19-Day Culture Tour of Iran with UNESCO Sites and Ancient Capitals

• In the morning, visit the Iran National Museum.

• Visit Golestan Palace, one of the oldest historic monuments in Tehran and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

• See the Carpet Museum, which exhibits various Persian carpets from all over Iran, dating from the 16th century to the present.

Overnight stay in Tehran.

• Drive to Bandar-e-Anzali in the north of Iran.

• En route, visit the spectacular stair-like village of Masouleh.

• Take a boat ride in the Anzali Lagoon.

Overnight in Anzali.

• In the morning, drive through one of the most scenic roads in Iran.

• Visit the Sheikh Safi Mausoleum. The Sheikh Safi al-Din Khanegah and Shrine Ensemble is the tomb of Sheikh Safi-ad-din Ardabili.

• Drive to Tabriz.

Overnight in Tabriz.

• Drive to St. Thaddeus Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the holiest monastery for Armenians in Iran.

• Proceed to Tabriz to visit the Old Bazaar, another UNESCO World Heritage Site.

• Visit the Blue Mosque.

Overnight in Tabriz.

• In the morning, drive to Takht-e-Soleyman, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

• Visit the Red Dome in Maragheh, one of the oldest domes in Iran with eye-catching ornamentation.

Overnight in Takab.

• Drive to Hamedan.

• Visit Ganjnameh, with the inscriptions of Darius and Xerxes.

• Get familiar with the Persian polymath Avicenna by visiting his tomb.

• Finally, visit Alaviyan Dome with its magnificent plasterwork.

Overnight in Hamedan.

• In the morning, visit the Tomb of Esther and Mordechai.

• Head to Kermanshah.

• Visit Taq-e-Bostan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with reliefs, before heading towards the traditional Bazaar of Kermanshah.

Overnight in Kermanshah.

• Drive to Susa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

• Visit Apadana Palace, the palace of Darius the Great, and Chogha-Zanbil, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the oldest Elamite temple in Iran, dating back to 1200 B.C.

Overnight in Ahwaz.

• In the morning, drive to Shiraz.

• Visit Bishapur, a city built by Valerianus, the Roman king.

Overnight in Shiraz.

• Visit the Pink Mosque with its colourful tiles, Narenjestan-e-Gavam, and Eram Garden, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

• In the afternoon, visit the tombs of Hafez and Saadi, and get familiar with Persian poetry.

Overnight in Shiraz.

• Drive to Persepolis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the glorious capital of the Achaemenid Empire.

• Discover Necropolis, where you can see the tombs of the greatest Achaemenid kings and spectacular reliefs of Sassanian kings.

Overnight in Shiraz.

• Take a long drive east to Kerman.

• Visit Sassan Palace and Neyriz Jame Mosque.

Overnight in Kerman.

• Drive to the Lout Desert, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and get familiar with a unique geological phenomenon called Kalut.

• Drive to Rayen and visit the Sassanian castle.

• Learn more about Sufism by visiting the Shah-Nematollah-Vali Mausoleum.

Overnight in Kerman.

• Drive to Yazd.

• Visit Zein-o-din Caravansary in the middle of the desert. It is the only circular caravansary in Iran.

Overnight in Yazd.

• Get familiar with Zoroastrianism by visiting the Tower of Silence and the Fire Temple.

• Be amazed at the Water Museum and see how people survived in the desert by digging underground water canals known as qanats.

• Discover Dolat-Abad Garden, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with the highest wind tower in the world.

• Explore the Jameh Mosque with its blue tiles and high minarets.

• Finally, visit the old city of Yazd, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and explore its maze-like alleys.

Overnight in Yazd.

• Drive to Isfahan.

• Visit the Jameh Mosque of Nain, which dates back to the 10th century.

• In the afternoon, visit the Khajou and Si-o-Se-Pol bridges.

• In the morning, visit Chehel-Sotoun Palace, the great palace of the Safavid kings.

• Then head to Royal Square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

• At Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, see the ultimate skill of architects in building and embellishing a mosque.

• In the afternoon, visit Vank Church in the Armenian neighbourhood.

Overnight in Isfahan.

• Drive to Kashan and visit Borujerdi House.

• Reach Qom and visit one of the greatest holy shrines in Iran, Fatima Masumeh.

• On the road to Tehran, visit the mausoleum of Imam Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

• Transfer to Imam Khomeini International Airport by car.