Presentation
Stages: Tehran – Tabriz – Kandovan – Takab – Zanjan – Rasht – Mashhad – Kerman – Shiraz – Isfahan – Kashan – Tehran
Description: Discover the Wonders of Iran in 17 days with Voyage In.
Day 1: France – Tabriz
Flight Paris – Tabriz. Transfer to the hotel.
Day 2: Tabriz – Kandovan
Start of the visit to the major sites of Tabriz. Discovery of the Blue Mosque, considered a jewel of Islamic art, then the Azerbaijan Museum which exhibits rich heritage from the entire region such as ancient coins, jewelry and sumptuous ancient objects… A small A walk around the artificial lake in Bagh-e Melli (or Elgoli) park will allow you to appreciate the pleasant atmosphere that reigns in this Persian garden dating from the 16th century and renovated in the 19th century. We then take the road to Kandovan, a village located in the heart of the tuff mountains carved with troglodyte houses similar to those of Turkish Cappadocia. An idyllic place surrounded by a landscape of green hills, pastures and cultivated fields. Night at the hotel.
Day 3: Kandovan – Marrageh – Takab
Departure for Marāgheh which enjoys a mild and humid climate. Discovery of the ruins of what was considered in the 13th century as the largest observatory in the Muslim world. Then visit the exceptional funerary complex bringing together the Gonbad-e Sorkh (the red tomb), the Gonbad-e Kabud (the blue tomb), the Gonbad-e Khähar (the circular tomb) and the Gonbad-e Gaffariey. The site’s superb ceramics bear witness to the different styles of Islamic art that have come and gone. We leave the main road to reach Takab. Night at the hotel
Day 4: Takab – Takhte Soleyman – Zanjan
Direction Takht-e-Soleyman, an ancient Sassanid city where Zoroaster, founder of Zoroastrianism, was born… Built on an ancient volcano, the site is an immense religious complex dedicated to the God of fire. Nicknamed “Solomon’s Throne” by popular tradition, the site is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit then continuation to Zanjan. Night at the hotel.
Day 5: Zanjan – Rasht
Discovery of Rakhtshuy Khaneh, a former public laundromat transformed into an ethnological museum which reproduces gestures of daily life by featuring life-size characters wearing traditional clothing. We continue with the grand bazaar from the Qajar period which conceals marvels of local craftsmanship and the splendid mausoleum located at the foot of the mountain, the Soltanieh, formerly the capital of the Ikhlâne Mongols. Then transfer to Rasht, capital of the Gilan province. Night at the hotel.
Day 6: Rasht – Masouleh – RashtMorning discovery in the heart of one of the centers of silk culture and trade in Iran. Visit to the Gilan rural heritage museum, the country’s first eco-museum which exhibits a remarkable collection of traditional houses and which allows the visitor to be informed about local traditions: crafts, culture, gastronomy, agriculture…Then short transfer towards Masouleh , an astonishing mountain village perched high with terraced adobe houses listed as a UNESCO heritage site. Return to Rasht. Night at the hotel.
Day 7: Rasht – Tehran – Mashad
Road to Tehran then visit the Archaeological Museum which brings together masterpieces of pre-Islamic and Muslim period Iranian art. This rich museum built by the French archaeologist André Godard in 1937 is the very first founded in Iran. The journey continues by train towards Mashad, one of the country’s high places of Shiism. Transfer to the station and installation in a sleeper car. Night by train.
Day 8: Mashad – All – Mashad
Early arrival in Mashad, transfer to the hotel then installation before visiting the sanctuary of the first holy city of Iran which has become a major religious center over the centuries. This site houses the tomb of Ali al-Rezâ, the 8th Shiite Imam who died as a martyr. This place of pilgrimage attracts nearly 15 to 20 million faithful each year. The visit to this place full of spirituality is a highlight of this trip. Here and there pilgrims came to make wishes or simply to pray. After this immersion in Shiite Islam, transfer to Tous to visit the mausoleum of Ferdowsi, famous author of the Book of Kings. Return to Mashhad. Night at the hotel.
Day 9: Mashad – Kerman
Flight to Kerman then visit the large Friday Mosque dating from the 12th century and the remains of the Gandj Ali Khan complex including a madrasah, a caravanserai, a bath and the market. Night at the hotel.
