Iran travel guide

Getting there

Imam Khomeini International Airport near Tehran is the main gateway, with other international flights to Shiraz, Isfahan and Mashhad. Land borders connect with Turkey, Armenia and other neighbours, but check current conditions and travel advice.

Best time to visit: Mar–May and Sep–Nov – mild weather and blooming gardens in spring.

Tougher months: June to August in central and southern cities – temperatures soar, making sightseeing exhausting.

Weather by month in Tehran

• 8°J●
• 11°F●
• 17°M●
• 23°A●
• 29°M
• 35°J
• 37°J
• 36°A
• 32°S
• 25°O
• 16°N●
• 10°D●

Average daytime highs in °C; dots show how rainy the month is (one dot dry, three dots wet).

Time zone: Asia/Tehran. Compare with your local time.

Visas: in our passport dataset, 188 of 198 other passports can enter Iran without arranging a visa first (visa-free or visa on arrival), 0 need an e-visa or electronic authorisation, and 10 need a visa in advance. Check your passport.

Background: Visa policy of Iran (Wikipedia).

Official advisory: Level 4: Do Not Travel (U.S. Department of State, updated 2025-12-05). Read the advisory.

Source and more: Iran travel facts on RoamSun

Stay

Most trips to Iran are based around Isfahan, Shiraz or Yazd. Pick a base for your main interest, then add day trips rather than moving hotels every night.

Typical daily budget: about US$25–40 for a backpacker and US$60–120 mid-range, per person.

Source: RoamSun Iran page · Browse hotel guides

Connect

Plug types: C, F. Voltage: 220 V. Check your own devices on the plug and currency checker.

Calling code: +98.

Mobile data: read the travel eSIM setup guide before you fly so the plan is installed and ready on landing.

Source: Advinne eSIM guide · RoamSun

Do

• Isfahan (Central · Safavid capital): A city of grand mosques, palaces, bridges and gardens often called 'half the world'.
• Shiraz (South · city of poets): Gardens, poets' tombs and the base for visiting Persepolis.
• Yazd (Central · desert city): Wind-catchers, Zoroastrian heritage and atmospheric adobe lanes.
• Persepolis (Fars · ancient site): The grand Achaemenid complex with stunning relief carvings, plus nearby royal tombs at Naqsh-e Rostam.
• Kashan (Central · oasis town): Historic houses, a beautiful Persian garden and a traditional bazaar.
• Tehran (North · capital): A sprawling capital with Golestan Palace, excellent museums and mountain views.
• Tabriz (Northwest · bazaar city): Home to one of the largest covered bazaars in the world, a UNESCO site.
• Abyaneh (Central · mountain village): A red-earth village where residents still wear traditional dress.

Things to do

• Stand in Naqsh-e Jahan Square. Take in Isfahan's immense square framed by turquoise domes, a royal palace and a bustling bazaar.
• Explore Persepolis. Walk among the columns and reliefs of the Achaemenid kings' ceremonial capital near Shiraz.
• See the Pink Mosque at sunrise. Watch morning light pour through stained glass onto Persian carpets in Shiraz's Nasir al-Mulk Mosque.
• Wander Yazd's old town. Get lost in mud-brick lanes topped by wind-catchers, one of the world's oldest inhabited cities.
• Cross Isfahan's historic bridges. Join locals strolling and singing beneath the arches of Si-o-se Pol and Khaju Bridge in the evening.
• Sleep in the desert. Spend a night in a caravanserai or village near the Dasht-e Lut or Varzaneh dunes under starry skies.
• Visit Hafez's tomb. Join Iranians reciting poetry in the gardens around the mausoleum of the beloved poet in Shiraz.
• Hike the Alborz mountains. Escape Tehran's heat with walks in the mountains or a view of Mount Damavand.

Source: full Iran guide on RoamSun

Eat and drink

• Chelo kebab – grilled kebab with saffron rice
• Ghormeh sabzi – herb stew with beans and meat
• Fesenjan – walnut and pomegranate stew
• Tahdig – crispy golden rice from the bottom of the pot

Source: RoamSun Iran guide

Money and safety

Currency: Iranian rial (IRR). Currency and plug checker.

Tipping: Not expected, but rounding up or around 10% is appreciated.

Emergency numbers: 110 police · 125 fire · 115 ambulance.

• The currency is the rial, though prices are often quoted in toman (ten rials) – always confirm which one is meant.
• Foreign credit and debit cards do not work because of sanctions, so bring cash in euros or dollars to exchange at official exchange offices.
• Many governments advise against travel to Iran, and foreign nationals, especially dual nationals, have faced arbitrary detention – check your government's latest travel advice before planning a trip.
• Avoid political discussions, demonstrations and photographing government or military sites.

Source: RoamSun Iran facts