Middle East

Itinerary

• Days 1-2: Tehran (Iran)

  Arrive in Tehran, Iran’s bustling modern capital, where in the past 100 years the population has burgeoned from under 300,000 to over 9 million. On your one full day here, get a window into Persian culture at the National Islamic Museum of Iran and the Museum of Glassware and Ceramics of Iran, and have your first experience of splendid Persian architecture at Golestan Palace.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • The wide-ranging collection of art and sacred relics, including calligraphy, textiles, carvings, and carpets, at the National Islamic Museum of Iran
  • Delicate glass and clay objects dating as far back as the 4th century BC on display at the Museum of Glassware and Ceramics of Iran, located in a grand home that once served as the Egyptian embassy
  • The magnificent buildings and elegant garden of Golestan Palace, the 16th-century fortress of the Safavid Dynasty, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Days 3-5: Shiraz, Persepolis

  An hour-and-a-half flight takes you from Tehran to Shiraz, one of the major cities of the Islamic medieval period and now one of Iran’s most romantic, most hospitable destinations. In the “City of Roses and Nightingales” you’ll explore a gorgeous, light-dappled mosque, people-watch at the shrine of a beloved poet, and shop at the what’s arguably Iran’s finest bazaar. From there, continue your private tour to ancient Persepolis, one of the world’s great archaeological sites.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • The verse-engraved tomb of Iran’s greatest lyric poet, Hafez, a site of pilgrimage and reverence set in a lovely garden
  • The exquisite tilework and stained glass at Nasir-ol-Molk mosque, where sunlight creates bursts of color
  • The jewelry, carpets, and other crafts on offer at thousand-year-old Vakil Bazaar in the heart of historic Shiraz
  • The ornate columns and beautifully rendered bas-reliefs of UNESCO-listed Persepolis, a remarkable archaeological site that served as the ceremonial capital of the ancient Achaemenid Empire
• Days 6-10: Isfahan, Tehran

  Past and present majestically intertwine in the city of Isfahan, where beautiful, historic public spaces buzz with activity. Stroll through the centerpiece, UNESCO-listed Imam Square, and explore the spectacular buildings that surround it—the Imam Mosque, the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, and the Ali-Qapu Palace. Other Isfahan attractions include the Royal Qeisarieh Bazaar, the Friday Mosque, the Chehel Sotun Palace, the elegant bridges over Zayandeh River, and the Armenian and Jewish quarters. En route to Tehran for departure, discover another UNESCO-listed site: Bagh-e Fin, a classic Persian garden.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • Taking in the scene at 22-acre Imam Square, one of the largest city squares in the world
  • The turquoise minarets and intricate tilework of the magnificent Imam Mosque
  • Shopping for classic Persian arts and crafts at the immense Royal Qeisarieh Bazaar
  • Eight hundred years of Persian architecture on display at UNESCO-listed Friday Mosque, the largest and most eclectic mosque in all of Iran
  • Discovering the legacies of minority cultures in Isfahan’s Armenian and Jewish quarters
  • The beautiful, brilliantly engineered waterworks of Bagh-e Fin