Isfahan Tours are not complete without visiting Naqsh-e Jahan Square! The rectangular Naqsh-e Jahan Square is 560 meters long and 160 meters wide (440 feet long and 160 feet wide) and is located in the beating heart of Isfahan, both locational and practical. This amazing square, inscribed on the UNESCO list, is surrounded by two hundred stores and four magnificent buildings of Ali Qapu, the Shah Mosque, Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, and Qaisarie Gate. During the reign of Shah Abbas the Great and his successors, the square was a place for polo, army parades, fireworks, and various royal celebrations, also a place for people to walk, do business, and socialize. We will walk around the square and visit the historical sites around it based on your selection. Then, we eat lunch in one of the traditional restaurants there. After lunch, you have time to visit Isfahan Bazaar and see how Isfahan artists produce handicrafts. In the evening, we can spend time in Chah Haj Mirza tea house which dates back to the Safavid period and looks like a museum. On the walls of this coffee house, full of antiques, there are relics of the days of Ta’ziyeh performing, Shahnameh reading, and narration. In the past, people interested in various ceremonies such as Muharram, reading Shahnameh and reciting Taziyeh, donated items such as spears, beds (wooden boards), swords, iron hats, precious stones, paintings, iron armor, etc. to this coffee house. You can eat nice teas, doogh and Gooshfil, and delicious Dizi. Naqsh-e Jahan Square is a must-see on Isfahan tours.

If you wish to visit Naqshe Jahan Square by yourself, this tour, which covers other important sites of Isfahan tours, is suitable for you. Isfahan is Iran’s masterpiece, one of the finest cities in the Islamic world. It is interesting to know that Isfahan has been called Half the World by both Iranians and foreigners during the last four centuries, due to its breathtaking beauty. On this tour, we will visit Jame Mosque of Isfahan (the UNESCO World Heritage Site), the Grand Bazaar of Isfahan, Hakim Mosque, three old bridges of Isfahan (Si-o-se Pol, Khaju, and Shahrestan bridges),  Chehelsotun  (the UNESCO World Heritage Site), and Hasht Behesht palaces. At the end of this tour, if you like, you can visit the Isfahan Music Museum as well.

During the reign of Shah Abbas I, a new phase of war began between the Safavids and the Ottoman empires. In 1601, the Safavid army was forced to draw back and prevent the Ottoman army from crossing the southern part of the Aras River. Shah Abbas ordered the evacuation of all the residential neighborhoods located in the Ararat plateau and the Nakhchivan region. As a result, an obligatory migration was organized and Armenians were settled in different regions of Iran, including Gilan, Mazandaran, Hamedan, Kashan, Fereydan, Chaharmahal-va-Bakhtiari, Shiraz, and Isfahan. We start our Isfahan Armenian churches tour by visiting Vank Cathedral (Vank Church) built at the climax of Islamic architecture. Vank became the meeting place of the world of Biblical paintings and the world of lovely domes. Then, we will explore the beautiful church of Saint Mary in the Jolfa quarter dating back to 1613. After that, we will visit Hakoup Church, the first church of Armenians in Isfahan dating back to 1604. After leaving the Hakoup and Saint Mary churches, you can spend a little time in Julfa Square. You can drink coffee in one of the coffee shops around the square. At the end of the tour, we will visit the magnificent Church of Bethlehem dating back to 1627.

Spending time in a local family’s home, and learning how to cook Iranian traditional food is an excellent way to experience life in Isfahan. That is why we are going on a Persian Culinary Tour in Isfahan, the city of glamorous Islamic art and architecture. It is also the gate to a world of rich culture and delicious food. We will start our culinary tour with a walk around the Grand Bazaar of Isfahan. After we have got all the fresh ingredients we need, we will start our Persian cooking class back in our host’s house. There, we will try our hands at being Iranian chefs while the host is telling us the secrets of getting them right. After the delightful experience, we will enjoy the super tasty meal we have made.

Iran has been known historically as the center of handmade carpets. Isfahan, specifically, has a rich regional heritage of carpet making, and handmade Persian carpets are inseparable parts of Isfahan tours. Today, we have a tour of the process of carpet weaving that will give you one of the best experiences you can have during your travel to Iran. Hand-woven Carpets is a traditional Persian art. The originality of Persian carpets or Iranian Rugs dates back to about 2,500 years ago. Iranians were among the pioneer weavers of the carpets of ancient civilizations, and over the centuries, creativity and genius achieved a degree of great perfection in this field. Carpet weaving skills are passed down through generations as a highly protected family secret. Persian carpets are hand-knotted with warp and weft of different materials such as cotton, wool, or silk. They have been woven by love and great artistry to create patterns with balancing colors and earthy undertones.  You will start your experience in the weaving room with an expert, explaining the process of how each carpet is created. You will see firsthand, how much time and skill it takes to make each rug, as well as meet a few Iranian women who take part in the carpet hand weaving.

Abyaneh and Natanz are usually among the popular destinations on most Isfahan tours. You will be picked up from your hotel at 08:00. Just two hours away from Isfahan, you can reach the historical city of Natanz. We will have a visit to the Jame Mosque of Natanz, then, the ceramic factory, and continue to Abyaneh Village, situated at the slope of the Karkas Mountain. This village only counts a mere 350 residents. Yet it is highly popular among both national and international visitors due to its unique location, history, and typical multi-store houses made of red clay. The streets are so small that you won’t find any vehicles around. The elderly villagers still walk around in their traditional dress. The village has an ethnology museum, where you can see some tools, clothes, and utensils that show some of the 2500-year-old history of this place. Besides, you can visit the old mosque and walk to the Palahamoona Fort (Takht-e-Haman) on the hill opposite the village, which offers a spectacular view of the village with the mountain in the background. According to your program, we can either drive to Tehran or back to Isfahan.

