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Eclectic Iran
Cityscape: A view of Tabriz in northern Iran
Cityscape: A view of Tabriz in northern Iran. The city has a large Azeri population. JP / Emke De Vries
The best way to understand Iran is through the hospitality of its people, who follow a strict traditional etiquette called taarof.
Under taarof, a host will offer anything to a guest that might be desired. Guests, of course, must kindly refuse. Only after the third time, can host and guest determine whether the offers and refusals were real or simply polite.
One of the top places on any tourist's list should be Shiraz, a city that used to be famous for its wine production. Some say that wine-making might even have originated in Shiraz, which is also home to a host of poets and writers.
The city also boasts the Taj Mahal-like Shrine of Shah Cheragh, with an interior decorated with mosaic mirrors, and the Nasir al-Mulk mosque, also known as the Pink Mosque for its pink tiles.
Then there is the tomb and surrounding garden of the poet Hafez, who often wrote about religious hypocrisy. The tomb was designed by the French architect and archeologist André Godard, who was appointed as director of Iranian Archeological Services by Reza Shh Pahlavi in 1928.
Godard did a considerable amount of work excavating and restoring major historic monuments and sights in Iran ' of which there are many.
Persepolis, for example, was built around 500 BC and is located near Shiraz. As a symbol of the Achaemenid empire, Persepolis was used to celebrate special events, such as Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, until Alexander the Great destroyed it when he invaded Persia in 330 BC.
Even more spectacular is the nearby Naqsh-e Rostam, comprising four tombs carved out of the rocks at a remarkable height. The tombs, built around the same time as Persepolis, are said to be the final resting places of Achaemenid kings such as Darius the Great and Xerxes.
Isfahan, which was the Persian capital for several hundred years, is home to Naqsh-e Jahan Square, a big market (that has become quite touristy) and the Shah Mosque. The city affords people many beautiful rivers to view and bridges for strolls in the evening.
In the northern part of Iran are the Alborz Mountains, which stretch from Azerbaijan to the Caspian Sea. The Mount Damavand stratovolcano is the nation's highest peak at 4,667 meters. It has a prominent place in Persian mythology and is a symbol of Iranian resistance against despotism and foreign rulers.
Tabriz, in northern Iran, is also surrounded by mountains.
The highlight of the city, which is home to a predominantly Azeri populace, is the Bazaar of Tabriz, a gigantic historical market, while to the south is the village of Ligvan, where the famous Ligvan cheese is produced.
The nation's metropolis, Tehran, features highlights such as Golestan Palace, the National Museum of Iran and Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art.
Sometimes referred to as the Paris of the East, Tehran is a bustling city, modern at heart. Appearance is important in Iran: almost everyone seems to have had a nose job and women are wearing layers of make-up.
Creativity flourishes here, something that Iranian filmmakers prove the world year after year. Do not miss the Film Museum of Iran in Tehran, where equipment, photos and posters from Iranian cinema is being showcased.
This is also the only part of the city from which the surrounding mountains can be seen, as the rest of the city is too full of smog.
Iran is a country full of discoveries. To understanding its culture, one needs to wander off the tourist path. With its friendly people, Iran is easy to explore ' and when you indulge yourself in the country, you will find a place that is unlike anywhere else in the world.
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The writer is an intern at The Jakarta Post.
