Tehran is a vibrant city and the capital of Iran. The city is located at the base of the Alborz mountain range and boasts of parks, museums and a wide range of restaurants. The Treasury of the National Jewels, National Museum of Iran, Milad Tower, Jamshidieh Park, Golestan palace, Niavaran palace, Glassware Museum of Tehran and the Saadabad Palace are some of the prominent sites in the city. Tehran has a number of shopping centres and bazars for travellers to shop.
Esfahan is located in central Iran and is thought to be one of the most beautiful cities in the country. Esfahan is an ancient town and served as the capital of Persia from 1598 to 1722. The intricate architecture and the tree-lined avenues are quite impressive. The city has some stunning masaajid, which are renowned all over the world. The Naqsh-e Jahan Square houses two masaajid and the market. The other sites to visit in the city are Meydan Kohne, Chaharbagh Boulevard, Shahshahan square and the Chaharbagh-e-khajou. Esfahan boasts of beautiful palaces like Ali Qapu or the Royal Palace, Hasht Behesht, Chehel Sotoun and Talar Ashraf. The Flower Garden and Birds Garden are also worth visiting. The Esfahan carpets are famous all around the world.
Hamedan is among the oldest cities in Iran. There are several historic monuments and mausoleums in the city. Some of the main sites include Baba Tahir Mausoleum, Avicenna (Abu Ali Sina) Ibn Sina mausoleum, Nazari House, Ester & Mordekhai tomb, Mohammadi House, Hamadan Stone Lion, Gonbad-e Alavian and the Excavated Ancient Ekbatana City. About 100Km from Hamedan is the Ali Sadr Cave, one of the largest water caves in the world.
The capital of the Fars province in central Iran, Shiraz is a stunning city. There are several points of interest throughout the city. The main entrance gate of the city is called as the Dar vazeh Quran. The Hafez Tomb is the tomb of the mausoleum of Hafez, a great Persian poet. The Saadi Tomb, Arg of Karim Khan are also prominent sites. Have fun at the Eram Gardens and Afif abad Garden. The Delgosha Garden and Narangestan Qavam are also recommended sites. Shiraz has a number of masaajid like the Jame'e Atigh Masjid, Vakil Masjid and the Nasir al-Mulk Masjid. Shopping can be enjoyed at the Vakil Bazaar an ancient market. There are several shopping centres in the city too where travellers can shop.
Fragrant rice is the main food in the country. A variety of kebabs can be relished throughout the country. Travellers can also enjoy a stomach filling Iranian soup. Flat bread or Nan is another important dish in the Iranian cuisine. Also taste the local snack abgusht made of chickpeas, lamb and dried limes. Do not forget to taste the sweets in Iran, the shirini and Iranian baghlava are a treat for sweet lovers.
Ibn Battuta after spending some time in Basra thought of travelling to Baghdad. However rather than travelling up the Tigris, he considered moving towards the mountains of Persian Luristan. After leaving Basra his next main stop was at Isfahan in the Jibal province.
