Iran Culinary and Food Tour "Private" - 12 Days

After arriving at the capital of Iran, our representative is waiting for you at the airport to take you to your hotel. You can have a proper rest to feel fresh and get ready for the exciting day to come. 

The morning of your second day in Tehran starts with your first cooking class. The professional chef chose the recipes based on the season, and all the ingredients are fresh and ready. You just need to allow the aroma of Persian spices to enchant you and let the beauty of the meal that you made catch your eye. Then, when all the meals are ready, you can set the table, garnish the meals and invite everyone to a Persian gathering. 

After enjoying the food, you can go out to see the modern side of Tehran. Your first stop, Tabiat Bridge, is the manifest of modern Persian architectural design. This massive structure next to the lively forest park lets you reconnect with nature. 

Then, by visiting Tajrish Square, you can enjoy colorful and exotic Persian vegetables, and fruits besides watching the interesting daily life of people. Then, you have seen enough for a day and need to rest for another day full of excitement in Tehran.

You should wake up early in the morning to explore the city and see what the old and traditional parts of Tehran hold. You start your journey from the majestic Golestan Palace to see the rose patterns on the walls, get lost among the plaster columns, and find yourself in the mirror hall. Then, you can visit Tehran Grand Bazaar to witness the dynamic of life in those old alleys. The ancient and eastern structure of Bazaar and the bargaining people can remind you of old movies of Sindbad and Aladdin. 

Finally, your last stop of the day would be in the National Museum of Iran to see the history of this fantastic country and learn more about its culture. 

After that, get ready to fly to magical Shiraz. 

The first place to visit in Shiraz is Nasir-al Molk or the Pink Mosque. Going there early in the morning lets you enjoy the picturesque atmosphere of this place and take as many pictures as you want before watching the mosque get crowded. 

You will visit one of the most extraordinary historical buildings in Shiraz, the Karim Khan Citadel. After that, you can find your way to the exotic Vakil Bazaar to walk among different spices, colors, and fabrics and grasp every bit of Persian culture. 

By visiting the Vakil Mosque, you find yourself in a quiet and grand structure that defines beauty. Magic exists in every corner of this spiritual place to touch your heart. After walking out of the mosque, you can go to the Vakil Bathhouse to complete your journey in the Vakil complex and learn about the eastern and Iranian bathhouses.

After a restful night, you are now ready to start another exciting cooking class in Shiraz, but this time, you will learn how to prepare picnic food. People of Shiraz are famous for their lifestyle because they do not let any sadness stay long with them, and they always find a spot to go out and boost their energy. After making different dishes out of the freshest ingredients, you can have a Persian/Shirazi picnic and enjoy your meal. 

Nothing can be more relaxing than a relaxing walk in one of the most precious gardens in Shiraz called Eram Garden. You will get familiar with Persian Gardens and enjoy the delightful weather of Shiraz. Then, you visit the Tomb of Hafez and get familiar with his romantic masterpieces to see why Iranians, especially people of Shiraz have poetic spirits. Finally, you go back to your hotel room to rest and get ready for the road trip to the historical Yazd. 

You can name this part of your trip, a deep-diving into the history of Iran. On your way to the City of Windcatchers, you have some ancient places to explore. In Persepolis, you get to see the glory of Iran in these ancient ruins. The museum of Persepolis or Takht-e Jamshid teaches you more about Iran’s history. 

Then, you ride toward Naqsh-e Rostam to see the majestic tomb of Persian kings looking graceful even after their death. Your final stop before arriving at Yazd is Pasargadae, the eternal place of Cyrus the Great. Although there is nothing left of the mesmerizing garden around the tomb, the structure itself is glorious. 

Finally, you arrive at Yazd and have enough time to rest for the upcoming day. 

You start your first day in Yazd with an exciting cooking class with Zoroastrians to learn more about their cultures and food. You have the opportunity to discover old recipes and make exceptional food.

In the evening, as you continue your historical journey you see the tallest minarets in Iran in the Jameh Mosque of Yazd and enjoy the tilework of the structure. Then Amir Chakhmaq Complex gives you more information about the Islamic monuments in Yazd. 

You will leave Yazd for Isfahan, but before that, you should see the eternal fire in the Zoroastrian Fire Temple and get to know how Zoroastrians used to perform burial for their lost ones. Since soil is a sacred element in Zoroastrianism, people believed that they cannot corrupt it with corps. Therefore, the Tower of Silence or the Sky Burial was created. 

Now you can say goodbye to Yazd and travel toward Isfahan; however, Kharanaq is on your way to captivate you. This quaint village is famous for its mud-brick houses and shows you a different aspect of architecture. 

After an exciting day, you arrive at Isfahan and in your hotel room to have a sleep and get ready to explore the beauties of Isfahan. 

You have a whole day to visit Naqsh-e Jahan Square, walk around the big pool with a fountain in the middle of it and smell the freshly mown grass. When the fountains are off, you are able to see the reflection of the blue tiles in the pool which gives you a head start of the masterpieces you are going to see later. Naqsh-e Jahan square shows the main aspects of an Iranian’s life at that time. You can see Isfahan Bazaar on one side, which is the symbol of business. However, today, it is not only a bazaar, but all the narrow alleys and ancient walls of it also hold a rich history. 

Then the Ali Qapu shows its warm colors and delicate plaster works to introduce you to another aspect of Persian art. This place was used as the residence for the king, so you can see the glory of it even today. Also, you can visit two majestic mosques in the square, which show the importance of religion for people. Sheykh Lotfollah Mosque is on another level of beauty when it comes to tilework and design. On the other hand, the Shah Mosque captures your heart and puts an unforgettable image in your mind.

You wake up early to start your day with an exciting cooking class, where you learn how to prepare a full menu of local dishes. Cooking is all about knowing the precious old secrets, and the chefs will share them with you. When you have finished making the food, you will sit around and have a feast. 

After enjoying the food, it is time to walk on Isfahan’s famous bridges and get relaxed by the sound of water. You will visit Si-O Se Pol and Khajoo Bridge looking at the water moving under the bridges and get stunned by the architectural design of them. If you are lucky enough you will hear the sound of traditional music sung by Isfahani people. Hearing them sing in these bridges is not something to forget. 

Before heading to Tehran, there are two masterpieces that you need to see. When you go inside the Jameh Mosque of Isfahan, its grand yard and the mosque's majestic structure captivate you. You can go inside and find yourself in an empty space with plaster-work walls that look mysterious when the light shines on them. It is like a gothic atmosphere combined with Islamic art. 

Then Atiq Square takes you to the 11th century when it was the main square of the city before the Naqsh-e Jahan Square. Little old chambers around the big pools called “Hojreh” in Farsi show how popular this place was. 

After exploring these wonderful places, you get ready to travel to Tehran. 

After arriving at Tehran, you can have some sleep and dream about the magical places that you saw during your visit to Iran. Depending on your departure time, you can see more of Tehran and then go back to your home with many good memories from Iran.