empire in the world ever, and centuries before that, the Elamite Empire. Iranian people are famous for their warm behaviour and hospitality, but it is not how it is presented in Western media. Unfortunately, it is shown in Western media as a country with strictly-religious people as well as terrorism in a way that has made people a bit sceptical fearing to travel to Iran. Actually, the world is unaware of how awesome it is. We tried to render a clear and true picture of Iran and this is you who decide whether travel to Iran or not.
Here are some reasons to travel to Iran and get to know its people and their beliefs and customs, the history of the country and many more.
History of Iran
Iran is considered the house of one of the oldest civilizations in the world. The Aryans were people who migrated to the Iranian plateau and formed one of the largest and oldest civilizations in the world. There are still the ruins and, of course, firm monuments dating back to ancient times, such as the ancient ceremonial capital of Persepolis and Pasargadae in Shiraz, Chogha Zanbil, which is much older than Persepolis dating back to the ancient Elamite Empire in the ancient city of Susa, Sassanid Bishapur in the current city of Kazerun, Bisotun in Kermanshah, Shahr-e Sukhteh in Zabol, Arg e Bam in the city of Bam, Historical Hydraulic System in Shushtar City, Takht-e Soleymān or Azar Goshnasp in Takab, Hegmataneh (Ecbatana) in Hamedan and so many other monuments in Iran that shows the majesty of the history of the ancient country which was previously known as Great Persia. Writing about the history of Iran is limitless and can be covered only by visiting the country and touching its history through its historical monuments with their specific type of architecture.
Persian Architecture
Iran owns a rich history and thus is full of historical wonders; to be exact, it has twenty-three UNESCO World Heritage Sites. So this makes it one of the spectacular destinations in terms of cultural and historical tourism in a way that every year many tourists visit the country to touch the history. It is not only travellers but also historians who are interested to know more about ancient civilizations as well as the history of Iran that visit the country as closely as possible to feel themselves in the ancient times and the other different eras by walking through the left monuments. These monuments have specific Persian architecture. The interesting point is that although Persian architecture is unique, it has varied in different ideas and according to the climatic variations of different regions. Therefore, when visiting different historical monuments in Iran, you can feel and experience these differences.
The Hospitality in Iran
Ask the tourists travelling or having travelled to Iran that “What was the most hospitable country you have ever travelled to?” and they will mostly say “Iran”. Iranians are known for their hospitality in a way that Lonely Planet calls Iran the most rewarding destination on Earth in terms of hospitality. It is the very first thing that attracts the attention of foreigners coming to Iran, and it is regarded as a part of Iranian culture due to the common expression among them saying, “A guest is a gift from God, and s/he makes their life better bringing blessing for the host”. It is completely normal for a total stranger to come to you in the street, greet you, welcome you to the country and invite you for tea or a meal. This portrays how Iranian are hospitable. Moreover, they are one of the friendliest and warmest people in the world. One of the most common English words is “welcome” in Iran, as you can see in most stores and business centres.
Iran is Safe
The more security, the more tourists, i.e. safety and tourism are in a bilateral relation. There are some conflicted opinions about Iran, especially in terms of security and safety. It is one of the main concerns and the most frequently asked questions of those who intend to travel to Iran or have travelled to Iran, and the answer: of course, it is safe. Iran is safe due to the reasons mentioned below: first of all, the Iranian culture; regards tourists and foreign travellers as guests. As mentioned above, the guests are so important in Persian culture that all thing they receive is respect. The second reason, Iranians are faithful people, and according to their religious beliefs, it is not acceptable to bother others. It does not mean that no crime never ever occurs in Iran. No! It occurs but is very rare for tourists, like in any other country. There is Tourism Police in Iran, and even you can find a Tourism Police Office near popular attractions in big cities like Isfahan and Shiraz. Referring to the experiences of other tourists who have already visited Iran, we can claim that Iran is one of the safest countries for tourists, regardless of their nationality, age, gender or race, whether travelling individually or in a group, contrary to what appears in the media. A recent survey in late 2018 has shown that Iran is as safe as the USA and Canada.
Iranian Cuisine
Generally speaking, food plays an important role in choosing the destinations for tourists. Food and eating habits are the most important aspects of culture. Today, food tourism is considered a new branch of tourism, slowly but strongly. Food tourism concerns eating, drinking and the process of food production in countries and special areas. Owing to the various climates and weather conditions and, of course, different folks, Iran enjoys a wide range of cuisines; however, spices and seasonings are commonly used almost in all Iranian dishes. Needless to explain that Iran is the largest producer of saffron in the world, and it is considered a main spice in Iranian dishes.
Is it Expensive to Travel to Iran?
Due to the sudden fall in the value of Iranian currency, Iran is considered one of the cheapest countries to visit. Costs for accommodation, transportation and food are low. As an example travelling from Tehran to Isfahan and seeing the sights on the way can cost around only $100 or even less!
Iran is Easy to Access
The unique geographical location of Iran makes it easy to access the country. Being located between the Caspian Sea and Persian Gulf, it provides cruises for travellers to go there. Also, the vast geographical expanse of the country and having long land borders with several neighbour countries allow travellers to take a trip to Iran by crossing the borders. However, tourists can travel to Iran by air as Iran has international airports in big cities such as Tehran, Tabriz, Mashhad, Esfahan, Shiraz, Bandar Abbas, Kish and Qeshm islands connecting Iran to different parts of the world.
Persian Handicrafts
Iran is an ancient country with a variety of ethnicities in various regions, and every ethnic group has its own cultural code and, consequently, handicrafts. Persian handicrafts are famous worldwide, especially Persian carpets. It is interesting to know that Iranian carpets are not the same in all regions. The Iranian carpets have different designs, colours and even different materials in different regions. Thus, it feels great to wander in traditional bazaars in various towns and cities and enjoy the experience of a wide range of not only Persian carpets but also other Persian souvenirs such as different types of cloths, jewellery, Vitreous enamel, wood and metal engraving, etc.
All of these particular factors make Iran a must-see travel destination.