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10 best things to do in Tehran

20/12/2021 by Roobens 14 Comments

Some links are affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase through these links, I earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.

“You’re going to Iran in August? Are you fucking crazy? You’re gonna die of heat! If I were you, I wouldn’t go… I’d wait a little bit… September or October, it seems better…” I heard those kind of remarks a lot before getting in Tehran (heard this in Chisinau, in Odessa, in Tbilisi…). But I was eager to go to Iran and find out all the things to do in Tehran. It was on my way and I was already used to hot temperatures (in Yerevan it was like 37°C/99°F during my whole stay there).

mosque tehran

Table of Contents

  • Description of Tehran
  • Kindness of the Iranians
  • The subway in Tehran
  • Getting around in Tehran
  • The hidden face of Tehran
  • No bars in Tehran
  • What to do in Tehran
    • The Golestan Palace
    • The Niavaran Palace
    • The Grand Bazaar
    • The Azadi tower
    • The Jamshidieh park
    • Imam Khomeini shrine
    • Milad tower
  • Tehran travel tips
    • Related Posts

Description of Tehran

So here I am in the Middle East, specifically in Tehran, the capital of Iran. Before talking specifically about all the things to do in Tehran, let me describe Tehran, since it’s so different from our cultures. One of the first things I noticed once I got in this huge city of 15 millions inhabitants : it’s VERY polluted, and just by breathing, you can feel it. There are cars everywhere, horn blasts all the time… Big noise pollution as well. And it’s a pain in the ass just to cross the street, like in Ho Chi Minh City.

Iranians drive like crazy, they never put on their turn signal and even when you start to cross the street, they don’t stop, they just keep going and brush past you. You literally have to slalom between cars to be able to cross the street. A little stressful at first, but you quickly get used to it. Fortunately, I thought about getting a travel insurance before traveling, just in case!

traffic tehran
Cars everywhere, incessant horn blasts, pollution… Welcome to Tehran!

Kindness of the Iranians

Fortunately, a few other things made me forget all this : the warm welcome and the kindness of people there. I had a glimpse in Tbilisi and Yerevan, where I met a lot of Iranians. But in their home country, it’s a whole different thing. “Welcome to Iran! Welcome to Tehran! Enjoy your stay in our country!” I heard this tens of times, really! I also heard quite often “What are you doing here? Why are you coming in our country? Don’t you guys think we are terrorists? Your media portrays us as bad people, we’re in the axis of evil, etc…“

carpet tehran
Carpets, an important business in Iran. Some of them are worth thousands of euros

They are a bit surprised to see people coming from Western countries visiting Iran, and they’re happy to hear “I wanted to come to see what Iran looks like. I heard a lot of great things, about the people here and the beauty of the country. And I want to see all the beautiful things to do in Tehran“. It seems like they take badly the way they think they are perceived by people from Western countries (terrorists, etc…). I had to reassure a lot of them during my stay in Iran “We are not all fooled by mass media. Some people, like me 🙂 do their research on their own and know you guys are not like that.“

moslem restaurant tehran
Moslem restaurant, the oldest one in the city, 50 years old, located next to the grand bazar. Packed, very good, and cheap!

First off, when they hear a speech like that, they are touched. But imagine, a black guy telling this! There are almost no black guys at all in Iran (I met two in three weeks!). I was invited to have some tea, they embraced me, they told me “Thank you so much, it’s so nice to hear!“. And I don’t even talk about the photos… Seriously, at least 10 times a day, someone asked “Can I get a picture with you?“. Young, old, men, women… Some of them hesitate, then they see someone else asking me, they see me cooperate and all of a sudden 15 Iranians come out of nowhere to get their own picture as well… What a phenomenon, the locals who want to get a picture with you!

selfie iranians
Sometimes, when they asked to get a picture with me, I also asked to have one, as a souvenir!

