What to See in Iran

last edited Dec 11, 2019

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UNESCO World Heritage Sites

In addition to the country-specific "Persian Garden" and the underground irrigation system of the "Persian Qanat", both listed as UNESCO World Heritage, Iran has 20 sites inscribed on the World Heritage List:

Western Region:

Sheikh Safi al-Din Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble in Ardabil (2010)
Built between the 16th and late 18th centuries in the purest traditional Iranian architectural style, it is a renowned Sufi spiritual retreat.

Behistun Inscriptions (2006)
A monumental inscription (15 x 25 m) depicting the conquests of Darius I carved into a cliff on Mount Behistun. This 5th-century BCE bas-relief is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Monastères arméniens du nord-ouest de l'Iran, Iran

Armenian Monasteries in Northwestern Iran (2008)
These are three stunning Orthodox monasteries or chapels (St. Thaddeus, St. Stepanos, St. Mary of Dzordzor) located near the border with Turkey or Azerbaijan and listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Shushtar (2009)
This ancient fortified city in western Iran is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its traditional canal and irrigation system. Nearby, another UNESCO site features the ancient temple of Tchogha Zanbil.

Soltaniyeh (2005)
Between Tabriz and Tehran, the town founded in the late 13th century is a UNESCO World Heritage site for its dome-mausoleum, which later inspired many other structures.

Susa (2015)
UNESCO-listed archaeological remains of an ancient city built 4,000 years BC.

Tabriz Bazaar (2010)
One of the oldest bazaars in the Middle East and one of the largest covered markets in the world. Its traditional appearance has earned it UNESCO World Heritage status.

Takht-e Suleiman (2003)
This archaeological site is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It consists of the remains of a sacred Zoroastrian temple-sanctuary complex. The Karaftoo Caves are not far away.

Chogha Zanbil (1979)
These are the remains of a massive ziggurat (a Mesopotamian religious structure) that earned the site its UNESCO World Heritage status.

Central Region:

Gonbad-e Qabus (2012)
This town near the Turkmen border is home to a UNESCO-listed funerary tower.

Great Mosque of Isfahan (2012)
Construction began in the 8th century, and its architecture is one of the most accomplished in Islamic art.

Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan (1979)
At 9 hectares, it is one of the largest squares in the world. Located in the heart of the old city, it is surrounded by important historic monuments.

Maymand (2015)
This village in Kerman province is a UNESCO World Heritage site for its troglodytic houses nestled in the heart of a desert landscape.

Pasargadae (2004)
A few dozen kilometres from Persepolis, this ancient site is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site like its neighbour. Pasargadae was once the first capital of the Persian Empire.

Persepolis (1979)
One of the most famous ancient sites in this part of the world. Stunning and unique, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Golestan Palace in Tehran (2013)
In the heart of the historic center, surrounded by gardens, this beautiful palace is one of Tehran's oldest complexes (16th century).

Yazd (2017)
Between Isfahan and Kerman, at the edge of the desert, Yazd is one of the oldest cities in the world. Its historic centre features stunning traditional adobe architecture, perfectly adapted to the harsh desert and mountain climate. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Eastern Region:

Bam and its Cultural Landscape (2010)
Originally one of the most beautiful medieval cities in the region, a UNESCO World Heritage site, much of which was destroyed in the 2003 earthquake. Since then, the entire classified old town has been rebuilt.

Dasht-e Lut (2016)
This is a vast salt desert in Kerman Province, southeastern Iran, designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is one of the hottest and most arid places on Earth.

Shahr-e Sukhteh (2014)
This is a vast Bronze Age archaeological site located on the Afghan border. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Western Region

Ardabil
Close to Azerbaijan and the Caspian Sea, Ardabil is a historic city renowned for its silk and carpets. Among its monuments, the Sheikh Safi Shrine is the most impressive; it is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. There are also several bazaars to explore.

Behistun Inscriptions
A monumental inscription (15 x 25 m) depicting the conquests of Darius I carved into a cliff on Mount Behistun. This 5th-century BCE bas-relief is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Borujerd
This mid-sized city attracts many local tourists for its ancient architecture, bazaar, and mausoleums. There are many (small) ancient ruins in the surrounding area.

Babak Fortress
A few kilometres from Azerbaijan, this ancient citadel perched at 2,700 m offers a stunning panorama after a few hours’ hike to reach it.

