Tehran Travel Guide
Travel guide to Tehran, Iran with comprehensive information about events, shopping, and major Tehran sporting events to help you enjoy your visit more.
Tehran Overview
The city of Tehran, the capital of Iran has a population of 9 million, with the surrounding metropolitan area included taking that number up to 14 million. These figures make it the biggest city in Iran and also one of the largest in the Middle East. Such is the areas dominance that around half of the country's industrial output comes from here.
A modern city Tehran welcomes visitors, offering many restaurants and places of interest. The population are also relatively young so the use of English is reasonably widespread making it much easier for the visitor to communicate.
Architecturally it is relatively modern too, in recent years this was done in a somewhat plain way but that bow seems to be changing and design flair is returning to the city. There is still some of the original style to be found, primarily at the Grand Bazaar and also the Golestan Palace, and the amazing Azadi Tower, which is an awesome way to be welcomed into the city.
Tehran is very much a daytime city, unlike some others around the globe that seem to come alive when the sun goes down. It is at its peak during the day, when the parks and cafes are at their busiest. In the evening the restaurants do good business but there is little happening after midnight as is the culture here.
Top Tehran Attractions
Look out for the Alborz mountain range - you can't miss it actually. Situated to the north of the city it towers over it, dominating the whole area with its mass. In the city itself do visit the Bazaar where haggling is expected and locally made products, including jewellery and carpets can be bought. Another landmark is the Azadi Tower, located at the western entrance to the city and the first thing many visitors see on their way in.
Shopping in Tehran
The Grand Bazaar is where the local goods can be bought, with some lovely items of gold and silver jewellery available but there are also quite a number of boutiques and smaller specialist shops within the city offering a broader range of goods. It is important to remember that credit cards are not widely accepted here, so cash is often a better option, particularly US dollars.
Tehran Sporting Events
The Iranians take pride in their culture, and this is reflected in some of their sporting interests, with traditional wrestling being particularly important. Both national and international events are held regularly, where the teams representing Tehran and Iran usually perform very well.