The subway in Tehran

Same thing in the subway, people stare at me, then they smile at me when I look at them (in the restaurant, waiters were looking for an eye contact just to smile!). They literally watch everything I’m doing. I’m just looking at something on my left, they all check what I’m looking at. Same if I look at something on my right. I’m reading a book in the subway, and they break their neck to check what I’m reading. And they just watch me. They keep watching. They have their eyes glued to me.

subway ticket tehran
A subway ticket in Tehran

The subway… An experience by itself in Tehran. First, you need to know that the first and last wagons of the subway in Tehran are for women only. They can sit anywhere in the subway, but those two wagons are just for them. It’s because there has been too many touching in the past. This explained why I was only seeing men inside the subway, almost all the women go to their wagons.

subway tehran
Two wagons for women only

Several times, some Iranians who were seated got up to give me their seats, in the subway but also in the bus (Whaaat!? It will NEVER happen in Paris!). I always declined. And in the subway, you’ll almost always see Iranians selling random stuff, basically almost anything. And people buy!!! Toothpaste, tissues, socks, earphones, razors, belts, chewing gums, sports bags, selfie sticks, and even the doll from Frozen singing “Let it go” in Persian! Men, women, and even kids, barely 4-5 years old are suddenly storekeepers working in the subway. And they insist when they see me (I’m a rich tourist…). People didn’t seem to be shocked by those little kids selling stuff, it looks normal.

Raising your thumb is traditionally an insult in Iran. But mentalities are changing

Getting around in Tehran

Tehran is a huge city. In some parts of the city there’s no subway so you’ll have to take a taxi. Either by using the Snapp app, it’s their Uber, super cheap. Or by using official taxis (yellow cars). Or unofficial ones : a car pulls up alongside you and the driver asks where you’re going. If it’s on his way, he’ll pick you up and drops you off a little further. You can also stick out your arm by the side of the road and believe me, in less than a minute, a car will stop to pick you up. Don’t be surprised if the taxi doesn’t go when you’re in there. Taxis go when they’re “full”, which means with 4 passengers. Otherwise it’s not profitable for the driver. This explains why some drivers clearly state “Taxi just for you” when they call you out.

taxi tehran
Taxi drivers always on the lookout for clients

The hidden face of Tehran

As you may know, women have to wear a headscarf in Iran to cover their head, selling and drinking alcohol is strictly forbidden, and men cannot wear shorts (even under 40°C/104°F…). Iran, a conservative country? Not sure… Just a few hours after arriving in Tehran, I drank rosé. I saw a guy clearly inebriated around midnight on a Thursday night outside. I talked and laughed with some Iranian guys in the street and during the conversation, they naturally proposed drinking vodka with them (yeah I talk to people outside sometimes… Anyway it’s very easy to start a conversation with someone you don’t know in Iran).

tehran

I also heard about clandestine orgies. Men and women meet up in a secret place and they just have sex all together all night long, with no protection. Some Iranian girls spot tourists passing through Tehran on Couchsurfing, and they contact them “to have a drink“. It often ends up with the two having a sexual intercourse. So… There’s the “clean” facade and a hidden society : alcohol, hookers, parties, drugs… I talked to a lot of Iranians, and it seems that the young generation is fed up with all the traditional rules they have to respect. Therefore they try to liberate themselves from those rules their own way (extreme way I have to say!).

Example of a rule to follow : you cannot kiss your special one in the street, or you can get arrested! But I saw some couples holding hands. Honestly, I was pretty sure they were not much into their rules. In Baku, I met a group of 20 Iranian girls. None of them was wearing a headscarf, not even one! In Tbilisi, all the Iranian guys I met were wearing shorts, and drinking lot of beers…

one million rials iran
With a little bit more than 20 euros, you’re a millionnaire in Iran!

No bars in Tehran

The golden youth seems to be the one having more “fun”. Iranians, in general, relax in the evening having a walk with the family. The son, grandma, the parents, the sister and the little baby all together. Hard to see this happening in France or Western countries, but you have to remember that there’s no bars nor clubs in Iran. And with the heat, Iranians don’t want to be stuck home in the evening. Therefore you see families playing badminton together in the evening (especially around national bridge).

tehran by night
Tehran by night

It’s different for the golden youth. They take their car, they all meet up around a square and they ride slowly around that square, blasting music on their car radio. They look at one another, they watch, they exchange contacts… Then they chat via Telegram, and a few days later they meet again, this time in a villa, for an orgy. Needless to say, orgies are illegal. If they get caught, they are directly sent in prison. I almost attended phase one, where they’re all riding slowly in their cars. My contact cancelled at the very last minute. Would have been interesting to see this…

What to do in Tehran

I’ll talk about it later, but this is not the blog to check in order to know what’s interesting to see in Tehran (and in Iran in general). Because I almost spent the entirety of my stay in various Iranians’ places, and not at the hostel. They fed me, they hosted me, I lived liked a regular Iranian guy, I learned things I would have probably never known if I had been solo. A less touristic trip as a solo traveler, but a lot more authentic. Still, I managed to check a few things to do in Tehran. Just below a non-exhaustive list of places to see.

