I recently travelled to Iran for the first time and it was incredible. The food was great, the country is rich with history, the people were lovely, and prices were very affordable, especially considering as a US citizen it was required for me to be with a guide at all times.
I flew into Imam Khomeini International Airport and it went quick and smoothly at customs. However even though the airport is only about 30km from Tehran’s city centre it takes around 1 1/2 to 2 hours to get to the city. The only way to get there quickly is to go between 2-4 am.
Tehran is a huge city of around 8.8 million and around 15 million if you count the entire metropolitan area so you can expect traffic jams all day. Traffic in Tehran is easily the worst i’ve experienced in the world, with Los Angeles coming in a close second.
I had lovely accommodations right in the city centre that were very close to the Metro. The Tehran Metro is the fastest most efficient way to get around the city although its also incredibly packed. 3 million people ride the Metro every day.
You can take the Metro to the National Museum of Iran. The Museum is a great place to start your journey. I love learning as much about the history of a country or region as I can when visiting so this museum is definitely worth checking out.
We went to the part of the museum that covers the history of ancient Iran. Among the many items on display you can see a mummified head of what was called Saltmen. The head was discovered by miners in 1993 but the head, body, and various other artifacts date back to around 247 BC-224 CE from the Parthian era. Also pictured here is an Elamite bull statue dating to around 2000 BC.
Next you can walk over to the Grand Bazaar. I love visiting bazaar’s in the Islamic world. I think it’s often the best way to get a good taste of the local culture and sometimes a good way to see the history of a city as well. This bazaar is massive, it’s connected corridors span a distance of around 10 km. It’s full of everything from shops with food and textiles, to banks, mosques and even guest houses. You can get lost in the corridors of this bazaar for hours.
Next you can take to subway over to the Golestan Complex. This complex is a UNESCO World Heritage site full of gardens, a palace and shops with Iranian hand crafts. Definitely a must see in Tehran!
The Golestan Complex is an excellent way to spend the rest of your day in Tehran. It’s one of the oldest historic monuments in the city. Highlights are the architecture of the palace, the Marble Throne and the Diamond Hall.
End your day with a kebab!
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