Iran
Persepolis' ruins hint at the scale of an empire that once stretched from Egypt to the Indus, and Isfahan's Naqsh-e Jahan Square ranks among the most beautiful public spaces anywhere. Between them lie Yazd's windcatchers, Shiraz's gardens and poets' tombs, and a tradition of hospitality that disarms visitors. Check the FCDO travel advice closely before planning anything.
Overview
Iran's great sights line up across the central plateau, so most first trips follow the same two-week spine: Tehran, then Kashan's merchant houses and Persian garden, Isfahan's Safavid squares and bridges, desert Yazd, and Shiraz, with Persepolis nearby. Longer trips add Tabriz's vast covered bazaar in the north-west, the green Caspian provinces, the shrine city of Mashhad, the wind-carved kaluts of the Lut Desert, or the Persian Gulf islands of Qeshm and Hormuz. Distances are big, but domestic flights, comfortable coaches and night trains link everything.
Check the FCDO travel advice before considering a trip: it has long flagged particular risks for British nationals, and most travel insurance will not cover trips made against its advice. For those who go, Iran is hospitable to the point of embarrassment: strangers invite you home, and taarof, the ritual politeness of refusing payment, can turn paying into a negotiation. Sanctions mean foreign cards do not work, so everything runs on cash. Alcohol is banned, dress is conservative and summer heat is fierce, while Nowruz in late March fills every hotel. It suits history and architecture lovers prepared for some red tape.
Map of Iran
Top 5 highlights
- 1Architecture
Naqsh-e Jahan Square, Isfahan
Laid out for Shah Abbas I around 1600, this vast UNESCO-listed square frames the blue-tiled Shah (Imam) Mosque, the exquisite Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, Ali Qapu Palace and the bazaar gate. Come at dusk, when families picnic on the lawns.
- 2History
Persepolis
Ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid kings, begun by Darius I around 518 BC and burned by Alexander in 330 BC. Its stairways carved with tribute bearers from across the empire are astonishingly crisp, and nearby Naqsh-e Rostam holds four royal tombs.
- 3Architecture
Yazd old city
A UNESCO-listed maze of mud-brick lanes and badgir windcatchers on the edge of the desert, with a soaring-portalled Friday mosque, a Zoroastrian fire temple whose flame is said to have burned for 1,500 years, and Towers of Silence outside town.
- 4Sacred site
Nasir al-Mulk Mosque, Shiraz
Shiraz's 'Pink Mosque' is famous for early-morning light pouring through its stained-glass windows onto Persian carpets. Combine it with the poet Hafez's tomb, the Eram Garden and the Vakil Bazaar in a city of gardens, poetry and orange blossom.
- 5Architecture
Kashan's historic houses
Nineteenth-century merchants built Kashan's courtyard mansions, such as the Tabatabaei and Borujerdi houses, with mirrorwork, stucco and windcatchers. Nearby Fin Garden is a UNESCO-listed Persian garden, and in May the Qamsar rose harvest scents the hills.
Biggest cities
Tehran
Sprawling and traffic-choked beneath the Alborz mountains, but worth two days for the Golestan Palace, the National Museum, the crown jewels and the Grand Bazaar, plus a cable-car ride up Tochal.
Mashhad
Iran's holiest city surrounds the vast Imam Reza shrine, which draws more than 20 million pilgrims a year; non-Muslims can see parts of the complex accompanied by a shrine guide.
Isfahan
Perhaps Iran's most beautiful city: Safavid mosques and palaces around Naqsh-e Jahan Square, the Armenian cathedral in New Julfa, and arched bridges across the Zayandeh River, which is often dry.
Figures are approximate city and urban-area estimates; counting satellite cities such as Karaj, Greater Tehran is considerably larger.
When to go to Iran
Best time: Mar–May, Sep–Nov.