The Golestan Palace

The Golestan Palace is probably the most famous attraction of Tehran. It’s also one of the most beautiful places in Iran. It’s a former royal palace from the 16th century, and it’s a UNESCO world heritage site. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to take pictures inside the palace. Content yourself with the pictures from outside, and enjoy the gardens surrounding the palace. The entrance fee varies from 150000 to 600000 rials (3.50 to 14€), depending on the different parts of the palace you want to see.

golestan palace tehran
Golestan Palace
golestan palace tehran
If the weather is nice, take your time to enjoy the gardens surrounding the palace!

The Niavaran Palace

Another one, the Niavaran Palace, attracts a lot of people. This is where Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last shah (emperor) of Iran used to live, with his family until the Iranian revolution in 1979. This is not one of those palaces existing for centuries, it’s been completed in 1968, but still, interesting to see. Once again, the price varies, depending on what you want to see (from 150000 rials, or 3.50 euros).

niavaran palace tehran
Nothing historical in this palace, but you get to see where the last shah used to live

The Grand Bazaar

The Grand Bazaar, go there in the morning! I went there early in the afternoon, and there was nothing left and almost no one. This bazar is huge. Just like me, if you miss the turmoil of the bazar, no problem, there are a lot more (smaller) in the city.

bazar tehran
You’ll find bazars a little bit everywhere in the city

The Azadi tower

The Azadi tower, attracting many tourists but also locals. This tower, 45 meters (148 feet) tall, was inaugurated in 1971 to commemorate the 2500th year of the foundation of the imperial state of Iran. There’s a museum inside (entrance fee : 150000 rials or 3.50€), and it’s possible to get on top of the tower to have a view of the city. I recommend to go there!

azadi tower tehran
Azadi Tower
azadi tower view from top
From the top of the tower

The Jamshidieh park

The Jamshidieh park in the north of the city. Nothing special but very popular among Iranians (and I was living 10 minutes away from the park!). A lot of families go there to picnic, friends play cards (forbidden not that long ago), couples relax… A park in the heights of the city, so by going there, you won’t skip leg day! It’s a good way to stay in shape!

jamshidieh park tehran
A lot of green spaces in the city. It constrats with the hubbub of the cars

Imam Khomeini shrine

Imam Khomeini shrine is supposedly a place to visit, but I didn’t go… I mean, I was just in front of the shrine, but I didn’t get in. My Iranian hosts, always up for doing anything, refused to get inside, because they really don’t like Khomeini. Instead of letting them wait for me outside under 40°C/104°F, I decided not to get in. Entrance is free.

imam khomeini shrine tehran
Imam Khomeini shrine. I didn’t get in…

Milad tower

I also skipped Milad tower because my hosts were not interested at all (“This tower looks like a dick!“). Although this tower in the city, it’s not possible to go there by subway (there’s no subway stations at all for miles around). You’ll have to take a taxi. Apparently it’s possible to get on top of the tower, and admire the city.

milad tower tehran
Photo taken from a moving taxi…

Interesting to see this big city, Tehran, but you don’t need to extend your stay too long there. Iran has other beautiful cities to discover, and those who don’t like big cities will be happy to leave (traffic, pollution, incessant horn blasts…).

Tehran travel tips

  • I wrote an article with a lot of travel tips before going to Iran (money, visa, safety…). Check it out!
  • Check the visa policy of Iran for your country. Most countries can get a visa on arrival if you arrive by plane. Citizens from the US, from the UK, and from Canada need to join a tour group to visit Iran. Check my guide for more info!
  • Many websites are blocked in Iran. To use the internet freely, you need a VPN. I use ExpressVPN, fast and efficient. I really recommend it! It allowed me to surf the net freely.
  • Ladies, bring a headscarf to cover your head, it’s mandatory. Gentlemen, no shorts (no bare legs in general!).
  • Eating outside is cheap in Tehran and in Iran in general. You can get a meal for 100000 rials (a little bit more than 2 euros).
  • I spent two nights in the Seven Hostel. I recommend, the staff is nice and there’s a rooftop to relax.
  • Bring all your cash with you before getting in the country. Their ATMs only work with Iranian cards, our cards are completely useless there. You cannot pay, you cannot get money with your card!
  • In Iran, especially in the city center of Tehran, you’ll see several girls (and a few guys) with a dressing on their nose. That’s plastic surgery, they get a nose job. I even saw a model in a clothes store with a dressing on its nose!
  • The subway ticket costs 8000 rials (0.15€), and the bus ticket 5000 rials (around 0.10€).
  • Traveling soon? Check out my travel resources page! This list of travel accessories can also be useful!
  • Do not leave home without a travel insurance! You never know what could happen. Anyway, before going through customs, they’ll ask you to show a document proving you’re insured… Here’s why buy travel insurance!
  • Click here to check the latest flight prices to go to Iran.

