Why Visit Shiraz During your Tour to Iran

For all those who have a penchant for historical places and inquisitiveness for architectural wonders, Shiraz is the right destination. Capital of Fars province, it is known for its rich Persian culture and historic monuments that are marvels of their time.

There are nearly 200 sites of great importance belonging to the antiquity in and around the city. Ruins of Persepolis (spread across 125,000 square meters, on the slopes of Mount Rahmat) are one of the hot tourist spots. A glimpse of this 2500-years-old palace complex is surely going to leave you spell- bound. An erstwhile capital of Iran, Shiraz is also known as the land of poets. It is the birthplace of literary giants who have left indelible piece of poetry works for the generations to enjoy and appreciate. Hafiz and Saadi are the poets who have enriched the world literary works, through their outstanding couplets and ghazals.

Enriched with various beautiful sites and architectural attractions like tombs, mosques, palaces, gardens, lakes etc, Shiraz has been thronged by tourists from across the world. Some of the greatest tourist attractions of the place are :

Palace of Ardeshir in Firooz Abad

It's a magnificent monument composed of numerous roofed platforms, rooms and halls. When you visit Shiraz, it's worth taking a short trip to Firooz Abad to explore the site and learn about the earliest examples of dome building in Iran.

Tombs of Hafiz and Saadi

Set in a beautiful garden, these are the mausoleums of great Persian poets namely, Hafiz and Saadi. Their poetic verses are beautifully inscribed on the marble tombstones, inside the pavilion. As you visit Shiraz monuments and gardens, it will be a captivating experience to stroll around in these gardens and have a chat with local people.

Qoran Gate

It is a historic gate in Shiraz that was built during the reign of Buwayhids. It has a small chamber on the top where hand-written Qurans were kept by the then sultans. People traveling underneath the gate were believed to receive blessings from the holy book and made safe returns from their journeys.

Afif Abad Garden

Also known as Golshan garden, it is one of the oldest museum complexes. It consists of a royal mansion, historical weapon museum and a Persian garden that is open to the public. There's a nice tea house with beautiful tea house paintings on its walls. When you visit Shiraz, allocate some time in the morning or afternoon to enjoy this garden.

Delgosha Garden

A delight for the tourists, this dates back to pre-Islamic period. Located near Saadi tomb, the garden is a major attraction of Shiraz. With some replanning, it's been somewhat converted to a park with benches and water brooks where people can enjoy the old charm with new landscaping.

Garden Paradise

Though Shiraz has many beautiful gardens, the Bagh-e-Eram is a must-visit. It is a large garden with a magnificent mansion in it. The mosaic paintings unleash interesting facts about the former rulers of Iran.

Apart from the above mentioned destinations, there are various other remarkable sites that one should visit like Khajoo-e-Kermani Tomb, Pars museum, Maharloo Lake, Vakil Mosque, Vakil Bazaar, etc.

Shopping Bazaar

For all the shopping freaks, Shiraz offers a market place where you can shop all through your stay and still long for some more. Visit Shiraz Bazaar called Vakil Bazaar that is a huge old market place offering an enticing and wide array of items that is surely breathtaking. The market offers stunning textiles suitable for nomads among others, beautiful antiques and handicrafts, and authentic spices. And if you get tired while shopping, you can just relax and unwind yourself in "Saraye Mooshir", which is a courtyard with a pool located in the bazaar.

Food Outlets

The land is also a perfect haven for the foodies. There are several restaurants, cafes and food gardens where you can simply satiate your taste buds with local specialties. Wide variety of delectable items is offered by these outlets like kebabs, Shirazi salad, Masghati Halva, Nokhod (Chickpea) Cookie and Shirazi Paloodeh. Trying out any of the items, you are definitely going to relish it for the lifetime.

The pleasant weather makes the stay in this city even more pleasurable. Qashqai Nomads either at the north or South of Shiraz, are worth a visit. However, you can plan a trip to visit Shiraz depending upon the season you find most suitable.