Hamadan
This ancient city southwest of Tehran is home to several mausoleums and shrines. The ancient inscriptions of Ganj Nameh can be seen on its outskirts.

Kandovan
A very pretty troglodyte village frequently visited south of Tabriz. The place resembles Cappadocia in Turkey.

Kermanshah
A large, predominantly Kurdish city not far from Iraq. The city and its outskirts are home to several monuments and sites, such as the carved caves of Taq-e Bostan, the rock-cut tombs of Essaqwand, and the "Behistun Inscription" at a UNESCO-listed archaeological site.

Maku
A small town in northern Iran, near the Turkish border. A palace, the remains of a fortress, and especially hiking and climbing opportunities in the surrounding area.

Masouleh
A charming mountain village with no vehicles, where unique architecture connects all the buildings. Hiking is possible in the surrounding area.

Armenian Monasteries in Northwestern Iran
These are three stunning Orthodox monasteries or chapels (St. Thaddeus, St. Stepanos, St. Mary of Dzordzor) located near the border with Turkey or Azerbaijan and listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Urmia
A large city between the Turkish border and the eponymous lake. Plenty of green spaces, religious buildings of all kinds, an old bazaar, and above all, the proximity to the lake and the villages along its shores.

Qazvin
At the foot of the Alborz Mountains, the city boasts diverse architectural landmarks from different periods (gates, mosques, shrines, Russian buildings...).

Sanandaj
The capital of Iranian Kurdistan is, despite the remnants of its fortress, particularly interesting for its surroundings with its mountains, caves, lakes, and opportunities for trekking or even skiing.

Shushtar
This ancient fortified city in western Iran is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its traditional canal and irrigation system. Nearby, another UNESCO site features the ancient temple of Tchogha Zanbil.

Soltaniyeh
Between Tabriz and Tehran, the town founded in the late 13th century is a UNESCO World Heritage site for its dome-mausoleum, which later inspired many other structures.

Susa
UNESCO-listed archaeological remains of an ancient city built 4,000 years BC.

Tabriz
The major city in northwestern Iran is the capital of Iranian Azerbaijan. Although partly destroyed over the centuries, many monuments still stand, along with one of the world’s most beautiful and vast bazaars, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Takht-e Suleiman
This archaeological site is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It consists of the remains of a sacred Zoroastrian temple-sanctuary complex. The Karaftoo Caves are not far away.

Chogha Zanbil
These are the remains of a massive ziggurat (a Mesopotamian religious structure) that earned the site its UNESCO World Heritage status.

Zanjan
It's a fairly large city with a strong artisanal tradition still evident in its bazaars. The UNESCO-listed Mausoleum of Soltaniyeh is located on its outskirts.

Natural Heritage

Ali Sadr Caves
These are the world's largest "flooded" caves. Very touristy, they are explored by pedal boat.

Katale Khor Caves
Beautiful caves about a hundred kilometers south of Zanjan.

Lake Urmia
It is the largest lake in Iran with around a hundred small islands on its surface. It hosts a rich variety of migratory birds. Several small tourist villages surround the lake.

Sahand Mountains
This high mountain range south of Tabriz offers hiking and skiing at the Sahand resort.

Central Region

Abyaneh
A small mountain village dominated by an ancient fortress, located between Isfahan and Kashan. It is quite popular for its beautiful traditional houses and the colorful clothing of its inhabitants.

Bandar Abbas
Iran's major port on the Persian Gulf. Not exactly a tourist hotspot, with just a few markets and bazaars to explore.

Bishapur
One of the many ancient sites in southern Iran, near Shiraz.

Bushehr
It's a port city on the Persian Gulf with a few old districts and the remains of a fortress. But the city is best known for its nuclear power plant...

Dizin
Along with its neighbor Shemshak, these are the two main winter sports resorts in Iran. They are located just outside Tehran in the Alborz mountain range.

Firuzabad
These are the ruins of an ancient city in the Shiraz region, in the locality of the same name.

Alamut Fortress
The ruins of a 9th-century citadel perched in the mountains about a hundred kilometres from Tehran. Around twenty similar fortresses (in the same condition) can be seen in the region, such as Lambsar.

Gonbad-e Qabus
This town near the Turkmen border is home to a UNESCO-listed funerary tower.

