13-Day Culinary and Heritage Tour from Tabriz to Shiraz via Persepolis

Get picked up by your Tabriz tour guide from the airport.

Head straight to your hotel.

Visit the Azarbaijan Museum, El Guli Park and Mansion, and Tabriz Grand Bazaar.

Visit the food attractions in the city, including Tabrizi Kufte, made from a combination of minced meat, different local vegetables, and split peas shaped into a large ball and filled with walnut, caramelized onion, and barberry, and, if you want, an egg. It is then baked in a tomato sauce and flavoured with saffron.

Taste grape tree leaves Dulma, made from a mixture of bulgur, rice, split peas, onion, and local vegetables, wrapped in fresh green grape leaves and then baked with water and some plum to give it a slightly sour taste.

Curb your sweet cravings by heading to a sweet shop and trying Qarabia, made of sugar, flour, vanilla, eggs, and lots of nuts such as pistachio, almond, or walnut. Other things you can try are Eris, gingerbread, and the oldest sweet of the region, called Churutme.

Drive from Tabriz to Kandovan village to stay in houses made into the heart of the rocks.

Here, taste the different nuts and dry fruits produced by the people of this city.

Drive to the city of Ardabil with your Iranian guide.

After settling into the hotel, start your city tour by visiting the tomb of the great Iranian Sufi Sheikh Safi and then the anthropology museum of Ardabil.

Head to have some food at joints located in the highland region of Iran. Ardabil has cold weather, so taste a great variety of soups, and if you've ever heard of Iranian soup or Ash, it is baked here. The most popular one is Dough Ash, which is made of chickpeas, rice, local vegetables, and delicious local dough. Sometimes little meatballs are also added to the ingredients. One unique Ash of Ardabil is Fruit Ash, made from a mixture of different dried fruits like plum and cherry with local vegetables and meat.

If you are a meat lover, you can try Saj Kebab baked with meat, onion, local bread, and yoghurt.

Drive to the green north of Iran in Masuleh Village.

Upon arrival, explore the beautiful village and admire the breathtaking views of this village.

The next day of your stay in the north will be in Ramsar, where you can visit the beautiful village of Javaherdeh.

Here, taste traditional Iranian food made from fish and meat or only vegetables.

Eat Malabij, a seafood dish made with local fish from the Caspian Sea, filled with vegetables, walnuts, and pomegranate sauce, and then barbecued. Try a variant of this food with barbecued meat.

Taste another delicious northern food common among other cities, Mirza Qasemi, a mixture of barbecued eggplants, tomato, garlic, and eggs flavoured with different spices. These are just some of the northern cuisines. There are still so many stews and dishes you have to try.

Head towards Tehran Metropol.

Here, you can visit Golestan Palace, Grand Bazaar, Tabiat Bridge, and also the Jewelry Museum during the 2 days of your stay in Tehran.

Spend your day by visiting the exceptional restaurants of this city.

Taste Tah Chin made of chicken and rice marinated with yoghurt and saffron, or have a luxury international dish.

Also, have a taste of Iranian fast food, which might ultimately differ from what you have seen in other countries.

Drive to Kashan city and admire the beautiful historic houses on the way.

Visit the ancient red rock village of Abyaneh.

Upon arrival in Kashan, check in to your hotel.

Visit Tabatabaie and Borujerdi houses and also the Agha Bozorg Mosque of Kashan.

Start your day in the evening by driving to Isfahan.

Upon arrival, visit the historical bridges of Isfahan at night.

Start your day by visiting Naqsh-e Jahan Square and its attractions, including Imam Mosque, Sheikh Lotf Allah Mosque, and Ali Qapu.

Later, visit Chehel Sotoon and Vank Cathedral in the Armenian neighbourhood of the city.

Also, taste the traditional food of Isfahan called Beriani. This food is served with bread and baked meat.

Taste some of Isfahan's delicious desserts and sweets, including Fereni or yoghurt stew as a dessert, or have Gaz and Pulaki alongside your afternoon tea.

Drive to Shiraz and, en route, stop to visit Persepolis and Necropolis.

Upon arrival, check in to your hotel and visit Nasir ol-Molk, the colourful mosque of Iran, and Naranjestan Royal Palace of Qajar.

Continue to Vakil Bazaar, a mosque, and a bathhouse.

In the evening, visit Eram Garden and Hafez's Tomb.

Spend the entire day tasting the traditional food of Shiraz, including rice mixed with flavoured cabbage slices and tiny meatballs called Kalam pulu.

Also, taste rice baked with cherry and carrot.

End your tour by having the famous dessert in Shiraz called Paludeh, served with various sorbets and local juices extracted from different flowers like orange blossoms.