Shiraz

City of poets and roses, with the stained glass of the Pink Mosque, Hafez's tomb and Persian gardens, plus World Heritage Persepolis nearby.

Shiraz lies in a basin in the Zagros Mountains of southwestern Iran at about 1,500 m above sea level. The capital of Fars Province and Iran's fifth-largest city, it was the seat of the Zand dynasty in the 18th century. Known as the "city of poets, roses and nightingales", it is the resting place of the poets Hafez and Saadi, and Persian gardens and Qajar mansions are found throughout the city. Sightseeing falls into three areas. First, the Zand old town centred on the Karim Khan Citadel, with the Vakil Bazaar, Vakil Mosque and Bath, Pars Museum and Khan School all within walking distance. Second, the old quarter to the south, with the Pink Mosque famous for its morning light through coloured glass, the Qavam House and Zinat ol-Molk House, and the dazzling mirrored shrine of Shah Cheragh. Third, the poets' and gardens' district in the north, with the tombs of Hafez and Saadi, Eram Garden and the Quran Gate. About 60 km away are World Heritage Persepolis, the rock tombs of Naqsh-e Rostam and the reliefs of Naqsh-e Rajab, and about 130 km away is Pasargadae, site of the tomb of Cyrus the Great—usually visited on a day trip with a hired car and driver. The best seasons are Mar–May (roses and orange blossom in spring; crowds and high prices around Nowruz in late March) and Oct–Nov; summer days often reach 40°C. Getting there: Shiraz International Airport has flights to Tehran, Isfahan and other cities, and long-distance buses from Isfahan or Yazd take about 6–7 hours. Plan on 3 days: 2 in the city and 1 for Persepolis and Pasargadae. Practical tips: women must wear a headscarf in public; foreign bank cards don't work in Iran, so bring enough cash in US dollars or euros; sights charge separate prices for foreign visitors; Friday is the weekly day off and most bazaar shops close. Check the latest official travel advisories before you go.

Top sights

• Nasir-ol-Molk Mosque – A Qajar-era mosque. In the early morning, sunlight passes through the colored glass and fills the winter prayer hall and its Persian carpet…
• Tomb of Hafez – The final resting place of the 14th-century lyric poet Hafez. Beneath a pavilion supported by eight columns, the marble tomb is inscribed w…
• Eram Garden – One of the Persian Gardens listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A Qajar-era palace is reflected in a long water channel, and the garden…
• Shah Cheragh – An important Shia shrine. The inner chamber is covered with millions of mirror fragments that sparkle like diamonds under the lights, creat…
• Persepolis – The ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire. The Gate of All Nations, the reliefs of the Apadana Palace and the ruins of the Hall of On…
• Naqsh-e Rostam – Four cross-shaped Achaemenid royal tombs carved into a cliff face, with a large Sasanian victory relief below them.
• Pasargadae – The first capital of the Achaemenid Empire and the site of Cyrus the Great's tomb and palace ruins. It is a World Heritage Site.
• Tomb of Saadi – The tomb of Saadi, author of The Rose Garden, with a blue-green domed pavilion standing in a garden and an ancient underground fishpond nea…
• Arg of Karim Khan – A square brick citadel of the Zand dynasty, with one of its four corner towers visibly leaning, located in the centre of Shiraz.
• Vakil Bazaar – The vaulted great bazaar of the Zand dynasty, where spices, carpets, handicrafts and Qajar-era caravanserais come together.
• Saray-e Moshir – A Qajar-era caravanserai beside Vakil Bazaar, with two-storey arcades around a pool courtyard, now a handicraft market.
• Vakil Mosque – The main mosque of the Zand dynasty, famous for its prayer hall with 48 spiral-carved stone columns and rose-patterned tiles.
• Vakil Bathhouse – An 18th-century Zand-era public bathhouse, with a domed hall and wax figures recreating traditional bathhouse life.
• Qavam House (Narenjestan) – A Qajar merchant's mansion with mirrored halls, painted facades and a bitter-orange courtyard, a model of the Persian garden-house.
• Zinat ol-Molk House – A Qajar mansion opposite Qavam House, with a basement wax museum of historical figures from Persia.
• Afif-Abad Garden – A Qajar palace and royal garden with a weapons museum inside, where the long pool in front reflects the building beautifully.
• Qur'an Gate – The northern gateway to Shiraz, where handwritten Qurans were once placed atop the gatehouse to bless travellers, and the hillside beside i…
• Jahan Nama Garden – An old garden beside Hafez's tomb, with cross-shaped water channels and a central octagonal pavilion, a classic example of the Persian gard…
• Delgosha Garden – A historic garden near Saadi's tomb, with citrus groves and a long water channel surrounding Qajar-era pavilions decorated with mirrors.
• Ali Ibn Hamzeh Shrine – A mirror-decorated shrine far quieter than Shah Cheragh, with mirror-glass domes and blue-tiled gateways that are just as exquisite.
• Atigh Jame' Mosque – The oldest mosque in Shiraz, founded in the 9th century, with a distinctive square 'House of God' at the centre of its courtyard.
• Khan School – A 17th-century Safavid-era madrasa with a finely tiled stalactite-vaulted gateway and a quiet courtyard with a pool.
• Pars Museum – An octagonal pavilion where Karim Khan was buried, housing handwritten Qurans, Persian miniatures and Zand-era artifacts.
• Naqsh-e Rajab – A group of Sasanian reliefs between Persepolis and the Naqsh-e Rostam rock tombs, close together and finely preserved.
• Maharloo Lake – A seasonal salt lake southeast of Shiraz, where halophilic algae tint the water pink or orange during the dry season.

Where to eat

• Haft Khan Restaurant Complex – A multi-story dining complex near the Quran Gate, with floors named after characters from the Shahnameh, boasting over…
• Soofi Restaurant (Sattarkhan Boulevard) – A long-running local restaurant in Shiraz, highly recommended for its Kalam Polo, with slow-cooked lamb shank and Ghamb…
• Sharzeh Restaurant – An established two-story traditional restaurant next to the Vakil Mosque, famous for kebabs and live music, convenient…
• Kateh Mas Traditional Restaurant – A traditional restaurant near the Namazi Intersection in the Old Town, accessed via a narrow brick staircase, featuring…
• Baba Bastani – A local Shirazi ice cream institution operating since 1979, famous for traditional Faloodeh and saffron ice cream at bu…