Contents

13
On The Road 4
Iran Highlights 5
Getting Started 15
Itineraries 20
Snapshot 25
History 27
The Culture 45
Arts 61
Food & Drink 78
Environment 86
Tehran 92
History 93
Orientation 93
Information 95
Dangers &
Annoyances 98
Sights 100
Sleeping 114
Eating 117
Entertainment 121
Shopping 122
Getting There & Away 123
Getting Around 126
AROUND TEHRAN 129
Holy Shrine of
Imam Khomeini 130
Behesht-e Zahra 131
Rey 131
Mt Damavand 131
Alborz Ski Resorts 132
Western Iran 134
Bazargan 136
Maku 136
Around Maku 137
Khoy 138
Salmas 139
Sero 139
Orumiyeh 140
Around Orumiyeh 144
Lake Orumiyeh 144
Maraqeh 145
Around Maraqeh 145
Tabriz 146
Around Tabriz 155
Payam 156
Marand 156
Jolfa 156
Around Jolfa 157
Ahar 158
Kaleybar & Babak Castle 159
Around Kaleybar 159
Meshgin Shahr 160
Ardabil 160
Around Ardabil 163
Astara 165
Astara to Rasht 165
Rasht 165
Around Rasht 170
Ramsar 173
Chalus & Noshahr 173
Around Chalus 175
Karaj 176
Qazvin 176
Alamut Valley 180
Soltaniyeh 184
Around Soltaniyeh 184
Zanjan 184
Zanjan to Takab & Bijar 187
Bijar 189
Sanandaj 189
Around Sanandaj 193
Howraman 194
Paveh 194
Kermanshah 195
Around Kermanshah 199
Hamadan 200
Around Hamadan 205
Khorramabad 208
Around Khorramabad 212
Andimeshk 213
Shush 214
Lonely Planet Publications
14 C O N T E N T S
Choqa Zanbil &
Haft Tappeh 215
Shushtar 217
Around Shushtar 218
Dezful 219
Ahvaz 219
Around Ahvaz 220
Central Iran 221
Qom 222
Kashan 224
Around Kashan 231
Esfahan 232
Esfahan to Shiraz via
the Zagros Mountains 252
Into the Desert 253
Yazd 255
Around Yazd 266
Abarqu 267
Shiraz 267
Persepolis 279
Naqsh-e Rostam &
Naqsh-e Rajab 283
Pasargadae 284
Bavanat 285
Firuz Abad 285
Kazerun & Bishapur 286
Persian Gulf 287
Bushehr 288
From Bushehr to
Bandar-e Lengeh 292
Kish Island 292
Bandar-e Lengeh 296
Bandar Abbas 298
Qeshm Island 303
Hormoz Island 306
Minab 308
Southeastern Iran 310
Meymand 311
Sirjan 312
Kerman 312
Around Kerman 319
Rayen 321
Bam 322
Bam to Minab 324
Zahedan 326
Zabol 329
Kuh-e Khajeh 331
Mirjaveh 331
Northeastern Iran 332
Western Mazandaran 334
Sari 335
Around Sari 337
Gorgan 338
Around Gorgan 341
Gonbad-e Kavus 342
Around Gonbad-e
Kavus 343
Bojnurd 345
Quchan 345
Around Quchan 345
Semnan 346
Around Semnan 348
Damghan 348
Around Damghan 349
Shahrud 350
Around Shahrud 351
Mashhad 351
Around Mashhad 363
Mashhad to Sarakhs 365
Kalat (Kalat Naderi) 366
Dargaz 367
The Road to
Afghanistan 367
Directory 369
Transport 400
Health 417
Language 423
Glossary 429
The Authors 431
Behind the Scenes 432
Index 439
World Time Zones 450
Map Legend 452
p288
PERSIAN GULF
p311
SOUTHEASTERN IRAN
p333
NORTHEASTERN IRAN
p222
CENTRAL IRAN
p135
WESTERN IRAN
p94
TEHRAN
Regional Map Contents
Lonely Planet Publications