While many travelers tend to choose Tehran as their first destination, starting your journey from Shiraz actually offers significant advantages. This article introduces three compelling reasons why you should enter Iran through Shiraz on your first trip. We’ll provide travel tips for experiencing this fascinating country more deeply and efficiently.
Reason 1: Optimal Route for Maximum Time Efficiency
Many travelers automatically book round-trip flights to Tehran. While the capital certainly offers numerous international flight options and seems convenient, this choice conceals significant inefficiencies.
When exploring domestic attractions, you’d need to travel south from Tehran to visit various Iranian destinations like Shiraz, Isfahan, and Yazd, then return to Tehran for departure. For example, after traveling Tehran → Isfahan → Yazd → Shiraz southward, returning from Shiraz to Tehran for departure creates approximately 900km of long-distance travel, wasting precious vacation time.
In contrast, entering through Shiraz, traveling northward through each city, and finally departing from Tehran creates a route without overlapping travel, allowing efficient visits to more locations. This “south to north” one-way route is ideal for travelers wanting to maximize limited vacation days.
A specific route example known as the Golden Route includes: Shiraz → Persepolis → Pasargadae → Yazd → Isfahan → Kashan → Tehran. Distances between cities are appropriate, and using overnight buses or domestic flights minimizes travel time while experiencing Iran’s diverse attractions comprehensively.
Additionally, early trip stages coincide with peak physical energy. Starting from Shiraz allows visiting physically demanding attractions like the World Heritage site Persepolis when travel fatigue is minimal. At the final destination Tehran, travelers can heal from long journey fatigue while enjoying metropolitan experiences like shopping and modern art gallery tours.
Reason 2: Experience Iranian Culture in the “Most Iranian City”
Shiraz old town with charming Iranian-style boutique hotels
Shiraz, praised by local Iranians as “the most Iranian Iran,” is the optimal city for experiencing the essence of Iranian culture. While Tehran presents an international metropolitan appearance, Shiraz allows closer contact with traditional Iranian culture and people’s daily lives.
Particularly known as the “City of Poets,” Shiraz houses the tombs of Iran’s representative poets Hafez and Saadi. For Iranians, poetry isn’t merely literature but culture deeply rooted in daily life and thought. Visiting Hafez’s tomb, you can observe many Iranians meditating with poetry collections or reciting verses. This scene offers genuine contact with Iranian culture’s core.
Shiraz also features the Nasir al-Mulk Mosque (aka Pink Mosque), symbolizing Islamic architectural beauty. Visiting during morning sunlight hours reveals breathtaking beauty as light kaleidoscopes project through colorful stained glass onto floors. Historical buildings like Vakil Mosque and Karim Khan Citadel are also scattered throughout, allowing appreciation of Islamic and Persian architectural fusion.
Reason 3: Spectacular Pink Lake Views from Above
Another major reason involves a special surprise awaiting during landing approaches to Shiraz International Airport. International flight routes from southern destinations like Doha or Dubai pass directly over the hidden scenic “Pink Lake” (Maharloo Lake) south of Shiraz. This salt lake is known for its vivid pink coloration caused by specific algae proliferation.
Pink Lake viewed from ground level
Interestingly, ground-level observation of this Pink Lake may not fully reveal its pink coloration due to sky reflections and angle issues. From ground level, you might wonder “Is it really pink?” However, aerial views clearly show vivid pink color contrasts spreading across the entire area.
This spectacular view is truly a privilege reserved only for those visiting Shiraz by air. It should further heighten anticipation for the Iran journey ahead.
Attractions Around Shiraz
While Shiraz’s international recognition may lag behind Tehran or Isfahan, beyond Shiraz’s own attractions, the surrounding area contains several must-see tourist spots. The World Heritage site Persepolis is about an hour’s drive away, featuring ruins of the ancient Persian Empire capital built in the 6th century BC. Grand colonnades and reliefs convey former glory to the present day.
Persepolis is a must-see spot attracting tourists from domestic and international destinations
Additionally, Pasargadae houses Cyrus the Great’s tomb, allowing contemplation of the Persian Empire’s founder. These ruins are indispensable places for understanding Iran’s rich historical background.
Conclusion: Ideal Iran Travel Starting from Shiraz
For first-time Iran travel, surprisingly starting from Shiraz provides triple benefits: time-efficient itineraries, “most Iranian” cultural experiences, and aerial Pink Lake viewing.
Rather than being constrained only by capital airport convenience, considering overall travel flow and experience quality in planning can realize more fulfilling Iran travel.
Iranian people’s warm hospitality, breathtaking architectural beauty, rich history and culture, and surprising natural landscapes – Iran journeys beginning from Shiraz will surely leave unforgettable impressions in your hearts.
