Tehran
Overview
The best thing you can do in Tehran is leave it. Totally agree with that. Such a beautiful country for such an annoying capital. Tehran is by far the worst place to be in Iran. Cars, motorbikes, people, noise and pollution everywhere, so if that’s your first impression of Iran it’s not really a good one. Thanks god Iran is totally opposite to Tehran.
Anyway, if you have no choice and you have to spend some days in Tehran (as us, who visited it twice for a total of one week in the city to apply and collect visas), you can still try to sightsee a liitle bit and go to the bazaar, to a couple of mosques and shrines and to a few palaces, but make sure it is not Friday, as everything is closed.
Anyway, if you have no choice and you have to spend some days in Tehran (as us, who visited it twice for a total of one week in the city to apply and collect visas), you can still try to sightsee a liitle bit and go to the bazaar, to a couple of mosques and shrines and to a few palaces, but make sure it is not Friday, as everything is closed.
Sightseeing
Tehran is vast and huge, and as so, it has quite a lot of things to see. The annoying thing is the city itself, moving in it and stuff. If you decide to sightsee in Tehran, here are some of the most interesting places:
- Tehran Bazaar: It is like a city itself. A covered bazaar in the center of Tehran selling absolutely everything. It closes on Fridays. You can simply get lost walking and enjoying the different shops. Don't miss the shrine on the right hand side near the main entrance, it is really impresive especially if, as us, it is the first Iranian shrine you see. It is rather small but the interior is beautiful, totally covered by small mirrors that give the place an out of this world feeling. As all religious places in Iran, separate entrance for men and for women.
- Tajrish Square: Quite far from the center, the main two attractions of this square are the bazaar and the big shrine, especially the shrine, impressive both from the outside and from the inside. Quite close to the square you have the Saadabad palace, which we tried to visit but the guard gave us totally different prices from the ones written at the entrance, so we decided we didn't like the idea of beig ripped-off and we left. The palace is huge and they make you pay a different price for every place to visit inside it, supposedly 50000 rials, but that guy said it was 50000 toman, ten times more.
- Felestin square mosque: Worth a visit especially at night, when it is lit in different colors. Actually it looks like a disco from the outside.
- Azadi square: The Azadi monument is to Tehran as the Eiffel Tower is to Paris. When you see it, it gives you an idea of the differnces between the two cities. You can easily skip the trip to Azadi square and this monument and spend your time somewhere more interesting.
Besides these places, Tehran have some palaces, as Golestan or Niavaran Palaces, some gardens and the Imam Khomeini Shrine, some 34 km south of the city. We didn't visit these places, so no opinion about them.
- Tehran Bazaar: It is like a city itself. A covered bazaar in the center of Tehran selling absolutely everything. It closes on Fridays. You can simply get lost walking and enjoying the different shops. Don't miss the shrine on the right hand side near the main entrance, it is really impresive especially if, as us, it is the first Iranian shrine you see. It is rather small but the interior is beautiful, totally covered by small mirrors that give the place an out of this world feeling. As all religious places in Iran, separate entrance for men and for women.
- Tajrish Square: Quite far from the center, the main two attractions of this square are the bazaar and the big shrine, especially the shrine, impressive both from the outside and from the inside. Quite close to the square you have the Saadabad palace, which we tried to visit but the guard gave us totally different prices from the ones written at the entrance, so we decided we didn't like the idea of beig ripped-off and we left. The palace is huge and they make you pay a different price for every place to visit inside it, supposedly 50000 rials, but that guy said it was 50000 toman, ten times more.
- Felestin square mosque: Worth a visit especially at night, when it is lit in different colors. Actually it looks like a disco from the outside.
- Azadi square: The Azadi monument is to Tehran as the Eiffel Tower is to Paris. When you see it, it gives you an idea of the differnces between the two cities. You can easily skip the trip to Azadi square and this monument and spend your time somewhere more interesting.
Besides these places, Tehran have some palaces, as Golestan or Niavaran Palaces, some gardens and the Imam Khomeini Shrine, some 34 km south of the city. We didn't visit these places, so no opinion about them.
