Essential things to know before travel to Iran

Tourism in Iran has blossomed in the recent years and the number of tourists who are eager to explore Iran, a land full of beauties, has increased. There are a variety of attractions in Iran that seduce tourists with any interest, from historical places, beautiful mosques and stunning palaces for architecture lovers, to ancient sites, monuments and museums for history lovers, holy shrines, Sufi monasteries, Armenian churches for those who see beauty in spirituality, lush, green forests and mountains and deserts for eco-tourists and nature lovers, and lots of other attractions that appeal to any visitor to this land.

Wherever you travel to, you need to respect the norms in the country. Before traveling to Iran you need to know what to wear that contributes to your comfort and also it is not contrary to the norms of society in Iran. Indeed, dress code in Iran is far from the misconception among people from other countries. On the contrary to the misconceptions, Iranians are among the most fashionable people in the world.

Iran is a lovely place for couples to travel to. There are many travelers who travel to Iran with their partners every year. If you are interested in making romantic moments for each other on your trip, Iran is the right option for you. But how about traveling to Iran as an unmarried couple. Actually, it doesn’t seem to be a big issue, in general.

Iran, the country full of extreme contrasts, with an area of 1,648,195 square kilometers, is the 18th largest country in the world. Conserving biological and landscape diversity in Iran, from mountains to seas, deserts, forests and caves, is both the cause and effect of the diverse climate of this country. That’s why there’s no specific time that’s the best time to visit Iran. In fact, Iran is the country with 4 seasons and this variety satisfies any visitor at any time!
Although, Iran is a great place to travel to all year round, the best time recommended for tourists to visit Iran is during spring and autumn because the temperature in different parts of Iran is ideal during these seasons; it is neither too hot, nor too cold. In summer, the temperature, in some parts of Iran, reaches 50 degrees Celsius and in winter, in some parts it reaches minus 32 degrees Celsius.
Traveling to Iran in some special months, like Ramadan, Muharam (according to the lunar calendar) needs having some basic knowledge about the observances. For example, during the entire month of Ramadan, Muslims are obligated to fast all day long. As a tourist, you will find plenty of places to eat and drink, though. So check the calendar and the weather forecast before traveling to Iran, to find the right travel time for you.

Contrary to what is said in some media, Iran is known as one of the safest destinations among travelers around the world. It is the same for women and men. Even women who have traveled to Iran on their own say that Iran is the best option in the Middle East for women who like trying solo travel. They all speak highly of their experience in Iran.
When women who have traveled to Iran independently share their experience with people around the world, on their blogs, they just say how secured they were feeling on their stay in Iran, and that how this feeling of safety was more than they expected before traveling to Iran. To them, Iran is one of the best solo female travel destinations. The independent women choose Iran as their holiday destination, despite the stereotype that Iran is a dangerous place to visit, and despite whatever others tell them concerning about them and asking them to think over their chosen destination.
For example, as mentioned in ‘annaeverywhere.com’ by the famous travel blogger, Anna, about the ill-reputation and misconception about Iran, caused by the media, “In the media, Iran seemed like a place where no one would ever want to visit.. I never once felt physically threatened, unsafe, or at risk, even when I was wandering the streets of Iran. I felt safer in Iran than if I was walking around in NYC. Even the tap water was safe in Iran!”
According to Travel Risk Map that provides a comprehensive overview of health and security risks by destination, Iran is rated as safe as Sweden, Germany, Australia, and most Europeans countries. Unlike other countries that are top tourist destinations but can be challenging for solo women, Iran is completely safe! Just have a look at a list of the safest cities in the world and not surprisingly you will see Tehran there.

Food operates as an expression of cultural identity. They often vary from culture to culture and play a significant role in culture.
In Persian culture, food holds a prominent place regarding both the kinds of traditional dishes and the tradition of having food and celebrating together.
Traditional Iranian food is known among the richest and most aromatic cuisines in the world. Iranian cuisine is praised worldwide for its numerous delicacies, and its elaborate, intricate flavors with its unique ingredients and spices.
Persian cuisine, with a stunning variety of culinary delights, includes a wide range of dishes. If you would like to get familiar with the best Persian dishes you must try during you stay in Iran, read the following article, Iranviva group has provided for you, about ten best and most popular Iranian Local foods:

You may have heard that travelling to Iran is dangerous! But Iranviva Team want to assure that it’s completely the opposite. Although the U.S. has recently announced re-imposing sanctions on Iran, the good news is that the world admits Iran as a safe country to travel. According to the 2019 Travel Risk Map, launched by global risk experts International SOS in collaboration with Control Risks, Iran has been admitted as safe as many countries like Australia and most European countries like Sweden and Germany, regarding the security.

This evaluation is based on current threat posed to travelers by political violence (including terrorism, insurgency, politically motivated unrest and war), social unrest (including sectarian, communal and ethnic violence) and violent and petty crime, as well as factors like the robustness of the transport infrastructure, the state of industrial relations, the effectiveness of the security and emergency services and the country’s susceptibility to natural disasters.

In addition, people in Iran are known among the most hospitable people in the world. The Lonely Planet, calls Iranian people as “the friendliest people in the world”. You can have a perfect chat with strangers on the street and be invited for a cup of tea or a family meal. The first reason why most of the tourists, who have visited Iran, love this country so much is its people. So, if you are looking for a great destination for a perfect holiday, why not visiting Iran?!

Generally speaking, Iran enjoys a hot, dry climate influenced by Iran’s location between the subtropical aridity of the Arabian Desert areas and the subtropical humidity of the eastern Mediterranean area.
Iran is the country of four seasons with long, hot and dry summers, and short and cool winters. July is the hottest month in Tehran with an average temperature of 86°F (30°C) and the coldest is January at 39°F (4°C). The wettest month is March with an average of 50mm of rain, mostly in the north of the Alborz Mountains and alongside the Caspian Sea.

The anti-American political slogan and chant: “Death to America” or its less offensive translation: “Down with the USA”, widely used since 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran, along with the current political tensions between Iran and the United States, has made some people around the world believe for a long time that Iranians don’t like Americans.
Looking back in history, one can understand the reasons of this anti-US view. United States involvement in many Iran’s problems and its meddling in Iran policy, have caused the problematic relations between two countries, over the past four decades. The fact is that, unfortunately, there is a misconception among the American tourists about Iran and Iranians.
There were strong, close cultural and political ties between Iran and America before the Islamic Revolution of Iran. Given all the political events between these two countries, Iranian people had always kept good relationship with Americans and had a positive attitude toward the United States and its people, culture and values. This respect and the positive attitude has continued until now.
A lot of Iranians are living in America and are the US citizens. There are many who have studied or are still studying in the United States. In fact, about one million Iranian people, out of four or five millions who are living abroad, are living in the United States now. Due to the large number of Iranian-Americans and their descendants who are residing in Los Angeles, it is called “Tehrangeles”, also known as Little Persia.

Iran is among the 52 must-visit places of 2019 according to New York Times. Each year, New York Times puts out the list of ‘52 Places to Go’. Number 45 on this ‘52 Places to Go’ list, is home to the ancient Persia.
Most of the travel destinations on the list, released by New York Times, are cities or regions, while Iran as a whole country is chosen as one of these destinations.
Iran is introduced as the “Middle East jewel” by New York Times in its article “Tourism cautiously returns to this Middle East jewel”.
Iran is named as an attractive destination, due to its various appealing tourist attractions spreading from north to south of the country, from untouched nature to legendary cities, magnificent mosques, bazaars, etc.
To date, there are 23 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Iran.