A journey to Iran was one of the most intense adventures of my life – mainly because of the country’s image in the media and the feeling of the unknown. You can’t simply pull out your credit card here – due to banking sanctions, foreign cards do not work, so you have to prepare in advance. Yet right after arrival you are met with something completely different from fear: extraordinary kindness from people who are eager to show another face of their country.
Qeshm – the island of wonders in the Persian Gulf
Qeshm is a small island with a culture very different from the mainland. Women wear distinctive face masks, and the landscape looks like another planet.
The most beautiful places:
- Valley of Stars,
- Chahkouh Valley.
I stayed in a traditional guesthouse and explored the island by rental car.
Hormuz – the rainbow island of minerals
Hormuz is a true gem of the Persian Gulf – covered in salt crystals and minerals, shimmering in every colour.
- black beaches sparkling like glitter,
- red and turquoise waters,
- red sand used by locals to create symmetrical artworks.
In summer it can exceed 43°C here, and women must be fully covered – long sleeves, trousers and a scarf. There are weeks when life on the island practically stops because of the heat.
I explored the island by tuk-tuk.
The hottest places on Earth
On the mainland lies the Lut Desert (Dasht-e Loot) – one of the hottest places on the planet. Satellites recorded a surface temperature of 70.7°C here.
The city of Bandar-e Mahshahr became famous for a heat record – in July 2015 the perceived temperature reportedly reached 74°C.
I remember walking through the southern cities feeling as if the air burned my lungs with every breath. To this day I don’t know how I survived that fully covered.
Shiraz – roses, poets and mirrored mosques
Shiraz is the city of gardens, poets and saffron ice cream.
Worth seeing:
- Eram Garden,
- the tomb of the poet Hafez.
The most beautiful mosques:
- Nasir al-Mulk – the “Pink Mosque” with stained glass,
- Shah Cheragh,
- Imamzadeh-ye Ali Ebn-e Hamze – the mirrored mosque.
As a woman I had to wear additional coverings – sometimes it looks like a giant sheet – but all you have to do is ask for help; everyone is extremely kind.
Persepolis and Naqsh-e Rostam
From Shiraz it is easy to reach:
- Persepolis – the former capital of the Achaemenid Empire,
- Naqsh-e Rostam – the necropolis of Persian kings carved into a vertical rock face.
You cannot enter the tombs – they are high above the ground with no stairs – but the view is breathtaking.
Varzaneh – desert, flamingos and a night under the stars
Varzaneh is a small town surrounded by desert, a salt lake and dunes. This is where I tried sandboarding for the first time.
Neegar Guesthouse organises trips into the desert, to an old caravanserai and to flamingo-watching spots. In the evening, on the rooftop, I learned about herbs and saffron under a sky full of stars – a night I will never forget.
Isfahan – the symmetry of Persia
Isfahan is one of Iran’s most beautiful cities:
- Naqsh-e Jahan Square,
- Ali Qapu Palace,
- Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque,
- historic bridges, including Khaju Bridge.
Tehran – Persia’s jewellery treasury
In Tehran it’s worth seeing:
- Milad Tower and Azadi Tower,
- the National Jewellery Museum – home to the world’s largest pink diamond, crowns and treasures of the Qajar dynasty.
Facts about Iran
- Persia was one of the greatest empires in the world.
- The original religion is Zoroastrianism.
- Iran is the birthplace of saffron.
- Internet and social media are restricted.
- Women must cover their hair – although many do so only symbolically.
Malvina Dunder 
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