Shiraz Cooking Tour is one of the most popular Shiraz tours among tourists who travel to Iran. This tour will teach you how to cook Kalam Polo Shirazi (local cuisine) after joining your local tour guide in Shiraz to talk about the food habits and food culture of Shiraz. We will visit the local market to meet vendors who have been there for generations, take you to the backstreets of the bazaar, and introduce you to the most exquisite ingredients used in this part of Iran. Kalam Polo is the most popular local food in Shiraz. Other popular local foods in Shiraz include Shekar Polo, Dopiyazeh Alu, Lari Kebab, Ash Sabzi, and Ash Kardeh.  Discover the secrets of the Persian kitchen on a Shiraz Culinary Tour, get a taste of Iranian hospitality on a Night Gathering with an Iranian Family, or mingle with Persians in vibrant historical bazaars while spicing your way up with street food on a Shiraz cooking Tour!

At 08:00 in the morning, you will be picked up and given a drive to Pasargadae. This Shiraz tour starts by visiting Pasargadae, one of the oldest residences of the Achaemenid kings, the first dynastic capital of the Achaemenid Empire, and another UNESCO World Heritage Site of Iran. Pasargadae is one of Iran’s top destinations included in most Shiraz tours. The area consists of significant palaces, gardens, and monuments. You will visit the Tomb of Cyrus the Great, the founder of the Achaemenid Empire. Cyrus also proclaimed the world’s first charter of human rights. After conquering the city of Babylon, he freed the slaves, gave people the right to choose their religion, and established racial equality. Then, we will drive to Abarkooh for sightseeing. We will visit the ancient living Abarkooh cypress tree (4500 years old) in Abarkooh. Old trees in any region are the symbol of archaism and tell the truth that appropriate weather and nice conditions are quite helpful to lead a long life. Abarkooh Icehouse is the next attraction to which we will visit. Then, we will visit Aghzadeh Mansion which is not only a beautiful Persian house but also home to the most extraordinary badgir (wind-catcher) in the world! During your trip to Iran, you may have seen it depicted on many posters or pieces of art around you. In fact, you can even check your wallet to see if it is there! If you have a 20,000 IRR bill, from after 2015, then you will be able to see the facade of this mansion on it! The Qajar Era mansion encompasses a whopping 820 square meters of the area on the 851 square meter property. In its time, it belonged to Seyed Hossein Abarghui, a well-known and wealthy lord in Abarkooh. Then, we will drive to Yazd with a short stop to see Eagle Mountain. After that, you will be transferred to your hotel in Yazd.

If you are interested in visiting nomads and experiencing their lifestyle, this nomad tour, which is not covered by most Shiraz tours, would be a good option for you. Qashqai Nomads in Iran are a group of people who travel and move from one place to another along with their tribe, family, and all their belongings. Nomadism is the tribal lifestyle and their economy is based on herding. Shifting from one place to another and moving as a large group are the most important aspects of Nomadic life. Nomads move to Yeylagh (cooler countryside) in summer and back to Gheshlagh (warmer areas) in winter annually and shift with the seasons. Iran’s Nomadic one-day tour is an opportunity to visit these great Nomads. You will be picked up from your hotel in Shiraz, given a drive to the mountains, and meet the Qashqai family. You will experience their lifestyle and taste their food, see their style of animal herding, and understand their customs on this Shiraz tour. If you are interested in long-term Nomadic tours of Iran you can see other tours here.

Experience the beauty of Shiraz, one of the most enchanting cities in Iran, on one of the most popular Shiraz tours. Shiraz is known for its rich cultural history, magnificent architecture, and warm hospitality. During our Shiraz City Tour, you will be accompanied by an English-speaking tour guide, so you will have the opportunity to visit a variety of remarkable attractions that showcase the city’s unique heritage. You will visit historical sites based on your selection such as Qavam House, Zinat ol Molk House, Khan School, Pink Mosque (Nasir al-Mulk Mosque), Shahcheragh Holy Shrine, Vakil Bazaar, Vakil Bath, Vakil Mosque, Arg of Karim Khan, Delgosha Garden, Jahan Nama Garden, Eram Garden (one of the 9 UNESCO Persian Gardens), Afifabad Garden, Tomb of Hafez, and Tomb of Sa’adi– the two of greatest Persian poets.

