Persia Unveiled

Persia Unveiled Itinerary

• Day 1: UK > Tehran

  Fly overnight from the UK to Tehran.

• Day 2: Tehran

  Your journey into wonder begins at Tehran with a three night stay. This evening, meet your Tour Director and fellow travellers for a traditional Iranian welcome dinner.. Dinner Included

• Day 3: Tehran

  Tehran, Iran’s political, cultural and economic heart is the country’s most secular and liberal city. Discover Golestan Palace, a fine example of Persian art, history, and architecture. Explore the modest National Museum of Iran, which is the combination of two museums, the old Archaeological Museum and the modernistic white travertine museum of the Islamic period. Afterward, visit the Carpet Museum of Iran that exhibits a variety of Persian carpets from all over the country, dating back to the 16th century to the present.Optional Caviar Tasting - Choose to indulge the senses with a delicious caviar tasting experience (additional cost, please book prior to tour). Breakfast Included. Lunch Included

• Day 4: Tehran

  Wander the sprawling cultural and historical complex of Sa’dabad Palace, which contains 18 palaces belonging to the royal families of Qajar and Pahlavi. Housed in a beautiful garden, it comprises the extravagant 54-room White Palace dating back to the 1930s and the more classical Green Palace built by Reza Shah, Pahlavi. Later, be dazzled by Iran’s prized crown jewels at the National Jewellery Treasury before your final stop for the day at Reza Abbasi Museum, showcasing Iranian art from ancient times and the Safavid-era paintings of Abbasi. Breakfast Included. Dinner Included

• Day 5: Tehran > Shiraz

  Fly to Shiraz. and drive to the heartland of Ancient Persia and explore Persepolis, one of the most important sites of the Ancient World. Home to the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Kings, witness the remains of the palaces of Darius the Great, Xerxes and Artaxerxes, and its famous bas-reliefs. At Naghsh-e-Rostam explore the Achaemenid fire temple Ka’be-Zardosht and Royal Tombs plus seven magnificent Sassanian rock-reliefs. Return to Shiraz for your three night stay. This evening, venture into the city for a Persian BBQ and live music at Haft Khan, popular with fashionable Shirazis. Breakfast Included. Lunch Included. Dinner Included

• Day 6: Shiraz

  Discover why Shiraz, the city of ‘roses and nightingales’ is considered to be the heartland of Persian culture and sophistication when you explore its famous gardens, tombs and mosques. Wander Eram Garden, graced by avenues of large trees and a grand residence overlooking the fountains and botanic gardens, a 19th-century pavilion, and a rose garden. Visit the tomb of the great 14th-century poet, Hafez whose legacy in modern Iranian literary culture is as significant as Shakespeare in the English-speaking world. Marvel at Nasr el-Molk or the Pink Mosque with its thousands of painted pink tiles on the ceiling, finely carved pillars and exquisite stained glass that turn the inside into a spectacular kaleidoscope of colour that is simply breathtaking.  Breakfast Included. Lunch Included

• Day 7: Shiraz

  Admire the high walls of Arg-e-Karim Khan, the 18th-century citadel with its ornamental brickwork, and spend time interacting with teachers and students at Madrasa Khan, an important theological school. Explore the Vakil Bazaar, the oldest bazaar in Shiraz, complete with beautiful courtyards, caravanserais, bath-houses and old shops that are deemed among the best places in Shiraz to buy all kinds of Persian rugs, spices, copper handicrafts and antiques. Be awed by the Shah-e-Cheragh Mausoleum, an Iranian treasure lined with glittering shards of glass and mirror. Breakfast Included. Lunch Included. Dinner Included