Accomodation
If you are looking for cheap accomodation, your best bet is going to Imam Khomeini square and walk along Amir Kabir street and the side streets. First night we stayed at Ayran Hotel for some 700000 rials. the place was quite ok but the people n charge of it were not, so we decided to move for the remaining nights to Hostel Mashhad, quite a shitty place but really cheap (200000 rials per person) and the owner is very friendly. Even if they say there is internet, it only works right next to the router, the place is old and a bit smelly, but definetely the cheapest option in Tehran.
Food & Drink
As in most of Iran, you have different options: kebab, pizza, hamburger, kebab, pizza, hamburger, kebab, pizza and hamburger. Not enough options? You can also have sandwiches and enjoy the fast food places in town. Really, they have an issue with food. Iranian people don't go dine outside and the only places you find are fast food places selling the same things: kebab, pizza, hamburger. Kebabs are not good, pizzas don't even try them and hamburgers are probably the most decent thing to eat, together with sandwiches.
Another problem is to find places to eat. In Tehran the streets are like theme streets: one street full of shoe shops, another full of electronic stuff, another one of lamps... and literally there are no other things than these, so finding a place to eat sometimes is a real challenge.
Very disappointed with Iranian food.
Another problem is to find places to eat. In Tehran the streets are like theme streets: one street full of shoe shops, another full of electronic stuff, another one of lamps... and literally there are no other things than these, so finding a place to eat sometimes is a real challenge.
Very disappointed with Iranian food.
Transportation
We came to Tehran from Yerevan after a 21 hour VIP bus that dropped us at the West Bus Terminal, from where you can take the metro.
The second time we came to Tehran from Shiraz after an 11 hour VIP bus which dropped us at the North Terminal, also connected by metro.
To get out to the city we went to the South Terminal (also by metro) to get to Kashan and to Qom.
To move around the city you have the metro, but try to avoid taking it between 8 and 10 in the morning. At these times it is totally crowded and you will have to let a couple of trains go because it is impossible to fit. Once you get inside it, you'll be feeling like sardines and you'll have difficulties to move and breathe inside it. At other times, the metro is quite ok and dirt cheap to travel by. Be aware that the front and the back of the trains are reserved to women. Men cannot go there but women can choose wether to go there or to go to the men area.
Other options you have to move around Tehran are taxis. Private ones means you hire the taxi for yourself and you go wherever you tell the driver. Of course it will be quite expensive. The best option is to use shared taxis, you'll find them all over Tehran and you just shout your destination to the driver when he stops by you. If he's going that direction, you can jump in the car and you shouldn't pay more than 2000 rials for a ride.
Finally, minibuses are also a good and cheap option to move around. At a price of 1000 rials you can get to your destination. They have fixed routes, so just make sure the minibus goes to your destination.
The second time we came to Tehran from Shiraz after an 11 hour VIP bus which dropped us at the North Terminal, also connected by metro.
To get out to the city we went to the South Terminal (also by metro) to get to Kashan and to Qom.
To move around the city you have the metro, but try to avoid taking it between 8 and 10 in the morning. At these times it is totally crowded and you will have to let a couple of trains go because it is impossible to fit. Once you get inside it, you'll be feeling like sardines and you'll have difficulties to move and breathe inside it. At other times, the metro is quite ok and dirt cheap to travel by. Be aware that the front and the back of the trains are reserved to women. Men cannot go there but women can choose wether to go there or to go to the men area.
Other options you have to move around Tehran are taxis. Private ones means you hire the taxi for yourself and you go wherever you tell the driver. Of course it will be quite expensive. The best option is to use shared taxis, you'll find them all over Tehran and you just shout your destination to the driver when he stops by you. If he's going that direction, you can jump in the car and you shouldn't pay more than 2000 rials for a ride.
Finally, minibuses are also a good and cheap option to move around. At a price of 1000 rials you can get to your destination. They have fixed routes, so just make sure the minibus goes to your destination.
Safety
As in the whole Iran, you won't have any problem with people. But in Tehran the most dangerous thing is walking on the street and crossing streets. Motorbikes drive on the sidewalks, yes, on the sidewalks, so you cannot feel safe anywhere. When crossing a road, just walk slowly and firmly and you will make it, otgherwise you will be waiting forever, as vehicles don't understand any rules. Motor vehicles have always preference over people, so you have to be careful every time you try to cros a street. You'll see quite a lot of policemen directing the traffic, but they are totally useless, so just walk firmly and you'll make your way to the other side of the street.
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