{"id":1044,"date":"2016-11-01T11:45:50","date_gmt":"2016-11-01T07:45:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/?p=1044"},"modified":"2026-07-24T13:29:22","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T11:29:22","slug":"darband-escape-traffic-polluted-tehran","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/darband-escape-traffic-polluted-tehran\/","title":{"rendered":"Darband: Escaping from Tehran traffic and pollution"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/darband-hookah-lounges-1024x680.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/darband-hookah-lounges-1024x680.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/darband-hookah-lounges-1024x680.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-3598\"><\/picture><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ask any Iranian outside of Tehran what he thinks about the capital and he will tell you: &#8221;<em>Tehran is a polluted expensive city, full of traffic and dust&#8221;<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Iranians claim that it lacks soul and I can partially understand it as it&#8217;s sort of a new city with no history if you compare it with the rest of Iran. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In addition, Tehran is one of the most air-polluted cities in the world. Part of it is often covered by smog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many Iranians and foreigners&nbsp;say that you should skip it. How about me&#8230; What do I think? Should you skip Tehran?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I came to Tehran directly from Berlin, where I had spent a crazy weekend with my Spanish friends from college. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I had not seen those friends for almost a year. Do I need to explain what are the consequences of spending a weekend in Berlin with your best friends from college who you haven&#8217;t seen in a year?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By the time I was boarding the plane <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/things-to-do-in-tehran\/\">to&nbsp;Tehran<\/a><\/strong> I was completely destroyed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The duration of the whole trip was going to be 12 hours, a layover in Istanbul and landing in Tehran at 5am in the morning. Once at the airport, the visa process took almost 2 hours to be handled. I reached Hamed&#8217;s (my Couchsurfing host) at 8am. &nbsp;Finally, I was in Tehran and I had the whole day before me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As soon as I got onto the streets of <a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/best-hotels-in-tehran\/\"><strong>Tehran <\/strong><\/a>and started walking around I thought: &#8221;<em>OK, I am literally fucked up<\/em>&#8221;. I was extremely tired. It was hot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There were cars everywhere. Cars don&#8217;t respect pedestrians. Going by metro doesn&#8217;t make things smoother as trains are overpacked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"convertkit-form wp-block-convertkit-form\" style=\"\"><script async data-uid=\"966cc0f59d\" src=\"https:\/\/exceptional-creator-2216.kit.com\/966cc0f59d\/index.js\" data-jetpack-boost=\"ignore\" data-no-defer=\"1\" data-no-optimize=\"1\" nowprocket><\/script><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter wp-image-3608\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/traffic-tehran-1024x680.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/traffic-tehran-1024x680.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/traffic-tehran-1024x680.jpg\" alt=\"Tehran is a chaotic city full of traffic, dust and traffic lights don&#039;t respect pedestrians\" class=\"wp-image-3608\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: #808080;\"><em>Tehran traffic<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I wasn&#8217;t having so much fun and needed to eat something. Luckily, I found a nice caf\u00e9 where they were serving all sorts of breakfast. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I ordered an Iranian breakfast. It was good. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I ordered a second Iranian breakfast. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then an Italian woman walked into the caf\u00e9. She sat next to&nbsp;me and we started a conversation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Italian woman:<\/strong> <em>hey how are you?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Me:<\/strong> <em>I just arrived in Iran a couple of hours ago<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Italian woman:<\/strong> <em>oh! I am going to the gems museum. Do you wanna come?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Me:<\/strong> <em>gems museum? What is this? What do you do there?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Italian woman:<\/strong> <em>You see gems. They have a huge collection<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Me:<\/strong>&nbsp;<em>Mhmmm&#8230; No thanks<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Finding out&nbsp;about Darband<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns d-flex p-0 gap-0 block-announcement has-background is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-7387b849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\" id=\"block-announcement\" style=\"background-color:#f5f3ef\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column block-announcement-text-side d-flex p-5 my-0 is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group w-100 justify-content-between my-0 is-vertical is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-dab18cd7 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading mt-0 mb-0 has-luminous-vivid-orange-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-de4ebe240ed3bff42645b6691b4b6e33\" style=\"font-size:30px\"><i class=\"fas fa-shield-alt\"><\/i> Our recommended travel insurance for Iran<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:18px\">With all the current sanctions, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iatitravelinsurance.com\/en-eu\/?r=30867932099453&amp;cmp=darband_escape_en_text\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow sponsored\">IATI Insurance<\/a><\/strong> is one of the very few travel insurance providers that offers coverage for travel to Iran<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-background