Average climate in Tehran
Festivals & events
- Mar–AprNowruz
Persian New Year falls at the spring equinox, around 21 March, with haft-sin tables, family visits and two weeks of holidays; transport and hotels are packed and many businesses close.
- MayGolabgiri rose harvest
In May the villages around Kashan, especially Qamsar, pick Damask roses at dawn and distil rosewater in copper stills; visitors can watch the process and buy fresh golab.
- DecYalda Night
On the winter solstice, around 21 December, families stay up through the longest night of the year eating pomegranates and watermelon and reading Hafez's poetry.
How much does Iran cost?
Estimates per person per day, excluding flights. Prices vary by season and city.
Food to try
Fesenjan
Chicken or duck simmered in a dark, sweet-sour sauce of ground walnuts and pomegranate molasses, served with saffron-tinted rice; a dish for celebrations and winter evenings.
Chelow kabab
Often called the national dish: skewers of minced-lamb kabab koobideh with buttery saffron rice, grilled tomatoes, raw onion and a sprinkle of sumac.
Ghormeh sabzi
A slow-cooked stew of fried herbs, kidney beans, lamb and dried limes with a sour, deeply savoury flavour; served at home and in every traditional restaurant.
Getting around
Iran Air, Mahan Air and smaller carriers fly cheaply between major cities, and VIP coaches with wide reclining seats link almost every town for a few pounds. RAI trains, including overnight sleepers on long routes such as Tehran to Mashhad, are comfortable but slower. Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz and Mashhad have metros, and the local ride-hailing apps Snapp and Tapsi work well but need an Iranian SIM card.
Practical information
- Plugs & voltage
- CF220V — bring a UK-to-C/F adapter
- Emergency numbers
Source: FCDO “Getting help”
- Dialling code
- +98
- Time zone
- UTC+3:30 (standard time)
- Tap water
- Varies — bottled or filtered is safer
- Driving
- On the right
- Tipping
- Not traditionally expected, but tip guides and drivers, round up taxi fares, and leave about 10% in smarter restaurants if service is not already included.
- Etiquette
- Women should cover their hair in public and everyone should keep legs and upper arms covered. Expect taarof: if a shopkeeper or driver refuses payment, insist politely two or three times.
- Main airports
- Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKA), Tehran; Shiraz International Airport (SYZ), Shiraz; Isfahan International Airport (IFN), Isfahan
Visas & entry for Iran
Shown for a British passport.
Visa required — apply before you go
You must have a visa to visit Iran unless you hold an Iranian passport.
Check the expiry date of your visa before travelling. If you overstay your visa, you may have to stay in Iran until this is resolved and you may be detained.
From the UK government's FCDO entry requirements for British passport holders — read the full page for passport validity, permits and exceptions.
Health & vaccinations
- Recommended for most travellers
- Hepatitis ATetanus
- Sometimes advised — depends on your trip, activities and health
- CholeraDengueHepatitis BRabiesTyphoid
- Yellow fever certificate
- A yellow fever certificate is only required if you arrive from (or transit through) a country with yellow fever risk — not if you fly direct from the UK.
- Malaria
- Low risk of malaria
- There is a low risk of malaria from March to November in the rural south eastern provinces of Iran and in the north, along the Azerbaijan border in Ardabil and near the Turkmenistan border in North Khorasan: awareness of risk and bite avoidance recommended.
Source: TravelHealthPro (National Travel Health Network and Centre), checked 21 October 2026. This is a summary, not medical advice.