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Comments

  1. Chris says

    10/10/2017 at 22:17

    Merci Roobie de partager tes expériences! C’est vrai que l’Iran est très loin de ce que l’on imagine!
    Concernant ton post sur l’immigration ce serait intéressant de savoir les restrictions d’entrée dans d’autres pays comme les US…

    Reply
    • Roobens says

      11/10/2017 at 13:50

      J’en parle très rapidement. Mais dans les grandes lignes, les citoyens des US, des UK et du Canada ne peuvent pas visiter l’Iran sans guide! Ils sont en permanence accompagnés! Un peu naze mais bon… Il n’y a pas si longtemps, les américains n’avaient pas du tout le droit d’entrer dans le pays!

      Reply
  2. Toni-Ann says

    11/10/2017 at 15:25

    So basically it was good for a black tourist, right? I’m interested in visiting myself. I’ve got a couple questions for you 🙂 :

    Do they speak english?
    What’s the cost of living like over there?
    What would budget for a week’s visit be like?
    Do they require visas to visit?
    As a woman, I’d need to wear a head wrap, right?

    I’d love to know!

    xoxo
    Toni || The Swiss Freis

    Reply
    • Roobens says

      11/10/2017 at 19:38

      Yeah no problem, as a black person, you can go! Most of Iranians speak english, especially the young generation. You won’t have any problems communicating with them.

      Life is cheap. I cannot say for accomodation because As I said on the article, I was hosted by Iranians. That means I can’t tell you exactly how much to budget for a week, but I guess you don’t need much. Basically it will depend on a lot of things. Do you sleep in hostels? Luxury hotels? What do you like to do when you’re traveling…? Therefore I really can’t tell for you how much you need for a week.

      Yes, if you check the link at the end of my article, you’ll see that you need a visa to go to Iran. Actually if you’re a US citizen, you will need to join a tour group to see Iran. And I really don’t know the prices. Since I’m french, I was free.

      And yeah as I said in the article you’ll need to cover your head with a headscarf.

      Reply
  3. Marcia says

    12/10/2017 at 03:01

    Great blog post, motivates to explore this area!

    Reply
    • Roobens says

      12/10/2017 at 03:42

      Thank you 🙂

      Reply
  4. Andri - Beauty Blogger says

    15/10/2017 at 19:02

    I quite like the buildings here too 😉

    Reply
    • Roobens says

      16/10/2017 at 04:41

      Yeah they’re beautiful!

      Reply
  5. Julie says

    18/10/2017 at 03:48

    This trip looks nice and the pictures look great!

    Reply
    • Roobens says

      18/10/2017 at 14:20

      Thank you 🙂

      Reply
  6. Martin says

    26/11/2018 at 07:54

    Nice article, I went to Iran with my wife last year close to the same time, though we decided to go later last year, end of November actually. So weather was less hot than what you experienced I guess 🙂 We decided not to stay in Tehran though and move straight onwards to the south instead when we landed there, but sounds like its still a nice place to visit as opposed to what I read before our trip last year. So maybe next time 🙂

    Reply
    • Roobens says

      26/11/2018 at 17:57

      Thank you! Tehran is a big city but still, I had a good time there!

      Reply
  7. Afshin Sooferian says

    22/01/2019 at 05:18

    Go to north Tehran not south .

    Reply
    • Roobens says

      22/01/2019 at 22:17

      Been to north and south.

      Reply

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Hi! I'm Roobens, from Paris. Wanna know what it's like to travel in some areas of the world as a black person? There's not much info online about black travel, so follow my journey here!

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