No more ban on foreign travelers riding big motorcycles

TEHRAN - Foreign travelers with motorcycle above 250cc are now allowed to enter and ride in Iran, deputy tourism chief has said.

Silk Road a suitable opportunity to introduce ancient Iran

TEHRAN – The possible inscription of the ancient Silk Road on the UNESCO World Heritage list will open up a suitable opportunity for Iran to present its cultural, literary, historical and scientific achievements to the world, the secretary general of the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO has said.

Archaeologists shed light on early settlement eras of Iran’s Manujan

TEHRAN – A team of Iranian archaeologists has found ancient relics and evidence that could shed new light on early settlement eras of Manujan county in southeastern Kerman province.

By Afshin Majlesi

The ancient art of making ships in southern Iran

TEHRAN – Maritime trade, shipping and shipbuilding have long been practiced in Iran. There have been many small or big shipyards across the northern coasts of the Persian Gulf.

Yazd festival offering local Iranian dishes

TEHRAN – A wide variety of dishes, indigenous to many corners of Iran, are being offered to visitors under one roof in the city of Yazd, central Iran.

UNESCO-tagged Bisotun hosting workshop for tour guides

TEHRAN – Iran’s UNESCO-tagged Bisotun is hosting a 5-day professional workshop for tourist guides as the country is trying its best to draw more sightseers.

By Afshin Majlesi, Mehdi Sepahvand

Belgian globetrotters share us their new perception of Iran

TEHRAN – Last Monday, a Belgian couple, who are on an overland journey to China, paid a visit to The Tehran Times, where they let us share their views, experiences and feelings about Iran in a cozy chat with the daily.

China’s Song Tao visits National Museum of Iran

TEHRAN – Song Tao, the head of the International Liaison Department of the Communist Party of China, toured the National Museum of Iran on Tuesday.

Antiquities recovered from illegal diggers in western Iran

TEHRAN – Iranian authorities have recently confiscated nine pieces of historical relics form a gang of illegal diggers and antique dealers in Lorestan province, western Iran, Mehr reported on Monday.

Over 300,000 visits to Kermanshah sites recorded

TEHRAN – More than 300,000 travelers visited major historical sites across Kermanshah province during the first four months of the current Iranian calendar year (started March 21).

By Afshin Majlesi

Iran’s ‘Lilliput’ may be your upcoming travel destination!

TEHRAN – South Khorasan is somewhat known for its ancient windmills, however, tourism authorities of the eastern province are making efforts to put one of its mysterious villages, commonly known as Iran’s ‘Lilliput’, on the tourist map of the region.

Visa-free stay for Chinese travelers extended to 21 days

TEHRAN – Visa-free validity for Chinese visitors to Iran has been extended from a previously announced 15 days to 21 days, deputy tourism chief Vali Teymouri said, Mehr reported on Tuesday. 

Parthian-era citadel to undergo restoration

TEHRAN – The crumbling Narin citadel, which is said to date from the time of Parthian Empire (247 BC – 224 CE), is about to undergo renovation set to last two months and cost 910 million rials (about $22,000), CHTN reported on Sunday. 

From labyrinthine bazaars to nomadic landscapes: Feel Iran on walking tours

To offer tourists with new experiences and fresh points of view, a number of tour operators have developed a range of creative “off-the-beaten-track” tours and activities in Iran, in order to explore new tastes of the ancient land, ISNA reported in a recent article.

Iranian flatbread inseparable from three-course meals in Kuwait

TEHRAN – Iranian flatbread has long been a permanent guest at Kuwaiti tables.

By Afshin Majlesi

Iran travel sector: Ups and downs since U.S. reimposed sanctions

TEHRAN – Last November, the Trump administration reinstated sanctions on Iran, mainly the ones that had been lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal, in order to batter Iran’s economy, however, according to official data, they have so far failed to lessen foreign arrivals to the Islamic Republic.

By Afshin Majlesi

Islamic architecture? Sure, but Na’in’s old mosque offers so much more

Well regarded for its hospitable people, handicrafts, and ancient qanats (manmade subterranean aqueducts that brings water from the mountains), Na’in dates back to nearly 2000 years, which makes it one of the oldest continuously settled towns in the Iranian plateau.

Preliminary studies start on fossilized skull found in western Iran

TEHRAN – Preliminary studies have been started on pieces of a fossilized skull, which was untethered earlier in western Iran. The skull is attributed to Homo sapiens.

Iraqi arrivals in Iran gaining momentum

TEHRAN - The number of Iraqi nationals visiting Iran is gaining momentum this year as the Islamic Republic endeavors to boost its tourism revenues in the face of U.S.-led sanctions. 

15% rise in visits to historical sites in Rey

TEHRAN – Visits to historical sites in Rey surged 15 percent during the first three months of the current Iranian calendar year (started March 21) compared to the same period a year earlier.

Summer festival to highlight rural heritage in Gilan

TEHRAN – Gilan province is to hold a summer festival, which turns the spotlight on rural heritage, traditions, arts and architecture in the northern province.

Rare dovetail-joints found in UNESCO-tagged Pasargadae

TEHRAN – Personnel of Pasargadae have recently found two rare dovetail-joints, which used to attach massive stone slabs, pillars and columns in the UNESCO World Heritage site that was once the capital of the Achaemenid Empire under Cyrus the Great (559–530 BC), who ordered its construction.

Exhibit to explore ethno-culture of nomadic life in southwest Iran

TEHRAN – A festival featuring nomadic life, traditions, arts, handicrafts and souvenirs is to open today in Yasuj, the capital of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, southwest Iran.

Tehran to host loan exhibit from Spanish museum

TEHRAN – The National Museum of Iran is set to host a loan exhibit from Spain’s Archeological Museum of Alicante (MARQ).

UNESCO lists Iraq’s Babylon as World Heritage site

TEHRAN - The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has added the sprawling Mesopotamian city of Babylon to its World Heritage list, boosting Iraq’s hopes of reviving its battered tourism industry.

Iran’s Hyrcanian Forest named UNESCO World Heritage site

UNESCO on Friday designated Iran’s vast Hyrcanian Forest as a World Heritage site, making it the second such Iranian natural site after Lut Desert, which was granted the tag in 2016.

“Tabriz event establishes synergy between tourism and handicrafts”

TEHRAN – The Iranian city of Tabriz is concurrently playing host to the 9th National Handicrafts Exhibition and the 1st Tourism Exhibition which is described by the deputy tourism chief as a “synergetic” approach to link traveling with souvenirs and handicrafts.

Atmospheric caravanserai being restored to former glory

TEHRAN – The third round of a restoration work has recently been commenced on Hojaib caravanserai with the aim of bringing the atmospheric inn to its former glory.

Ancient fort in southern Tehran to turn into outdoor museum

TEHRAN – The ruined Gabri fort, which is said to date from Sassanid era, will be turned into an outdoor museum, an official with the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization said on Tuesday, IRNA reported.

Tirgan, a feast in honor of rain

Tirgan (also known as Jashn-e Tirgan) is a time-honored Iranian festival usually observed as a rain festival. Tiragan, along with Noruz, Yalda Night and Mehregan are amongst feasts widely celebrated in the ancient land.