Central Iran, encompassing the magnificent cities of Esfahan, Yazd and Shiraz, is the cultur-al tour-de-force of Iran. Wedged between the Zagros Mountains to the west and the Dasht-e Kavir to the east, it offers the quintessential Persian experience.

• watch a master at work in Esfahan, the cultured capital of handicrafts
• maps
• decipher the calligraphy of the magnificent Masjed-e Jameh (Jameh Mosque) in Yazd
• transport
• scoop up the coloured light of a morning visit to the Masjed-e Nasir-al-Molk (Pink Mosque) in Shiraz
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Qom, Kashan & Around, Esfahan, Zagros Mountains, Dasht-e Kavir, Yazd & Around, Shiraz, Persepolis, Naqsh-e Rostam & Naqsh-e Rajab, Pasarga-dae, Bavanat, Firuz Abad, Kazerun & Bishapur.

There’s much to discover in the Northeast – and it’s on the overland route to Turkmenistan – but foreign tourists remain rare. The primary attraction is Mashhad’s extraordinarily grand Ha-ram-e Razavi complex – the shrine of Imam Reza – which attracts pilgrims in their millions.

• share in the emotion of countless pilgrims as you jostle closer to the heart of Mashhad’s magnificent holy shrine, Haram-e Razavi
• maps
• create surreal echoes at Gonbad-e Kavus’ soaring, millennium-old tomb-tower, Mil-e Gon-bad
• transport
• feel like an old-time explorer with the mud walls of the lonely, ruined citadel of Belqays towering above you
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Sari, Gorgan, Semnan, Garmsar, Shahrud, Gonbad-e Kavus, Bajgiran, Mashhad & Around, Kalat, Bojnurd, Esfarayen, Sabzevar.

Quick – turn around: there’s an entire travel experience that you probably haven’t considered. While you’ve been planning your Iranian sojourn around the jewels of the country’s rich history (Esfahan, Shiraz, Yazd), to the southeast the Persian Gulf is equally deserving.

• soak up local vibes while wandering through the animated streets of Bandar Abbas and visiting its fish market
• maps
• immerse yourself in the traditional port town of Kong, blessed with plenty of historical buildings and houses
• transport
• explore the splendid old city of Harireh, which comprises the remains of a large house and an old port
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Kish Island, Bandar-e Lengeh, Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island, Hormoz Island.

This chapter contains the Welcome to Iran, Iran’s Top 16, Need to Know First Time Iran If You Like…, Month by Month, Itineraries, Visas & Planning, and Regions at a Glance chapters from Lonely Planet’s Iran guidebook.

Your journey to Iran starts here. You’ll find the tools to plan your adventure: where to go and when, how much to budget, plus in-depth info on visas.

• tailor-made itineraries, arranged by region, themes and events
• list of highlights and best experiences
• everything you need to know about exploring Iran’s historical treasures
• user-friendly country overview ensures you won’t miss a thing

Coverage includes: Welcome to Iran, Iran’s Top 16, Need to Know First Time Iran If You Like: Architecture, Museums, Iranian Food, Ancient Civilisations, Village Life, Getting Active, Bazaars, Cultural Encounters, Month by Month, Itineraries, Visas & Planning, and Regions at a Glance.

While central Iran’s gem cities are deservedly a far bigger draw, the southeast offers cave-houses, classic gardens, fortresses, deserted villages, oases and fabulous erosion patterns all set in scenery that intersperses great expanses of desert with chains of high mountains.

• watch the desert sun setting over extraordinary wind-eroded ‘statues’ before sleeping be-neath the stars in the Kaluts (Lut Desert)
• maps
• delve deeper into Rayen, one of Iran’s most appealing small towns, beyond its fabulous Arg
• transport
• sleep in a troglodyte cave house while learning about traditional shepherd lifestyles in Meymand
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Meymand, Kerman & Around, The Kaluts (Lut Desert), Rayen, Birjand, Qa’en.

Hugging the lower slopes of the magnificent, snowcapped Alborz Mountains, Tehran is Iran’s most secular and liberal city. This is the nation’s dynamic beating heart and the place to get a handle on modern Iran and its future.

• take in the opulence of the Golestan Palace, a monument to Qajar excess
• maps
• explore the Grand Bazaar, the mother of all Iranian markets, which sells it all – from skimpy knickers to antique carpets
• transport
• gaze at the Peacock Throne and a shah’s ransom of bling at the Treasury of National Jew-els
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: History, Sights, Activities, Tours, Courses, Sleeping, Eating, Drinking & Nightlife, Entertainment, Shopping, Around Tehran, Alborz Ski Resorts, Mt Damavand, Rey.

This chapter contains the Iran Today, History, People, Daily Life, Iranian Cuisine, Faith in Iran, Architecture, Carpets, Arts & Crafts, Literature, Music & Cinema, Natural Environments, Safe Travel, Directory A–Z, Transport, Health, and Behind the Scenes chapters from Lonely Planet’s Iran guidebook.

All the info you need on everything from history, people and culture to flights, public transport, climate, money, the internet... you name it. Get hints on the gay and lesbian scene and tips for women travellers, travelling with kids and travellers with disabilities, as well as handy language guide and glossary.

• a rundown on Iran’s complicated and fascinating history
• info on Iranian cuisine
• full coverage of faith in Iran
• details on the country’s arts, crafts and architecture

Coverage includes: Iran Today, History, People, Daily Life, Iranian Cui-sine, Faith in Iran, Architecture, Carpets, Arts & Crafts, Literature, Music & Cinema, Natural Envi-ronments, Safe Travel, Directory A–Z, Transport and Health.

From the fecund Caspian coast to the stark, mountainous northern borders and the crumbling desert ruins of the southern plains, this region hosts everything from paddy fields to blizzards to the original Garden of Eden.

• hike between flower-filled valleys and snow-capped peaks around the ruined 12th-century Castles of the Assassins
• maps
• wander through Gilan’s verdant forests above the amazing stacked village of Masuleh
• transport
• explore ancient churches, mud-walled castles and grand canyons along the sublime Aras River Valley
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Bazargan, Maku & Around, Khoy, Orumiyeh, Mara-qeh, Tabriz, Kandovan, Jolfa, Aras River Valley, Kaleybar, Ardabil, Khal Khal, Zanjan, Soltaniyeh, Takab, Rasht & Around, Ramsar, Kelardasht, Qazvin, Alamut Valley, Sanandaj, Howraman, Paveh, Kermanshah, Bisotun, Hamadan, Bijar, Marivan, Dorud, The Dorud–Andimeshk Railway, Andimeshk, Shush, Shushtar, Ahvaz, Khorramabad.