Women-Friendly Travel in Tehran
The Tehran women-friendly travel guide places explicit women-friendly and family confidence signals first, while keeping uncertain details visible for review.
Tehran
What to do with Children in Tow
Tehran isn’t too child-friendly overall but there are a few activities that would amuse and entertain the kids.
Tehran
Sarkis Cathedral
built in the late 1960s, this is a very conspicuous non-Islamic building in Tehran. It is surrounded by the Armenian quarter and a few other church buildings. Telephone: 8889 7980
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Reza Abbasi Museum
a tad further north-east from the centre of town, it contains beautiful ancient calligraphy, pottery and jewellery. Telephone: 863 001, open only on Saturdays
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Azadi Square and Tower
the landmark and icon of Tehran, the Azadi tower is located to the west of the city. Its unique shape and surrounding parks and museum make it a tourist drawcard. Built in 1971 to commemorate the 2500th year of the Persian empire.
Tehran
National Museum of Iran
located near Imam Khomeini square, is a treasure trove of interesting articles from Iran’s rich history. Telephone: 6670 2061 6
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Milad Tower
Only a short metro ride north of the city is the Milad tower which features a 435m radio and satellite antenna, a viewing deck, a revolving restaurant and a sky dome. It is the tallest concrete tower in Iran and has an octagonal base, symbolic of Persian architecture.
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Tandiss shopping center
it is a hive of activity with stores of designer brands, restaurants and entertainment. Its opening hours are 9am -10pm on weekdays and 10am -10pm on weekends.
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Tajrish Bazaar
can provide an interesting outing for the whole family. It is beautifully built in the architechtural style of old Persia and houses stalls that sell absolutely everything.
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The mausoleum of Imam Zadeh Saleh
is also worthy of a visit. The beautiful mosque dates back to the 8th century AD.
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Golestan Palace and Gardens
is a beautiful complex of monuments built by the Qajar ruler Nasser al-Din Shah in the Imam Khomeini Square area. Also known as the palace of Roses, it houses some of Iran’s oldest buildings; serving primarily as a museum and home to ancient artefacts. There are several museums in the complex, and tickets must be bought for each separately. The marble throne verandah, Shams-Al Emarat (the palace of the Shah with its majestic furniture) and the Neghar Kane (a gallery of Qajar artworks) are definitely highlights. It was built during the reign of the Safavid dynasty (1502-1736) and has also been home to the royal family during the time of the Shah. It is open 9am-2pm daily
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Muzeh-ye Post Museum
this free museum is located just off Imam Khomeini Street and is open 8am-4pm on weekdays. It is also known as the telephone, post and telegraph ministry museum and displays a large collection of stamps and memorabilia.
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National Jewels Museum
a definite highlight of any amount of time spent in Tehran, this museum houses a vast array of jewels and jewellery enough to boggle anyone’s mind as to their value. Admission is 30000 IR, and it is open 2pm-4:30pm Saturdays-Tuesdays. It is located in the basement of the Bank Melli on Ferdosi street, just north of Imam Khomeini square. The massive collection of jewels come from the Shahs of the Safavid times who went to the farthest reaches of the, then unknown, world to obtain them. The largest uncut diamond in the world, the Kiani crown, the globe of jewels and the peacock throne are spectacular. Waiting for a guided tour is also worth it, as the descriptions on the items are often short and/or not in English.
Tehran
US den of espionage
the building itself is closed to visitors (very rarely, the museum is opened between the 1st and 10th of February) but the southern walls contain interesting murals and finding out about its history can be fascinating. The building is now used by the military so do not take any photos in the vicinity. It is located at the corner of Taleqani and Mofatteh streets and is right next to the Taleqani metro station.
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Iranian Photographer’s Centre
shows an interesting slice of Persian art and is a good place to meet Iranian photographers. The gallery is beautifully displayed and there is an adjoining shop which sells photographic equipment. Telephone: 8889 5054
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Shah Abbasi caravansary
close to the bazaar, it was the traditional residential area of the traders who would come to sell their wares. The architecture is still intact.
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Toghrol Tower
The Seljuk king Toghrol had this monument built in the 12th century when Rey was the capital of Persia.
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Glass and Ceramics Museum
located at No. 75, 30 Tir St, in the Tajrish Sq Area, this interesting collection is extremely well laid out and displayed. The shop on the ground floor sells a guidebook to the exhibits. The collections are varied and eclectic and the buildings themselves are quite beautiful. It was built in the time of the Qajar Shahs as a private residence and was previously used as an embassy for Egypt.
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Rey Bazaar
a smaller version of the one in downtown Tehran, it is about 500 years old and traditionally sold spices, herbs and commercial goods as part of the silk road.