Things to do in Tehran
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Tehran
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Spring is best overall, 15 to 28 degrees, gardens in bloom and snow capped Alborz. Come just after Nowruz for easiest sightseeing.
Hot and dry in the city, 33 to 37 degrees, smartest for Tochal, Damavand and Alamut. Avoid desert days and midday bazaars.
Joint best, golden plane trees, clear air and hiking at its finest. Late April to May and late September to October are ideal.
Ski season at Dizin, Shemshak and Tochal, but the worst pollution inversions, short days and grey skies for sightseeing.
What's on
- Nowruz around 20-21 March
Persian New Year and two weeks of holidays. Residents leave and sightseeing is easy, but many places close in the first days.
- Tehran International Book Fair usually May
One of the world's largest book fairs.
- Fajr Film Festival February
A genuine cultural draw for cinema lovers.
- Mehrgan early October
Ancient harvest and thanksgiving festival, marked culturally rather than as a mass street event.
- Yalda Night around 20-21 December
The longest night, a family occasion of pomegranates, watermelon, nuts and Hafez poetry.
Best things to do in Tehran
Golestan Palace
Qajar palace complex of mirrored halls, tiled courtyards and a leafy garden, and the one sight not to miss.
Treasury of National Jewels
A bank vault of crowns, thrones and huge gems including the Darya-ye Nur pink diamond, unlike anywhere else.
Grand Bazaar of Tehran
Ten kilometres of working trade lanes for carpets, spices and gold, best paired with Golestan and lunch.
National Museum of Iran
Ancient and Islamic era collections that give context for everything else you will see in Iran.
Sa'dabad Cultural and Historical Complex
Wooded palace estate in the foothills, with the White and Green Palaces the highlights of a pleasant half day.
Niavaran Palace Complex
The last Shah's family residence kept with its furniture and art, more intimate than Sa'dabad.
Tajrish Bazaar
Compact food rich bazaar in the north, with a produce hall of pomegranates, herbs and dried fruit.
Tabiat Bridge
Three level pedestrian bridge linking two parks, best at sunset when locals fill it and the Alborz turn pink.
Where to stay in Tehran
Sa'adat Abad / Shahrak-e Gharb
luxury base and cleanest air
Leafy planned north west close to Espinas Palace and the Tochal side, but a long ride south to the sights.
Tajrish / Niavaran / Elahieh / Fereshteh
most prestigious and pleasant base
Tree lined embassy district with the best cafes, Tajrish Bazaar and both palace complexes on the doorstep.
Vanak / Jordan / Argentina Square
best all-round compromise
Central north business district on the metro, 25 to 40 minutes from both the palace north and museum south.
Keshavarz Boulevard / Laleh Park / Valiasr Square
best value sightseeing base
University quarter with TMoCA and Laleh Park at your feet and the fastest useful access south to Golestan.
Ferdowsi / Enghelab / Baharestan
best budget and boutique base
Heritage hostels and house hotels with the National Museum, Golestan and the bazaar walkable or one metro stop.
Think twice about
- Far south Tehran, Districts 15 to 20 and the Shush / Khavaran / far Rey fringe
Almost no visitor standard hotels, the worst pollution, the longest commutes to every sight, and streets deserted and poorly lit at night.
- Bus terminals, Mehrabad Airport and Imam Khomeini International Airport surroundings
Expressway country with no neighbourhood life or walkable food and an hour plus commute. Use airport hotels for one night only.
- District 22 / Chitgar fringe, far west
Car dependent highway towers, thin on restaurants and cafes, and badly placed for both the historic centre and the foothill north.
Best restaurants in Tehran
Divan
Modern Persian fine dining in a glamorous room with mountain views, the special occasion pick in Tehran.
Narenjestan
Formal Persian and European dining with live music, favoured for business and family celebrations in the north west.
Shandiz Jordan
Tehran flagship for Shandiz style shishlik lamb chops, the benchmark other kebab houses are measured against.
Gilaneh
Northern Gilaki cooking, from smoked aubergine to sour chicken and olives in walnut and pomegranate.
Alborz Restaurant
Old school Tehran institution for chelo kebab, especially koobideh, in a smart dining room.
Nayeb Restaurant
Historic chelo kebab house claiming about 150 years, best for barg or koobideh with tahdig rice at a top branch.
Reyhoon
Reliable well run Persian grill and stew house popular with Jordan families and business lunches.
