Perfumes of Persia

We start our day at the National Museum, which traces the rich history of the country from ancient Persia to the Islamic era. Ancient objects are numerous and testify to a thriving past. The Golestan Palace, a former Qajar royal palace, is located in the citadel of Tehran, in the heart of the old city. Its superb architectural ensembles are organized around a garden composed of pools and are full of rich collections of Iranian craftsmanship. Our morning ends at the Grand Bazaar of Tehran. The bazaars (from Old Persian vāzār) are true institutions here: people come to stroll, exchange, haggle, chat…

After lunch our last stop in the capital takes us to the National Museum of Crown Jewels, an absolutely stunning place that houses one of the greatest treasures in the world: jewels, precious stones, diamonds, … an absolutely unique collection of wonders gathered by the shahs.

At the end of this visit we fly south to Shiraz.

On the way to the hotel we stop at the city's most important place of pilgrimage: the Shah-e Cheragh mosque, which houses the tombs of the brothers Amir Ahmad and Mir Muhammad, sons of the seventh Shiite imam Moussa al-Kazim.

An hour's drive takes us this morning to a mythical place: the city of Persepolis, capital of the Achaemenid Empire, founded 2500 years ago by the "King of Kings" Darius I. The ruins of the buildings, partly carved into the rock, are remarkably well preserved and show architecture influenced by Mesopotamian models. It is likely that the city served both as a government center and as a sumptuous venue for spectacles and royal receptions.

A short distance to the north, the Necropolis site is where the Achaemenid kings were buried.

We're heading back to Shiraz. After some rest at our hotel, we set out to explore the Sang-e-sia historic quarter. This quarter, one of the oldest in the city, includes numerous passages, the most important of which reveals a series of historic sites and sacred sanctuaries, including the famous Bibidokhtaran sanctuary. Mosques, tombs and historic houses dot our wanderings and testify to the evolution of Iranian architecture from the Qajar era to the present day. Notably, the architecture and decoration of old Pahlavi houses, arranged around very beautiful inner courtyards, never fail to charm visitors.

This morning we leave Shiraz and head north. After 140 kilometers of road we reach an exceptional remnant of the Achaemenid civilization: the ancient city of Pasargades, created by Cyrus the Great in the 6th century BC and the first capital of the Achaemenid Empire.

The word caravane comes from Persian kârvân, which designates a line of camels and travelers. Since the caravan was generally a merchant convoy, it is no wonder that Persia, at the heart of the Silk Road, invented the term! To ensure lodging and other needs for these convoys, the desert was dotted with caravansérails (the Persian sarây designates a large house), fortified places consisting of stables, warehouses and rooms.

On the road to Yazd, which crosses the desert, we pass through three of the oldest caravansérails: Zeinoddin (Safavid period and superbly restored), Saryazd (Seljuk and Safavid periods, and its Sassanid citadel) and Mehriz (Sassanid period).

Upon arriving in Yazd, we visit two major Zoroastrian sites: the Towers of Silence, where corpses were left as food for carnivorous birds, and the Fire Temple, one of the most important Zoroastrian places of worship in the world.

Finally, early in the evening, we head to the Amir Chakhmaq complex. It is a plaza gathering a mosque, a caravansérail, a tekyeh, a hammam, a well and a confectionery. As night falls, the lighting gives the place a magical appearance.

We resume our journey today and make our first stop at Meybod, an ancient city that was also the capital of the Mozaffarid kingdom in the 14th century. The Narin Citadel, from the Sassanid era, is one of the oldest in Iran and an important vestige.

Continuing our journey north, we enter the province of Isfahan and arrive at the city of Nain. An ancient city, Nain is home to one of the oldest mosques in Iran, the Jameh Mosque. It is also an ideal place to observe the qanats, which still function today and convey water from the mountains to the city.

A largely desert country, it is in Varzaneh that it is easiest to observe magnificent sand dunes at the gates of the city. What a spectacle! In town, we will not miss visiting the Jameh Mosque as well as the thousand-year-old Ghoortan citadel.

Arrival in the evening in Isfahan, jewel of the Middle East and most beautiful city in the world in the hearts of many Iranians. Perched at 1500m altitude in the middle of the arid Iranian plateau, it appears as an oasis of greenery thanks to its irrigation systems. Isfahan was the capital of the Persian Empire under the Safavid dynasty between the 16th and 18th centuries.

Check-in at the hotel.

On the northern route, we dedicate a good part of the day to the Natanz region, rich in historical heritage but also renowned for its climate and food crops. Among the local sacred sites, we can mention the sanctuary of Sufi Sheikh Abd al-Samad dating from the 14th century.

A short distance away, the Tarq Castle is a beautiful remnant of the Sassanid era, which from the 3rd to 6th century preceded the arrival of Islam.

About forty kilometers west of Natanz, nestled at over 2000m altitude in the Karkas mountains, lies one of the oldest and most beautiful villages in Iran, Abyaneh. Evidence of the Sassanid era is clearly visible here: ruins of an old fort, traditional clothing and local dialect infused with remnants of the Pahlavi language of that era.

Arrival in Kachan in the late afternoon and hotel check-in.

The beginning of the day is dedicated to visiting Kachan. This city with its rich architecture is also one of the great oases of the deserts of central Iran, and traces of human habitation date back to the 6th millennium BC. The remarkable buildings of the city are relatively recent, notably the magnificent traditional residences of the Tabatabaei and the Boroudjerdi, which date from the Qajar era (19th century). The Fin Garden is Iran's oldest garden.

We then take the road to Tehran. On the way we stop in Qom, a sacred Shiite city, where we visit the shrine of Fatima Masoumeh, daughter of the seventh Shiite imam Musa al-Kazim.
Arrival at Tehran airport and end of services.

(If desired, possibility to visit the Maranjab caravanserai instead of Qom).