The Iranian that hears the name of Shiraz gets an excellent feeling of calm and romance, because of it being the city of poems such as Hafez and Saadi. City of culture and Gardens, Shiraz is indeed a city that should never be missed from one’s Iran trip itinerary.

Persepolis the Capital of Persia

Located 60 kilometers to the north of Shiraz is the World Heritage Site of Persepolis (Takht-E-Jamshid), which used to be the glorious capital of many Persian dynasties. Persepolis was used as a place for gathering and celebrations of significant events like Nourooz. It is also known as Parse and Hezar Sotun (Tausend Pilar). There used to be several palaces at this complex. Apadana, which is amongst the oldest palaces, Tachar, which translates to winter house, can be seen as a museum of calligraphy. Hadish, the private palace of the king, was named after his wife, queen’s palace, used today as a museum and the center of administration for the complex, Sad-Sotun (hundred columns) and Shora which was probably used by the king as the place for meeting. Shiraz is the capital of the largest empire the world has ever seen.

Pasargadae, the tomb of Cyrus the Great

Pasargadae, another World Heritage Site, situated at the heart of Pars, the first ever capital of kings, has numerous palaces built in it by the king’s order. Gardens and fountains were made at the time too, after Darius the great, this place was used as a holy place and also for crowning the kings.

Shiraz; the city of Roses and love

Shiraz is called as the city of flowers and gardens by many Iranians; the Eram Garden as one of the Persian gardens inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage list is an ancient and historical garden in Shiraz, it comprises a royal villa set in the grounds. It used to be the king’s favorite relaxing place. There is a building in the garden and despite being small, is magnificent, and there a reflecting pool in front of the house. The garden makes good pavement for relaxation.

Traditional merchandise and handicrafts

The Vakil complex, which consists of a mosque, a bathing house, and a bazaar, was built by Karim Khan Zand’s order. This enormous bathing house has the most advanced architectural methods of its time. Vakil Bazaar is one of the most famous traditional and historical markets of Iran. It is most famous for carpets, but also handmade artifacts made by the locals can be bought from here too. At the site of the Vakil mosque, there is an inscription which has Fathali shah and Hossein Ali mirza’s name on it.

The land of poets 

Aramgah Hafez (Hafez mausoleum) is the resting place of the great poet Hafez. His marble tombstone has carvings of his poems; the site has eight stone columns beneath a tiled dome. What should be the fun activity of this place is performing the FaaleHafezz, which is seeing your future by opening a volume of Hafez.