Moslem Restaurant
Vast fast bazaar institution famous for tahchin and generous kebabs, the one cheap meal to prioritise.
Outdoor things to do in Tehran
Darband
Tehran's classic trailhead, a cafe lined stream path past riverside tea houses that turns into a real hike higher up.
Tochal Telecabin
One of the world's longest gondolas, climbing from Bam-e Tehran to near the Tochal summit with Damavand views.
Dizin Ski Resort
Iran's largest FIS recognised ski resort, a full day from Tehran with passes far cheaper than the Alps.
Shemshak Ski Resort
Steeper, smaller resort favoured by experienced skiers, with floodlit night skiing about 1.5 hours from Tehran.
Darbandsar Ski Resort
Smaller connoisseurs' ski area near Shemshak, quieter than Dizin and about 1.5 hours from the city.
Tochal Ski Resort
Small high ski area reached by telecabin from the city, south facing and best in mid winter.
Mount Damavand
Iran's highest peak at 5,610 metres, a serious guided two to three day altitude trek in summer.
Lar National Park
Protected high valley of wildflowers and rivers under Damavand's south face, reached only with an operator.
Best hotels in Tehran
Espinas Palace Hotel
Tehran's flagship modern luxury hotel, with mountain views, spa, pool and the most international service in the city.
Espinas International Hotel
Large polished hotel beside Laleh Park, better placed for sightseeing than its Sa'adat Abad sister.
Parsian Azadi Hotel
Former Hyatt tower with Alborz views, pool and large grounds, long a diplomatic and crew favourite.
Laleh International Hotel
Pre revolution grand hotel in arguably the best mid range location in Tehran, beside Laleh Park.
Tehran Homa Hotel
Spacious business hotel well placed for Jordan cafes and the Valiasr corridor.
Parsian Esteghlal International Hotel
Former Hilton with two towers and extensive facilities, good value when priced as mid range.
Razzaz Boutique Hotel
Restored 160 year old house hotel around a courtyard, the mid range pick with the most character in the centre.
Tehran Heritage Hostel
The hostel that built Tehran's backpacker scene, with dorms, privates and staff used to helping foreigners.
Is Tehran expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | IRR 80,000,000 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | IRR 190,000,000 a person |
| Splurge | IRR 500,000,000 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Dizin Ski Resort: weeks ahead
- Shemshak Ski Resort: weeks ahead
- Darbandsar Ski Resort: weeks ahead
- Mount Damavand: months ahead
- Lar National Park: weeks ahead
- Maranjab Desert: weeks ahead
- Enghelab Golf Course: weeks ahead
- Alamut Valley: weeks ahead
- Start visas 10 to 12 weeks out, most visitors need an authorisation code via an Iranian operator first.
- Book in order: visa code, guide, flights, top hotels for Nowruz and spring, a Jewels treasury day, and seasonal Damavand and ski operators.
- Divan and Shandiz weekend dinners are worth booking ahead. Other museums rarely need advance tickets.
Is Tehran safe?
- Foreign cards do not work, bring the whole budget in clean euros or dollars and confirm whether prices are in rials or tomans.
- Hijab and dress rules are law for visitors, and alcohol, pork and narcotics are illegal with severe penalties.
- Street crime is low, watch for pickpockets and phone snatching in bazaar and metro crowds, and plan museum days on pollution spikes.
- Emergency numbers are police 110, ambulance 115 and fire 125. Check current government travel advice before booking.
Tehran travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Milad Tower on a smoggy day, paying for haze views after a lift queue.
- Bazaar guides who appear at the entrance without a pre agreed price and route.
- Buying carpets, saffron or gemstones without the Carpet Museum primer, a reputable fixed shop and an export receipt.
- Exchanging all your cash at the airport at the official rate instead of a licensed exchange.
Getting around Tehran: public transport and more
- Use the Metro, clean, cheap and the only sane rush hour crossing, and Snapp or pre agreed taxis door to door.
- Allow double map estimates for traffic and never schedule tight cross town connections. Do not self drive.
- Imam Khomeini Airport is 40 km out, allow 60 to 90 minutes by pre booked transfer. Mehrabad is domestic only.
Who Tehran suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Great |
| Couples | Good |
| Bachelor parties | Not ideal |
| Families | Good |
| Bachelorette parties | Not ideal |
Make Tehran your trip
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