Isfahan
In the heart of the country, the former capital of Persia boasts a magnificent historical urban heritage (squares, bazaars, religious buildings, palaces, parks, and gardens), some of which are UNESCO-listed (Naghsh-e Jahan Square, Grand Mosque). It is one of the most visited cities in the country.

Kashan
A large oasis on the route from Qom to Kerman, with many monuments and buildings forming a charming centre.

Kerman
A major city on the Silk Road renowned for its carpet production, featuring a beautiful mosque, caravanserais, and several notable buildings. About fifteen kilometers away, the Shahzadeh Garden is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a "traditional Persian garden.".

Kish
This island just before the Strait of Hormuz has a special status and is entirely geared toward tourism in the style of Dubai, with its tax-free zone, shopping centers, hotels, beaches with water activities (including diving), and its mainstream attractions.

Maymand
This village in Kerman province is a UNESCO World Heritage site for its troglodytic houses nestled in the heart of a desert landscape.

Nain
East of Isfahan, this small town with very ancient origins is home to one of the country’s earliest mosques, traditional houses, the remains of a fortress, and a traditional irrigation system. You can also explore the desert and its dunes, which begin at the town’s edge.

Namakabrood
This is the Caspian Sea locality closest (along with its neighbour Chalus) to Tehran. It is therefore popular with residents of the capital for its nature and forests.

Pasargadae
A few dozen kilometres from Persepolis, this ancient site is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site like its neighbour. Pasargadae was once the first capital of the Persian Empire.

Persepolis
One of the most famous ancient sites in this part of the world. Stunning and unique, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Qeshm
A large and beautiful mountainous island facing the port of Bandar Abbas. It features small villages, stunning landscapes—especially in the "valleys"—some Portuguese ruins, and numerous bird species around the Hara mangrove. Qeshm is also a duty-free zone.

Qom
It is one of the world’s foremost Shiite holy cities, with a distinctive atmosphere, numerous mosques, mausoleums, and beautiful buildings. However, many sites are off-limits to non-Muslims.

Ramsar
On the Caspian Sea, this seaside resort surrounded by mountains is very popular with Iranians.

Shiraz
A major city in the south and the country's cultural capital, known for its gardens and mausoleums in the city center. There are many ancient ruins in the surrounding area, the most famous of which are Persepolis and Pasargadae.

Tehran
Iran’s vast capital is above all a city of museums, with a few fine monuments scattered here and there and a sprawling bazaar.

Yazd
Between Isfahan and Kerman, at the edge of the desert, Yazd is one of the oldest cities in the world. Its historic centre features stunning traditional adobe architecture, perfectly adapted to the harsh desert and mountain climate. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Natural Heritage

Dasht-e Kavir
A vast rocky desert in the heart of the Iranian plateau. It is home to a variety of wildlife (cheetahs, wolves, gazelles...).

Alborz Mountains
This is the mountain range that runs along the Caspian Sea and passes close to Tehran. It is a hiking and skiing area, with Dizin and Shemshak—near the capital—being the main resorts.

Kavir National Park
South of Tehran, a desert steppe region extending from the Dasht-e Kavir and further from the Dasht-e Lut deserts. It is home to unique wildlife (gazelles, birds, leopards...).

Eastern Region

Warning: The entire southeastern part of the country (beyond Bandar Abbas or Kerman toward Pakistan), as well as the Afghan border, is currently strongly advised against for security reasons by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Bam (2010)
Originally one of the most beautiful medieval cities in the region, a UNESCO World Heritage site, much of which was destroyed in the 2003 earthquake. Since then, the entire classified old town has been rebuilt.

Furg Citadel
This is an imposing fortress perched above the town of the same name.

Mashhad
The provincial capital of Khorasan is also a holy city of Shia Islam, attracting millions of pilgrims every year. Several mausoleums and shrines can be seen in the city and its outskirts.

Neishapur
This locality near Mashhad is home to several tombs and shrines.

Shahr-e Sukhteh
This is a vast Bronze Age archaeological site located on the Afghan border. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Zahedan
The capital of Baluchistan is the last Iranian city on the road to Pakistan, with transport options to get there but no possibility of obtaining a visa.

Natural Heritage

Dasht-e Lut
This is a vast salt desert in Kerman Province, southeastern Iran, designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is one of the hottest and most arid places on Earth.

Golestan National Park
This mid-mountain park, near the Caspian Sea and Turkmenistan, is the traditional habitat of many animal species (bears, wolves, birds...).