Tehran.-

Welcome to Iran! Transfer to the hotel. In the afternoon (variable schedule based on arrival flights), we will begin the visit to TEHRAN, the capital of the country, a modern city with almost ten million inhabitants. We enter the Tajrish Bazar, a small and active bazaar full of activity and life. Inside we visit the Imamzadeh Saleh Sanctuary, one of the most popular Shiite shrines in Iran, magnificent blue architecture, dedicated to a descendant of the prophet. Tehran is on the slope of the Alborz Mountain range, some peaks exceed 5000 meters, and at its foot - on the edge of Tehran - is DARBAND VILLAGE, with its mountain atmosphere, its waterfalls, its green paths, its numerous Tea houses and its restaurants. Dinner included.

Tehran.-

We include a visit (with guide and tickets included) to the great metropolis. We begin by going to the 437 meters high MILAD TOWER, its views are impressive (if it´s a foggy day with low visibility, instead of the Milad Tower we will go to the Azadi Tower). We visit the National Museum, the largest historical and archaeological museum in the country, where we can learn more about this land, the cradle of civilizations. Afterwards, we visit the Golestan Palace, declared a world heritage site by UNESCO, a site of palaces and gardens which construction began in the 16th century. Lunch included.

14.00 hrs.- In the afternoon, we will visit the National Jewelry Museum, property of the central bank, an amazing collection of precious stones and metals, highlighting the “peacock throne” and the “earth globe”. Free time; we will drop you off in the Grand Bazaar area, with its many covered streets, alleys and hundreds of shops.


Note: Sometimes the jewelry museum is not open, in that case, we would visit the carpet museum that shows Persian carpets, some from the 16th century.

Tehran - Qazvin - Rasth.-

Total Distance: 324 km
Landscapes: We cross the mountain range, wet, green and full of forests that leads us to the Caspian Sea.

08.00 hs.- Tehran- departure. We set off for the west of Iran on a magnificent highway.
10.15 a.m. - Qazvin, arrival in what is considered the capital of Iranian calligraphy. We are in one of the oldest cities in Iran known as "Little Isfahan" because of the similar Safavid constructions of both cities. During our visit, we will explore the Atiq Mosque, one of the oldest mosques in Iran, the Aminiha House, a luxurious 19th century dwelling, the Chehel Sotoun Palace (where the calligraphy museum is located), with its beautiful gardens, the monumental Ali Qapu Gate, the Mausoleum of Hamdollah Mostofi, a 14th-century geographer and historian, and the magnificently restored ancient caravanserai. Lunch included.

16.00 hrs- Qazvín, departure. We continue our route, crossing the mountain range that separates the interior of Iran from the Caspian Sea. Mountains, forests and green landscapes
18.45 hrs- Rasht, arrival in the largest city of the Caspian region in Iran. Before going to the hotel, we´ll have time for a stroll through its traditional bazaar and Mohtasham Garden, the city´s park. Accommodation.

Rasht - Bandar Anzali - Glass Bridge - Sar-Eyn

Total Distance: 314 km
Landscapes: Caspian region of beautiful green landscapes.

08.30 hrs- We leave Rasht and continue our journey in the Caspian region.
09.30 hrs- Bandar Anzali. We are on the Caspian Sea, in fact, an inland lake, in a port city 24 meters below sea level. We´ll visit the Russian bazaar and include a boat trip on the Anzali Lagoon, inhabited by numerous birds.

11.30 hrs- Bandar Anzali- Departure. We will cross again the mountain range with its beautiful green landscapes and large forests, so different from other regions of Iran. Lunch included.
16.00 hrs- Glass Bridge of Hir. Stop at this 208 m long and 100 m high curved glass bridge, very popular with Iranian tourists. Do you dare to go on it? We will enjoy the beautiful landscapes of this place.

17.30 hrs- Suspension bridge, departure.
18.30 hrs- Sar-Eyn, a spa town full of life and inland tourism. Free time to go for a walk, go shopping or dine in a good restaurant. Do you dare to swim in one of the pools? Hot springs?

Sar-Eyn - Ardabil - Tabriz

Total Distance: 250 km.

08.30 hrs- Sar-Eyn- after breakfast, we approach the border of Azerbaijan.
09.15 hrs- Ardabil. Stop in this Iranian city of Azeri culture very close to the border with Azerbaijan where we will visit the Mausoleum of Sheikh Safi al-Din, a historical complex that houses the tomb of the religious leader and Sufi poet, Sheikh Safi al-Din. This mausoleum is an important pilgrimage site and an impressive example of Islamic architecture, a World Heritage Site. We will also visit the Museum of Anthropology, with its traditional bath. Later, we will have free time to wander around its beautiful covered bazaar and the city center. Lunch included.

14.30 hrs- Ardabil, departure, we continue our journey.
18.30 hrs- Tabriz, arrival in the most important city of eastern Iran, capital of the region of East Azerbaijan, located in a fertile valley. Given its location, Tabriz has historically been an important crossroads of cultures and has been inhabited by people from all over the Middle East (Armenians, Azerbaijanis, Georgians, Kurds, Persians, Turks, Arabs, etc.). Today, its population is mostly Azeri-speaking. In the evening, we will walk through El-Goli Park, a pleasant park with a large lagoon in the center surrounded by small restaurants. Dinner included.

Tabriz.-

08.30 hrs- We visit TABRIZ, a city with just over one and a half million inhabitants. We will visit the blue mosque, built in the 15th century but badly damaged in an earthquake; we will visit the Azerbaijan museum where we will learn about its collections from different periods. We will also pass in front of the mausoleum of the poets, where we learn about the rich cultural heritage in poetry that Iran and Arg-e-Alishah have - remains of the great fortress and walls that the city had.

At the end of the morning we will leave the city, a little less than an hour away KANDOVAN, a very picturesque mountain town, for more than 800 years its inhabitants have resided in troglodyte homes, it reminds us of the Cappadocia region in Turkey. Lunch included.

In the afternoon we return to TABRIZ, you will have plenty of free time to visit the BAZAAR, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the largest covered bazaar in the world, important for centuries because it is located on the Silk Road (cited by Marco Polo and Ibn Batuta), the carpet area stands out.

Tabriz-Tehran.-

Today we include a flight to TEHRAN; Schedules are subject to frequent modifications and both the time of your transfer and your flight will be informed at the time of the booking (at the time of preparation of this itinerary, the flight is scheduled to depart at noon). Arrival at Tehran airport.