Shiraz is one of the oldest cities of ancient Persia. This city is known as the city of poets, literature, wine, gardens, flowers, and nightingales. Shiraz is a leading center of arts and literature and was the capital of Persia during the Zand dynasty, the remnants of that era will be visited in this tour. Shiraz tours would not be comprehensive without walking city tours. So, if you are interested in walking, we will visit 5 major sites of the Zand dynasty on this Walking Shiraz Tour. First, we will start with Arg-e Karim Khani (Karimkhan’s residence), and then we continue to a mansion that used to be called Kolah Farangy (foreign hat) building because it seems to be like what people used to know as a foreign hat. It has been converted into what is called the Pars Museum today. Karimkhan used to meet with the dignitaries both inside and outside Iran who came to his court for official visits. Now, it is the exhibition of exquisite Qurans, lacquer-painted boxes, beautiful paintings, etc. among other stunning objects that invite visitors to spend some time there to appreciate Iranian art. Then, we will visit Vakil Mosque. From a far distance, it easily invites you to its colorful celebration of striking glazed tiles bearing beautiful floral patterns. After that, we will visit Vakil Hammam. This public bath is a few meters to the west of Vakil Mosque. You will find the interesting architecture of the Zand Era as well as the tasteful decoration of the cultural authorities of Shiraz in it. The wax statues of people from all walks of life living during that period tell you more about life in 18th-century Iran. You will learn about different parts of a typical public bath as it used to be. A walking tour of Shiraz without going to its Vakil Bazaar is not complete. The northern one is the section where most of the local people go for shopping necessary items of an ordinary lower-middle-class family. It has its own charm as well. You will be amazed by the fascinating high-arched ceilings of Vakil Bazaar in the Southern section. Soon after you enter, there is a Chaharsoo, a dome with four directions underneath. It gives you an idea of the passageways crossing the main one offering similar items, workshops, warehouses, etc. Proceed to the end of this passageway and you will see dozens of fabric stores selling glittering materials usually Qashqai nomads who go to Shiraz to buy their traditional costumes. At the end of the bazaar, turn left and walk less than 10 meters to find an entrance on the left that leads to the astonishing set of stores offering Iranian traditional handicrafts from Persian carpets to enamel works, from inlaid wood-works to copper-made items, etc. This colorful place is called Sara-ye-Moshir. This section is an impressive part of the bazaar easily distinguishable for its charming tile works and the pool in the middle of its courtyard. There are several traditional restaurants in Vakil Bazaar where you can eat lunch like Saray-e Mehr, saray-e Hoz, Golbahari Pavilion, and Sharzeh.

Persepolis , Pasargadae, and Naqshe Rostam Tour

This tour includes three of the top destinations in Iran, often included on Shiraz tours. The tour starts by visiting Pasargadae, one of the oldest residences of the Achaemenid kings, the first dynastic capital of the Achaemenid Empire, and another UNESCO World Heritage Site of Iran. The area consists of significant palaces, gardens, and monuments. You will visit the Tomb of Cyrus the Great, the founder of the Achaemenid Empire. Cyrus also proclaimed the world’s first charter of human rights. After conquering the city of Babylon, he freed the slaves, gave people the right to choose their religion, and established racial equality. The next stop will be the Royal Necropolis of Naqsh-e Rostam where four powerful kings of the Achaemenid Empire expect your arrival. There are four colossal tombs carved into the side of the rocky cliff, above each, there is a panel with a relief. The main relief above the Tomb of Darius I indicates the power of the Achaemenid Empire, as the entire scene is supported by throne bearers that represent the 28 nations ruled by him. Below the tombs, you can see Sasanian rock reliefs which vary in subject; the most important one exhibits the triumph of Shapur I over the Roman emperor Valerian and Philip the Arab. Then, it is lunchtime. We will eat lunch and continue our tour by visiting Persepolis, the capital of the Achaemenid Empire, and also a showplace for the receptions and festivals. The city is located in a flat raised area and was built by Darius I and completed by his successors. Persepolis is one of Iran’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In the end, we will back to your hotel in Shiraz.

At 08:30 a.m., you will be picked up and given a drive to Maharloo Lake, or Pink Lake, which is one of the most beautiful attractions in Fars province. It is especially considered by nature lovers due to its beautiful color. The pink color of this lake is due to the existence of a kind of microscopic organism whose number increases in some seasons of the year which makes the pink color of the lake more impressive. Since the water of Maharloo Lake is very salty it is also called the salt lake. In some parts of the lake, facilities have been built for salt extraction. The source of the water supply of this lake comes from the two seasonal rivers and some springs around it. For this reason, the amount of water is greatly affected by the region’s rainfall. The average depth of this lake is shallow and it is not more than half a meter at its edge. After visiting and taking photos, we will back to Shiraz.

At 09:00 in the morning, you will be picked up from your hotel in Shiraz and given a drive to visit Bishapur (UNESCO heritage) which was an ancient city in Sasanid Persia (Iran) on the ancient road between Persis and Elam. The road linked the Sassanid capitals Estakhr (very close to Persepolis) and Ctesiphon. Then, we will visit Anahita Temple which is one of the most famous buildings in the ancient city of Bishapur. Just beside the ancient city of Bishapur, there are six bas reliefs of the Sassanid Era in Tang-e Chogan Valley. Some inscriptions of Sassanid kings on the four corners around a river in this valley are invaluable heritages. After that, we will visit Shapur Cave. In the Chowgan Valley (Chogan Valley), there is a rather large cave in which a huge statue of Shapour I (the second ruler of the Sasanid Empire) was carved. The length of the cave entrance is about 16 m, with a height of less than 8m. The height of the statue is 7m high, its shoulders are 2m wide, and its hands are 3m long. Behind the statue, in the depth of the cave, there are three ancient water basins. On both sides of the statue, the rock walls of the cave were prepared for relief by leveling, but the reliefs were never made. It is said that in addition to this giant statue of Shapour I, the tomb of this great man is also situated in this cave most probably. In the evening, you will be back to your hotel in Shiraz.

Meymand is the center of flower and rose water production in Fars province, southern Iran. Every year in April and May, many tourists travel to this spectacular region. During this beautiful Persian festival, tourists have the opportunity to watch the flower gardens and rituals such as flower-picking to bathe infants with rose petals, and rose water manufacturing.  The production of Nastaran (Rosa Canina) flowers in Iran is also unique to the city of Meymand. The area under cultivation of this flower is 300,000 hectares. If you are in Shiraz during April and May, we suggest you do not miss this tour.