Kashan to host children’s book festival 

TEHRAN – The central Iranian city of Kashan, Iran’s Book Capital of the Year, will host the First Festival of Books for Children and Young Adults opening on December 13.

 Tourism chief cuts ribbon on traditional guesthouses in Kashan

TEHRAN – Iran’s tourism chief Ali-Asghar Mounesan inaugurated three traditional guesthouses during his visit to the central city of Kashan on Thursday.

London conference calls for studies on Tappeh Sialk

TEHRAN – Tens of international scholars, archaeologists and historians called for further studies on Tappeh Sialk, which is one of the oldest and richest archaeological sites in central Iran.

Untapped potential: $450m annual exports of medicinal plants

TEHRAN – Exports of medicinal plants bring annually $450 million on average for Iran, however, the figure is low compared to the great potential of the medicinal plants market in the country, executive director of medicinal plants scheme affiliated to the Ministry of Agriculture, has said.

Rosewater festivals draw visitors to central Iran

TEHRAN – At this time each year, many rosewater distillation ceremonies are being commenced in central Iran, drawing thousands of visitors to Kashan and nearby cities and villages.

Kashan named Iran’s 2018 Book Capital

TEHRAN -- The central city of Kashan, famous for its rosewater, historical buildings, and carpets, was selected on Tuesday as Iran’s Book Capital for the Iranian calendar year of 1397 (March 20, 2018-2019).

Tehran-Abyaneh car rally to promote tourism

TEHRAN - The Touring and Automobile Club of Iran is organizing a vintage car rally, with an itinerary studded with a variety of tourist spots across Tehran and Isfahan provinces.

Isfahan a crossroads for ancient civilizations, traders: survey

TEHRAN – Fresh archaeological survey on newly-found prehistoric rock carvings in Isfahan suggest the central Iranian province has been a crossroads for civilizations and traders since 5,000 years ago.

Masjed-e Agha Bozorg: Gorgeous blend of Islamic, Persian architecture

TEHRAN – Masjed-e Agha Bozorg (Agha Bozorg Mosque) is simply one of many top destinations in central Iran that lure not only the faithful but travelers and architecture buffs.

Exquisite art of carpet weaving in Kashan

A woman in the central Iranian city of Kashan weaves a handmade carpet. Kashan carpets are well-known for their longevity, lavish textures, strong colors, and elaborate designs. The traditional skills of carpet weaving in Kashan was registered on UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010. Iran exported 5,700 tons of handmade carpets worth $359 million in the previous Iranian calendar year (March 2016-March 2017).

Ecolodge camp to cater for visitors to Maranjab Desert

TEHRAN – A massive ecolodge camp adjacent to Maranjab Desert will be completed by late November to fuel tourism boom in the popular destination that lies in Isfahan province, central Iran.

Shrine of Hilal ibn Ali: Well-worth destination while touring central Iran

TEHRAN - Each day hundreds of devoted Muslims along with domestic and foreign travelers visit the magnificent shrine of Hilal ibn Ali, which is located in Aran-Bidgol near Kashan, Isfahan province, central Iran.

Millennia-old Qalishuyan ritual observed in central Iran

TEHRAN – Millennia-old Qalishuyan ritual which has passed down from generations to generations was enormously observed on Friday by hundreds of faithful Shia Muslims who came together in Khaveh village of Mashhad-e Ardehal near Kashan, central Iran.

Boroujerdi-ha House lures travelers with plenty of traditional charm

A photo collection depicts parts of the interior and façade of Boroujerdi-ha House, a 19th-century merchant mansion in Kashan, central Iran.

Franco-Iranian production “Birds” landing on stage in Kashan 

TEHRAN – The French theater company La Nef - Manufacture d’utopies and the Fanous Art and Culture House from Iran have teamed up to stage a musical play based Persian poet Farid ud-Din Attar’s allegorical masterpiece “The Conference of the Birds”.

Kashan tourist arrivals rise 62% y/y

TEHRAN - The number of foreign tourists visiting the central city of Kashan rose 62 percent to 16,300 during April 4 to June 5 in comparison to the same period last year, IRNA reported on Saturday.

Rosewater festivals take center stage in central Iran

TEHRAN - Each spring rosewater distillation ceremonies, known as Golab-giri, take center stage in central Iran, drawing tens of thousands of visitors to the city of Kashan and its neighboring towns and villages from early May to mid-June.

Abyaneh village, open-air museum of living traditions

TEHRAN – Dominated with reddish hues and lost in labyrinth of heights, Abyaneh village is one of the oldest in Iran. It is an example of human adaptation to nature, wherein one can redraw the boundaries of time and feel a flavor of ancient Iranian culture and civilization.

Intl. tourists aboard Golden Eagle visit World Heritage sites in Iran

TEHRAN – On Saturday, a group of foreign tourists aboard a Golden Eagle luxury train, known as a 5-star hotel on wheels, visited three UNESCO World Heritage sites, which are scattered across Khuzestan Province in southwest Iran.

Bagh-e Fin, the very epitome of Persian Garden

TEHRAN – The richly manicured yet historical Fin Garden or Bagh-e Fin is located in the city of Kashan, on the margins of central Iranian desert.

Picture of the day

3rd all-Iranian container ship launched

TEHRAN - Kashan, the third container ship fully designed and built by Iran Shipbuilding and Offshore Industries Complex Company (ISOICO), was launched in the southern port of Bandar Abbas on Tuesday.