Iran🇮🇷 | best landmarksExplore the 12 Best landmarks in Iran

How many landmarks to aim for: For a typical backpacker, 8 to 12 landmarks across a 10 to 14 day trip is the right number. Beyond that, ticket fatigue sets in: mosques, palaces and gardens start blurring, and the afternoon closures make rushing pointless. Plan one major site in the morning, one smaller in the late afternoon, and leave room for a bazaar or a teahouse. Fewer, longer visits beat a checklist.Which kinds to prioritize: If you are drawn to architecture and color, spend your time on the big mosque and palace complexes of the plateau cities. If you care about history and scale, put ancient ruins first and pay for a guide there, because the stones without context are just stones. If you are on a tight budget or traveling slowly, favor living sites: bazaars, old neighborhoods, teahouses … read more 👉

How many landmarks to aim for: For a typical backpacker, 8 to 12 landmarks across a 10 to 14 day trip is the right number. Beyond that, ticket fatigue sets in: mosques, palaces and gardens start blurring, and the afternoon closures make rushing pointless. Plan one major site in the morning, one smaller in the late afternoon, and leave room for a bazaar or a teahouse. Fewer, longer visits beat a checklist.Which kinds to prioritize: If you are drawn to architecture and color, spend your time on the big mosque and palace complexes of the plateau cities. If you care about history and scale, put ancient ruins first and pay for a guide there, because the stones without context are just stones. If you are on a tight budget or traveling slowly, favor living sites: bazaars, old neighborhoods, teahouses and caravanserais, which are free or very cheap and show the country in use. Skip small regional museums unless a topic interests you. They rarely justify the ticket.What it costs: Plan US$25 to 45 a day for a mid-range backpacker: hostel or simple guesthouse US$10 to 25, meals US$5 to 10, buses and shared taxis US$3 to 12 per leg. Entry tickets for foreigners usually run US$4 to 15, and the biggest complexes can cost more. A multi-site day in Isfahan or Shiraz can easily add US$20 to 30 in tickets alone. A local guide at major ruins costs roughly US$20 to 50 for a half day, split between travelers if possible. Taxis between sites should be negotiated or booked through an app, and a ride within a city typically costs US$1 to 4.Costs and delays that catch people out: International cards do not work in Iran, so bring enough cash in US dollars or euros for the whole trip, in clean, undamaged notes. Exchange rates differ sharply between the official rate and the open market, and accepting a bad rate at a hotel or airport can cost you 20 percent or more. Dollar prices on tickets are often set to the market rate, so confirm the rial amount before paying. Many sites close around midday or on a weekly day, and arriving at 1 pm to a locked door wastes a taxi fare and half a day. Check hours the evening before and go early. Never pay a guide in advance, and settle the price and duration before starting.Safety and cultural considerations: Iran is generally safe for travelers on the main circuit, and petty theft is low. Rules, however, are strict. Women must cover their hair and wear loose clothing that covers arms and legs at all times in public. Men should avoid shorts. Religious sites require modest dress, and some bar non-Muslims from the inner shrine. Photography is banned at military, government and some infrastructure sites, and drones are a bad idea anywhere. Politics and photographs of police are best left alone. Check your government’s travel advice before you go and carry travel insurance that explicitly covers Iran, since many standard policies exclude it. Avoid the border regions with Afghanistan and Pakistan unless you have solid local advice.