Day 10: Kerman – Rayen – Mahan – Kerman
Departure to discover the Citadel of Rayen which with its 2000 m² surface area is the second largest building constructed of raw brick in the world. Former summer residence of the governors of the city of Bam which resembles it in many points (types of walls, towers, construction materials, etc.). Continue to Mahan and visit the mausoleum of Nematollah Vali, a Sufi saint from the 14th century. Inside, the building evokes meditation and spiritual interiority: the white enamel dome, the niches decorated with floral paintings, the courtyards decorated with pools and symbols evoking the Sufi paradise. The discovery continues with the sumptuous garden of Shakhzadeh (Bagh-e Shakhzade) with refreshing fountains built on two levels and allowing irrigation of the park from top to bottom. Return to Kerman at the end of the afternoon. Night at the hotel.
Day 11: Kerman – Shiraz
Flight to Shiraz and discovery of this famous city loved by poetry lovers. The city preserves the tombs of Hafez and Sa’adi, two of the country’s greatest poets. Visit the Bagh-e-Iram garden and its Qajar palace, a true haven of peace which offers shade to walkers looking for freshness. Then visit the Mausoleum of Shah Chéragh, brother of Imam Rézâ buried in Mashad (exterior visit only). We continue to the famous Nasir-ol-Molk Mosque whose stained glass windows light up when the sun’s rays shine on them before joining the lively and colorful bazaar of Shiraz. Night at the hotel.
Day 12: Shiraz – Persepolis – Shiraz
Return to Persepolis to explore the splendid remains of this royal city from the Achaemenid period. This fascinating city built by Darius I (5th century BC) was the symbol of the power of the Persian Empire which extended, at the time, from Egypt to the Indus Valley. We discover the Gate of Nations, the Hall of a Hundred Columns, the Apadana (throne room), the bas-reliefs and the private palaces of Darius I and Xerxes I before joining the royal tombs of Naqsh-e Rostam dug at even the barren cliffs of the desert. Return to Shiraz to visit the tomb of the great poet Hafez so dear to the hearts of Iranians. At peak times, it is easy to understand that this garden dedicated to the 14th century poet is a true place of pilgrimage. Night at the hotel.
Day 13: Shiraz – Pasargadae – Isfahan
In the morning, we reach Pasargadae, the capital founded by Cyrus II the Great in the 5th century BC. We then take the road to Isfahan, arriving late in the afternoon. Isfahan or Esfahan is certainly the most culturally rich city in the country. It is a place steeped in history and with unique architecture in all of Asia Minor. Isfahan is among the most remarkable monuments in the Islamic world; but it is also a city where it is good to live and stroll to soak up the atmosphere of the shopping streets, green gardens and bridges spanning the Zâyendeh Rud. Night at the hotel.
Day 14: Isfahan
Today, we begin a day of discovery of the city with blue domes through the northern districts, the pre-Safavid part of the city. Visit the Friday Mosque, the oldest in the capital of the province of Isfahan, then stroll through the Armenian district of Djofla to see the Armenian Cathedral of Vank dating from the 17th century. We continue the discovery with the “Palace with forty columns” which are reflected in a long rectangular pool surrounded by a pleasant garden, a former royal park. We then follow the banks of the Zâyendeh Rud to reach the most famous bridges: the thirty-three arch bridge and the magnificent Khaju bridge. Night at the hotel.
Day 15: Isfahan – Kashan
Continuation of our discovery of Isfahan via Imam Square, the center of the new city created by Shah Abbas at the beginning of the 17th century. To the east of the square, the Ali Qapu palace, seat of Safavid power and also renowned for its music room. Opposite the palace, the magnificent Sheikh Loftollah Mosque, a private royal religious site with domes sumptuously decorated with ceramics. In the afternoon and after the visits, drive to Kashan. Night at the hotel.
Day 16: Kashan – Qom -Tehran
Morning stroll in the heart of the city known for its famous rose essences. Discovery of the Fin garden, dating from the 14th century and restored in the 19th century, one of its pavilions was transformed into an archaeological museum. The Borujerdi house preserves beautiful wall paintings from the Kadjâr period and presents an original six-sided wind tower. In the afternoon, drive to Qom and visit the Mausoleum of Fatima, a major Shiite pilgrimage site before returning to Tehran. Night at the hotel.
Day 17: Tehran – Paris
Depending on flight schedules, transfer to the airport and return flight to France.
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