Tehran + Isfahan: the Persia almost nobody travels to
A square the size of two football pitches, mosques under turquoise domes and bridges where people sing in the evening. A destination that is awkward day to day and very strong in impressions.
What there is to see
Isfahan is the main reason to go. Naqsh-e Jahan square is on the UNESCO list and yields in size to very few squares anywhere: on one side the Shah mosque with its tiled dome, on the other the mosque of Sheikh Lotfollah, worth entering in the middle of the day when light from the lattice windows gathers on the dome into a pattern. The bridges over the Zayandeh river, Si-o-se Pol and Khaju, become public living rooms in the evening, with families sitting and singing under the arches. Plus the Armenian quarter of New Julfa with the Vank cathedral, where Christian frescoes sit beside Persian ornament.
Tehran: why stop at all
Tehran is huge, polluted and at first glance not about beauty. But it holds the Golestan palace with its mirrored halls, the National Museum, the National Jewels treasury with a collection hard to compare to anything, and the Grand Bazaar — a city inside a city. Two days are enough to understand modern Iran, which differs greatly from the idea of it.
If you have spare days
Shiraz is an hour away by air: the Pink Mosque, Nasir al-Mulk, where morning light comes through stained glass; the Eram gardens; the tombs of the poets Hafez and Saadi, which mean more to Iranians than any palace. And an hour from Shiraz is Persepolis, the Achaemenid capital burned by Alexander. The classic route through the country is Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz, and if the trip runs longer than a week, add the third stop.
Daily life you must prepare for
Foreign bank cards do not work in Iran at all — none of them. Money is brought in cash and changed locally, or you get a local tourist card on arrival. The internet is restricted and some familiar services are unavailable without workarounds. Women must cover their hair in public places and dress modestly — that is the law, not a custom. There is no alcohol anywhere.
When to go
April–May and October–November. In summer Isfahan and Shiraz go past forty; in winter Tehran has snow and cold. The Persian new year, Nowruz, at the end of March is when the whole country travels: beautiful, but hotels are full and prices are up.
Getting around the country
Domestic flights are cheap, but schedules shift and booking them from abroad is awkward — it is usually done through a local agency or your hotel. Trains between the big cities are decent, and there are night services with compartments. Intercity VIP buses are the most reliable option: wide seats, air conditioning, timetables kept. Within cities taxis are ordered through local apps; a street taxi in Tehran may pick up three more passengers along the way, and that is normal rather than a misunderstanding.
How people talk here
Iranian hospitality is not an exaggeration: you will be invited in, fed and refused payment. That last part is often a ritual of politeness called taarof — you are expected to decline payment twice and pay on the third attempt. Photographing people without asking is not done, and military or government buildings certainly not. Political subjects are better not raised first; if they are raised, listen.
What to check before flying
A visa for a Russian passport is issued on arrival, but the entry rules, the list of airports and the insurance requirements have changed more than once — check them immediately before the trip, including in our visa section. The same goes for direct flights: they appear and disappear, and the route may end up assembled through Istanbul, Dubai or Yerevan.
Moscow → Tehran → Isfahan
Route and nights go into the form — adjust the date and passengers.