Public holidays in Iran
The next 12 months. Banks, offices and some sights may close, and transport and hotels get busy around these dates.
| Fri 13 Nov 2026 | Martyrdom of Fatima |
| Wed 23 Dec 2026 | Birthday of Imam Ali |
| Wed 6 Jan 2027 | Isra' and Mi'raj (date may shift) |
| Sun 24 Jan 2027 | Birthday of Mahdi (date may shift) |
| Thu 11 Feb 2027 | Islamic Revolution Day |
| Mon 1 Mar 2027 | Martyrdom of Imam Ali (date may shift) |
| Wed 10 Mar 2027 | Eid al-Fitr (date may shift) |
| Thu 11 Mar 2027 | Eid al-Fitr Holiday (date may shift) |
| Sat 20 Mar 2027 | Iranian Oil Industry Nationalization Day |
| Sun 21 Mar 2027 | Nowruz |
| Mon 22 Mar 2027 | Nowruz Holiday |
| Tue 23 Mar 2027 | Nowruz Holiday |
| Wed 24 Mar 2027 | Nowruz Holiday |
| Thu 1 Apr 2027 | Islamic Republic Day |
| Fri 2 Apr 2027 | Nature's Day |
| Sat 3 Apr 2027 | Martyrdom of Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (date may shift) |
| Mon 17 May 2027 | Eid al-Adha (date may shift) |
| Tue 25 May 2027 | Eid al-Ghadir (date may shift) |
| Fri 4 Jun 2027 | Death of Imam Khomeini |
| Sat 5 Jun 2027 | 15 Khordad Uprising |
| Tue 15 Jun 2027 | Tasua (date may shift) |
| Wed 16 Jun 2027 | Ashura (date may shift) |
| Sun 25 Jul 2027 | Arbaeen (date may shift) |
| Mon 2 Aug 2027 | Death of Prophet Muhammad and Martyrdom of Hasan ibn Ali (date may shift) |
| Tue 3 Aug 2027 | Martyrdom of Ali al-Rida (date may shift) |
| Wed 11 Aug 2027 | Martyrdom of Hasan al-Askari (date may shift) |
| Fri 20 Aug 2027 | Birthday of Muhammad and Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (date may shift) |
National holidays only. Dates based on lunar calendars can move by a day or two depending on official announcements.
Useful phrases in Persian
| English | Persian | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | سلام | sah-LAHM |
| Thank you | ممنون | mam-NOON |
| Please | لطفاً | LOT-fan |
| Excuse me | ببخشید | beh-bakh-SHEED |
| How much is this? | این چنده؟ | een CHAN-deh |
Know before you go
- Foreign bank cards do not work in Iran because of sanctions, so bring all the money you will need in cash, ideally euros or US dollars in clean, recent notes.
- Prices are usually quoted in toman (10 rials) rather than the rials printed on banknotes, sometimes with the last three zeros dropped; confirm the unit before you pay.
- Check the FCDO travel advice and entry requirements well ahead: rules for British passport holders differ from those for most other Europeans, and most insurers will not cover travel against FCDO advice.
Iran travel FAQs
When is the best time to visit Iran?
The best time to visit Iran is generally Mar–May, Sep–Nov. Peak months are April, May and October. Average highs in Tehran range from 8°C to 37°C across the year.
How much does a trip to Iran cost per day?
Roughly £30 a day on a tight budget, £70 mid-range and £150+ for comfortable travel, per person including accommodation, food and local transport. Flights are extra.
What currency is used in Iran?
Iranian rial (IRR).
What plug type does Iran use?
Type C and F sockets at 220V. UK visitors need a travel adapter — UK Type G plugs will not fit.
Which side of the road do they drive on in Iran?
Traffic drives on the right in Iran, unlike the UK.
Is tap water safe to drink in Iran?
Varies — bottled or filtered is safer.
Do I need a visa for Iran?
For British passport holders, the FCDO says: You must have a visa to visit Iran unless you hold an Iranian passport. Entry rules change, so check the official FCDO entry requirements for Iran before you travel: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/iran/entry-requirements
What vaccinations do I need for Iran?
TravelHealthPro recommends Hepatitis A and Tetanus for most travellers, with Cholera, Dengue, Hepatitis B, Rabies and Typhoid sometimes advised depending on your trip. Make sure routine UK vaccinations are up to date and see a travel health professional 6–8 weeks before you go.