• Day 8: Shiraz > Yazd

  Visit the great Achaemenian capital, Pasargadae. The city of Cyrus the Great; his massive tomb remains intact among its evocative ruins. Stop in Abarkuh, a typical desert town, and have tea under the shade of a 4,000-year old Cypress tree, before continuing on to the living museum of Yazd, one of the oldest cities in Iran and the centre of the Zoroastrian community. Later, check into your charming hotel for two nights. The ochre coloured property is a short drive from the centre of town and retains many original features dating back to the 19th century. Breakfast Included. Lunch Included. Dinner Included

• Day 9: Yazd

  Explore the enchanting mud-brick city of Yazd with its brooding Zoroastrian Towers of Silence, and the narrow winding lanes and opulent merchants’ houses with tall wind-towers. Behold the active Zoroastrian Fire Temple, the fire of which has been burning for 1,500 years.

• Enrich

  Board 4WD vehicles for your adventure into the vast mass of undulating dunes of Iran’s desert. Later, experience the thrills of dune driving and walk to the top of the dunes to see the changing colours of the desert during a golden sunset, a photographers’ delight. As night falls, gather around the campfire and enjoy tea and a delicious Iranian meal. Enjoy a night of cosmic exploration with a private astronomer* who will reveal to you all the wonders of Persian astronomy. There is no better place for stargazing than the cool desert at night. Breakfast Included. Dinner Included

• Day 10: Yazd > Isfahan

  Bid farewell to beautiful Yazd and drive to Isfahan, stopping en route at Na’in, another charming desert town, to visit the 10th-century Friday Mosque, and the 17th- century Pirnia House and Ethnographic Museum. Arrive in Isfahan and check into your Special Stay hotel for the next four nights. Originally used as a pit stop for merchants traveling the ancient Silk Road, the Abbasi Hotel opened in the 1700s, and represents authentic Persian design. Breakfast Included. Lunch Included. Dinner Included

• Day 11: Isfahan

  Isfahan is a city of tree-lined boulevards, Persian gardens, gorgeous bridges and Islamic buildings. The following few days will introduce you to these astonishing sites. Start with a walk along the Zayandeh River to see some of Isfahan’s beautiful bridges. Head to the Armenian Quarter and visit the Vank Armenian Cathedral and Maidan-e-Naghsh-e-Jahan, a stunning square framed by the Masjid-e-Imam (Shah Mosque) on one side, and the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque on the other. The day concludes at one of the best teahouses in Iran, the famous and unique Azadegan Teahouse. Breakfast Included. Dinner Included

• Day 12: Isfahan

  Dating back to 841, the World Heritage-listed Jameh Mosque of Isfahan lies in the historic centre of Isfahan and showcases centuries of Islamic architecture. Get lost in the romance and wonder of the Chehel Sotun Palace, filled with ceramics, miniature paintings, and frescoes and set among a symmetrical garden with lion fountains. Later, head to the Hasht Behesht Palace, an architectural masterpiece, which bears witness to the grandeur of Safavid Persia. Breakfast Included. Lunch Included. Dinner Included

• Day 13: Isfahan

• Freechoice:

  Meander through the historic bazaar and watch artisans at work – a living museum of traditional culture – then enjoy a local Biryani lunch. Alternatively,  visit the Music Museum for a performance of traditional instruments, or learn all the tricks of the Persian kitchen and cook a traditional Isfahan feast in a hands-on cooking class. Breakfast Included. Lunch Included

• Day 14: Isfahan > Tehran

  Travel by road north to Tehran stopping at Abyaneh, one of the oldest and most beautiful villages in Iran. Continue to Kashan and stroll through the early 16th-century garden of Fin and a 19th-century merchant residence known as Taba-Tabai House with its beautiful stucco dome, inlaid mirror work and fine badgirs. Arrive in Tehran and your hotel for the night. This evening, join your Tour Director and fellow travellers for a farewell dinner. Breakfast Included. Lunch Included. Dinner Included

• Day 15: Tehran

  Say farewell to your new friends as you transfer toTehran airport for your flight to the UK taking a lifetime of wonderful memories with you. Breakfast Included