Kashan is usually included in most Isfahan tours. After breakfast, we drive to Kashan. Kashan is one of the oldest and most beautiful cities in Iran. The city is packed with historical places, great 18^th-century architecture, one of Iran’s most unique bazaars, and offers great trips within a close distance. In fact, most sights are within walking distance of each other, making it quite easy to navigate your way around! We start our visit with Tabatabaei House known for its courtyards, amazingly detailed, overall present stucco-work, and tall windwards, designed to keep designated rooms cool during a burning hot summer. Then, we will visit Borujerdi House, constructed in 1857 on the order of a wealthy merchant. It took eighteen years and 150 craftsmen to build this beauty. It is also equipped with three wind towers to make the place unusually cool during the summer. The house features plasterwork similar to that of the Tabatabaei House but has a dazzling dome that might just leave you speechless. Then we will visit The Hammam of Sultan Amir Ahmad, a 16^th-century traditional bathhouse that used to be open to the public. A narrow passage leads to a large octal-shaped chamber that used to be the dressing room and a place for relaxation and socialization. Then, we will pay a visit to Fin Garden which is listed as a UNESCO heritage for its great historical importance. It was in this garden where Amir Kabir, the beloved prime minister in the Qajar era, was murdered at the order of the Shah! A story full of conspiracy and personal interests leads to the tragic death of this man, who is known to be one of the first reformers of Iran. In the end, based on your program, we can drive either to Tehran or back to Isfahan.

The desert has tranquility that may not be found in any of the other views of nature. Where you can see a panoramic view of the sand dunes, full of silence and calm. That is why the deserts are popular destinations in most Isfahan tours.
Although Iran has many deserts, but Varzaneh Desert, located one hundred kilometers east of Isfahan, is one of the best deserts you can see during your trip to Iran. This desert is full of sand dunes where you can experience the excitement of speeding on these hills while riding off-road cars. At night in this desert, you can see a magical sky, a black curtain where thousands of bright stars shimmer. The stars shine so beautifully that you can watch them for so long, they seem so close to the ground that you can even touch them.
What makes Varzaneh different from other deserts in the country is the multi-side winds that give sand dunes different shapes, such as longitudinal, crescent, and pyramidal sand dunes, and create unique landscapes.
At the heart of the desert, you can experience unique leisure activities such as sandboarding, off-road, motorcycling, camel riding, and taking pictures of beautiful landscapes that are not found anywhere else.

Isfahan is considered as a hub for crafts and folk art. Its creative sector comprises the country’s most specialized craft people in 167 different disciplines, including carpet weaving, metalwork, woodwork, ceramics, painting, and inlay works of various kinds. According to Isfahan Territorial Planning, at least 9,000 craft and folk art workshops and enterprises contribute to the Isfahan economy, the majority of which are located in the historical Naqsh-e Jahan Square, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979 and dedicated to the sector. Our art classes in Isfahan are suitable for artists of all levels, from the very beginners looking to explore their creativity to the professionals searching for new concepts and challenges. Isfahan art workshops are an excellent way for people of all ages to learn a new skill in a constructive, fun, and non-judgmental environment. You can benefit from attending our art workshops in Isfahan, like jewelry making, Persian tile ceramic painting, calligraphy, miniature painting, classical Persian music instruments, mirror working, traditional ghalamkar fabric printing, etc. Isfahan tours are the best opportunities for getting familiar with Iranian art.

The Matin Abad eco-camp and organic farm is located 60 km from the city of Kashan and 169 Km from Isfahan, two major tourist cities in central Iran. The eco-resort is in the heart of an Iranian desert, with one side facing the highest central mountains of Iran, the Karkas Mountains, and the other side facing the Dasht-e Kvir Desert and a salt lake. If you are in Isfahan and want to go to Kashan or Tehran, on the way you can visit this eco-camp. If you like you can stay one night in this camp as well. Tourists can enjoy a variety of attractions like wild nature, star observation, camel riding, bicycle riding, and desert trekking. On the way to Matinabad, you can visit Natanz, Iran’s historic and central garden city, in Isfahan province, between Isfahan and Kashan roads, famous for its pleasant climate and natural products as well as remarkable historical sites, like the Jameh Mosque of Natanz. The variety of climate in this city is very interesting as one of the most beautiful deserts of central Iran.

After breakfast, we drive to Yazd. En route, we will visit Naein City which is located 150 kilometers far from Isfahan. Nain City was a connection between the three cities of Kashan, Isfahan, and Yazd. It also used to have a great position for trading carpets. We will stop firstly to visit Jame mosque of Naein which is among the oldest mosques in Iran and is still in use. It is believed that the mosque’s foundation dates back to the 9th century. Then, we continue to Yazd with a stop at Meybod city. We will eat lunch at Meybod Caravanserai. After lunch, we will visit the water reservoir and Narin Castle, and after that, Meybod Ice House and Meybod Pigeon Tower. If you like, on the way to Yazd, you can buy Sesame Halva which is one of the most favorite desserts in Iran. At the end of the day, you will be transferred to your hotel in Yazd.