Tehran

A Guide to Tehran

This city has been the capital of Iran for more than 200 years. Tehran is the lively heart of the country. This city is known as the most populated city of Iran. Tehran is even listed as one of the most populated and greatest cities in the world. The city is located on the southern side of the Alborz Mountain Range. Tehran as a metropolitan city is the center of government, politics, culture, science, and economy. Its busy streets have been a witness to some of the biggest changes that has made Iran what it is today. Tehran is one of the top destinations in Iran for tourists since most international flights land here. On the other hand, the historical and contemporary attractions, the lifestyle of its people and many more factors have made Tehran a popular destination.

The Story of Tehran

According to some historical accounts, the story of this location begins in 11^th century. Tehran used to be just a small village. Over the centuries, it gradually developed to be the current metropolitan city of Iran. In the 18^th century, during the reign of Qajar Dynasty, it was chosen as the Capital city of Iran. Here was a witness to the political and economic challenges of the constitutional revolution. This city remained the capital of Iran during Pahlavi dynasty. After a second Revolution, until today, Tehran has remained the center of development and cultural challenges. The developments and history of Tehran is reflected in the historical structures and contemporary pieces around the city. While visiting Tehran, you can have in mind these points of interests and activities which are introduced as below.

What Makes Tehran Exceptional?

Tehran is one of the best travel destinations in Iran where you can explore the modernity of Iran along with many historical and traditional sites. The masterpieces of 18^th century can be found in the architecture of the Royal Palaces, traditional Bazaars, and museums. Also, the symbolic Azadi Tower and Milad Tower are some of the unique, contemporary, and world famous structures in the world which are located in Tehran. Interestingly, the longest street in Middle East is the Valiasr Street, located here.

Many of the cultural and educational events, ceremonies, and International galleries and exhibitions take place in Tehran. There are also some Ski Resorts and Mountain Routes around Tehran which we will be introducing further. We will also give you a special travel guide to Tehran by telling its story, points of interest, local food, how to get around and more.

Need to Know

People & the cultural customs of Tehran

The lifestyle and culture of the locals of Tehran have been much modernized through the years. On top of this, many Iranians, from around Iran, leave their homes to come to Tehran and make a life there. Tehran for many Iranians is considered as the land of opportunities. For this reason, the culture of this city is much diverse and at the same time unified toward modernization.

What is the best time to travel to Tehran?

Tehran is located in the mountainous region of Iran and toward the north. From south, it is connected to the central desert of Iran. Accordingly, the rainy and cold days of Tehran are during December, January, and February. During June, July, and August the summer weather prevails.

The best time to travel to Tehran is during March, April, May, September, and October when the cool spring and autumn weather is persisted. Also, you can travel to Tehran during spring and Nowruz Holidays (March 20^the) when the locals of Tehran are travelling around and the city is less crowded.

What is the best way to get to Tehran?

Most tourists start their Iran trip from Tehran since most of the flights will land at Imam Khomeini International Airport. There are seasonal and weekly flights to Tehran from several countries around the world. For traveling from other cities of Iran to Tehran, you can either drive to Tehran or book a flight or use train and intercity bus services which can offer you a comfortable and safe transportation to Tehran. If you need a private guide, driver or simply if you need to book domestic flights, trains or intercity buses, you can get the best deals through Travelopersia.

How to get around Tehran

The transportation system of Tehran is more extensive than any other city in Iran. You can use buses or even the Bus Rapid Transit service (BRT) which has separate lines to avoid the heavy traffic. The best way to avoid the traffic is to use the metro system. There are metro station near the main attractions of Tehran. Here is the latest Tehran’s Bus Map and Metro Map. Taxi stations and online Taxi apps are also available in Tehran.

The city Map

Trip Ideas

To help you make the most out of your trip to Tehran, we are going to introduce some of the most highlighted touristic attractions. You can find more information on these attractions by checking out our Blog’s posts.

Dazzling Royal Palaces

Some of the most iconic Royal palaces of Iran are located in Tehran. Golestan Palace is currently the only attraction in Tehran that is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritages List. This palace is a masterpiece of 18^th and 19^th century that represents a blend of Persian and European architecture. The Sa’dabad Complex is also another site which in itself holds 17 Royal Palaces and museums.

Impressive Museums & Galleries

If Tehran is the starting point on your trip to Iran, you can visit several historic museums to get an overall view on the history, architecture, and culture of Iran. The most notable museums are mentioned as below:

The National Museum of Tehran( The collection of archeological findings from the rich history of centuries and dynasties of Iran)
The National Jewelry Museum ( a rare collection of world famous stone gems and royal jewels)
The Carpet Museum ( collection of over 150 types of Persian carpets each with special history behind them)
The Abgineh Museum ( collection of ancient crafts including ceramics and glassware)
Reza Abbasi Museum (collection of artifacts with over four thousand years of value)

The Contemporary Masterpieces

The famous modern structures in Tehran are Azadi Tower, Tabiat Bridge, and Milad Tower. The world famous Azadi Tower is the symbol of Tehran. The Persian history and art is reflected in the structure of Azadi tower. The Tabiat Bridge literally meaning the Nature Bridge is a pedestrian Bridge that has won several international Awards. This bridge has three floors and cafes with beautiful view of Alborz Mountains. The multi-purpose Milad Tower, as the 6th tallest tower in the world, offers the best 360-degree view of the city of Tehran.

Sport Activities

Aside from enjoying the historical attraction, galleries and exhibitions Here, you can have some fun doing outdoor activities in the nature, Ski Resorts, and Mountain Routes.

Natural Site of Darband:

By visiting Darband, you can enjoy the environment of the foothills of Tochal Mountain. There are also several traditional and famous restaurants along your way. Also, you can try many more activities in Darband as it has a hiking trail, chairlift and trekking route available for visitors.

Darakeh Mountain Route:

Just like Darband, you can enjoy a hike and dine in the traditional restaurants of the area.

Ski Resorts:

Tochal Ski Resort, Sport and Recreational Complex, Darbandsar Ski Resort, Dizin Ski Resort, Shemshak Ski Resort are of the most famous Ski Resorts in Tehran. These Ski Resorts are facilitated with Ski Tracks, hotels, Lodges, and Restaurants. The Ski Resorts are most active during wintry seasons. During summer, the Grass Skiing Tracks are available especially in Dizin Ski Resort.

Local Food & Signature Dishes

While visiting Tehran, you can almost find every Persian dish that is served around Iran. Since Tehran is the most modern city of Iran, you can try several places that serve exotic food or even Vegetarian restaurants which are rare in other cities of Iran. Make sure you visit 30-e Tir Street. You can find different Persian street food while walking along this beautiful paved street. Here is a list of hand-picked Restaurants and Cafes in Tehran.

Handicraft & Souvenirs

The traditional Persian handicrafts can be found in Tehran mostly in the oldest Bazaar of Tehran known as Tehran Grand Bazaar. You can also explore Friday Tehran Bazaar and Tajrish Bazaar to look around through its rich colorful handicraft shops. Yet, these handicrafts are not what Tehran is famous for. Tehran is best known for being the commercial center of Iran. While visiting Tehran, you can tour thousands of luxurious shopping malls and experience the modernity of Iran.