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13 days/10 nights in 5-star hotels. Boasting three millennia of recorded history, Iran is the cradle of a great culture and civilization. The Iranian style of architecture is distinctive and creative. Persepolis, Isfahan, Shiraz, Tehran and more. A top travel destination.
Depart the USA. Turkish Airways (StarAlliance) is best airline of choice for this tour. Some flights arrive in the early morning hours. Some arrive in the late afternoon. Depending on your arrival time, you may need an additional hotel night in Tehran and a private transfer (both at additional cost). At the time of publishing, the preferred Turkish Airways flight from New York is TK 12 departing JFK at 1155pm, arriving Istanbul at 445am. Departing Istanbul on TK 884 at 910pm, arriving Shiraz, Iran at 230am. This is subject to change. Any flight can be taken from the USA to Istanbul, but we do want everyone to arrive on the same Turkish Air flight 884. Coda Tours can assist with overnight stays in Istanbul if required.
Arrive Istanbul and connect with your flight to Shiraz, Iran.
Arrive Shiraz (2:30am). Upon arrival, we will clear customs and immigrations and meet our guide who will transfer us to our hotel. We will sleep until late morning and begin our program around lunch time.
After breakfast, depart for a one hour drive to Persepolis, once the center of the Persian Empire and one of the most important sites in the ancient world. Explore the remains of the ceremonial palaces of Darius the Great, Xerxes and Artaxerxes. From Persepolis, continue to nearby Naqshi-i-Rustam, where we see the Royal Tombs carved into the rock walls. Enjoy lunch in a nearby garden restaurant before returning to Shiraz.
From Persepolis, we will spend the day driving to Yadz with a stop in Pasargadae, the tomb of Cyrus the Great. Arrive early late afternoon. Dinner and overnight in Yazd.
Yazd is a city of about a half million people in the middle of the desert. The architecture is distinctive, different from what we have seen so far in Iran. Much of Yazd’s historical importance is due to it being the home to what remains of Iran’s largest Zoroastrian community. Zoroastrianism was the primary religion of the region prior to the Arab conquests in the 7th century. The Arab conquest, within two centuries, resulted in a considerable decline of Zoroastrianism. Visits in Yazd will include the Zoroastrian Fire Temple, as well as the Towers of Silence, located on the outskirts of town. Within Yazd, you will visit the Jameh Mosque and the Amir Chakhmaq mosque, both of which are impressive in their architecture, as well as Alexander’s prison and the 11th-century Tomb of the 12 Imams. Dinner and overnight in Yazd.
This morning we depart Yazd and drive spend the day driving across the desert to Isfahan. En route, we will stop in Nain for lunch and a visit to the city’s 10th century mosque, which still has areas where the stucco relief is in its original state. Continue on to Isfahan with evening arrival. Check in to the legendary Abassi Hotel, our home for 3 nights. A former caravanserai, the Abassi Hotel was renovated and opened as a hotel in the mid-20th century. The courtyard is alive with activity in the evening, frequented as much by locals as tourists. Dinner and overnight in Isfahan.
By nearly unanimous opinion, Isfahan is the city that visitors and Iranians alike consider Iran’s most beautiful city. It is filled with tree-lined streets and beautiful architecture. One does not get the sense of a city with nearly 2 million inhabitants. With the Zayandeh River flowing through Isfahan, crossed by a series of 11 impressive bridges, Isfahan is a visual delight. There will be plenty of time devoted to visiting this area, including the Bazar-e Bozorg, Isfahan’s main bazaar, as well as other buildings surrounding the beautifully designed Naghch-E-Jahan square, including the Jameh Mosque, Imam Mosque, Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque and the Ali Ghapu Palace. In addition, our touring will include a visit to the Tchehel Sotoun Palace built as a pleasure pavilion and reception hall in the 17th century. Dinner and overnight Isfahan.
Today’s touring of Isfahan continues, visiting 3 of the famous bridges: Khadju, Siose and Chahrestan. Following lunch, we will visit the Armenian quarter and see the Armenian Church and the community’s museum. Dinner and overnight in Isfahan.
This morning depart Isfahan and drive to Tehran, with stops en route. Kashan rose to prominence during the Seljuk period from the 11th to 13th centuries, when it became legendary for rugs, ceramics and tile-work. These crafts were elevated to an even higher art under Shah Abbas I, in the 16th & 17th centuries.
Tehran is not where one finds the roots of Persian history. However, in the Iran of the 20th century, as the world has come to know Iran, it is the heart and soul of the image Iran projects to the world. It was not until the end of the 18th century and early 19th century, under the Qajar Dynasty, that Tehran began an ascent which ultimately has led to it being Iran’s capital. In 1900, the city had some quarter-of-a-million inhabitants. Today, estimates are that Tehran has some 15 million people, spreading the city to much more expansive geographic boundaries, with tightly crowded residential areas and infamous traffic jams in its streets designed for less than half of its population. No one will visit Tehran and call it a beautiful city, but visiting Iran and not visiting Tehran would be overlooking the modern heartbeat of this country. Despite the revolution in 1979 and the political isolation and radical image that Iran projects to the West, when the political leadership is stripped away, daily life in Tehran seems as normal and friendly as any large city around the world.
Today our touring of Tehran continues with a visit to the National Jewels Museum, where the highlight of many highlights is the Peacock Throne. Many jewels of Iran’s rulers date back to the 18th century and are part of an extensive collection amassed under the late Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and his wife, Queen Farah. Continue with the Niyavaran Palace Museum, a complex set amidst beautiful landscaped grounds where the late Shah and his family spent much of their last decade in Iran. A visit will also be made to the Tehran Bazaar, a maze of alleyways that serves not only as the economic heart of the city, but with this economic importance, the merchants of the bazaar have become a major political force in modern Iran, so much so that the bazaar is an important constituency for anyone who intends to govern Iran. Enjoy a special Farewell Dinner tonight for those not continuing to Tabriz.
Morning transfer to the airport for the departure flight. As of publishing the recommended flight to New York is TK 879 departing Tehran at 820am, arriving Istanbul at 1015am. Departing Istanbul at 115pm, arriving New York at 450pm. This is subject to change.
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