is-style-wide my-0\" style=\"background-color:#93a193;color:#93a193\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group my-2 is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-7387b849 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns my-0 is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-7387b849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"mt-2 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:18px\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#c31919\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#31551d\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><i class=\"fas fa-check-square\"><\/i><\/mark> <\/mark>  Trusted by ATC<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:18px\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#c31919\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#31551d\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><i class=\"fas fa-check-square\"><\/i><\/mark><\/mark> Coverage for Iran<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:18px\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#c31919\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#31551d\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><i class=\"fas fa-check-square\"><\/i><\/mark> <\/mark>  Exclusive 5% discount for our readers<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons w-100 is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-4b735586 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-100 w-100\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-luminous-vivid-orange-background-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iatitravelinsurance.com\/en-eu\/?r=30867932099453&amp;cmp=darband_escape_en_text\" style=\"border-top-left-radius:8px;border-top-right-radius:8px;border-bottom-left-radius:8px;border-bottom-right-radius:8px\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">GET YOUR 5% DISCOUNT<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The last thing I wanted to do was to walk around stupid shiny stones. But what can I do? I went to the&nbsp;Grand Bazaar Tehran, which has an impressive number of carpet shops and it&#8217;s super interesting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But again, it was packed with people. I needed to relax. To find somewhere quiet, but in the middle of this city, it seemed like an impossible mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter wp-image-3604\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/tehran-bazaar-1024x717.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/tehran-bazaar-1024x717.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/tehran-bazaar-1024x717.jpg\" alt=\"Carpet store from Tehran Grand Bazaar\" class=\"wp-image-3604\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em><span style=\"color: #808080; font-size: 10pt;\">Tehran carpet store<\/span><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Suddenly, I looked towards Tehran&nbsp;mountains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I checked out my Lonely Planet and read that at the foot of these mountains there is a place called <strong>Darband<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Persian, the word <strong>Darband<\/strong> means <em>gateway<\/em> or&nbsp;<em>door to mountain,<\/em>&nbsp;and it&#8217;s&nbsp;basically&nbsp;the beginning of a hiking trial to Mount Tochal, which towers over Tehran. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There is also a river where cafes and restaurants are settled along it. Darband is a popular weekend destination for Iranians, who come here to relax and to escape from the traffic and air polluted Tehran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to get into Darband<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To go to Darband you need to first go to <strong>Tajrish square<\/strong>. The best way to reach Tajrish square is by metro. There is a station called <strong>Tajrish Metro Station<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From there you need to walk north towards the mountains and after 500 meters you should be able to find Tajrish square.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you are there, you have to ask for shared taxis to Darband, which shouldn&#8217;t cost you more than 15,000 IR.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you go on a private taxi, the tourist price may be 5 times more. Alternatively, you can&nbsp;walk as well, as the distance between the metro station and Darband is only&nbsp;3km.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"convertkit-form wp-block-convertkit-form\" style=\"\"><script async data-uid=\"966cc0f59d\" src=\"https:\/\/exceptional-creator-2216.kit.com\/966cc0f59d\/index.js\" data-jetpack-boost=\"ignore\" data-no-defer=\"1\" data-no-optimize=\"1\" nowprocket><\/script><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Darband:&nbsp;things to do<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As soon as you get into Darband you see a long trail bordering the river. Along the&nbsp;trail you find plenty of shops where local dried fruits are sold as well as several caf\u00e9s and restaurants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter wp-image-3594\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/darband-cafes-1024x680.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/darband-cafes-1024x680.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/darband-cafes-1024x680.jpg\" alt=\"In Darband, caf\u00e9s and restaurants are placed along the river\" class=\"wp-image-3594\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span style=\"color: #808080; font-size: 10pt;\"><em>Caf\u00e9s along the river<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter wp-image-3596\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/darband-dried-fruits-1024x628.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/darband-dried-fruits-1024x628.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/darband-dried-fruits-1024x628.jpg\" alt=\"Dried fruits store located in Darband\" class=\"wp-image-3596\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em><span style=\"color: #808080; font-size: 10pt;\">Local Dried fruits shop in Darband<\/span><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hookah lounges along the river<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The hookah lounges (shisha lounges) of Darband are&nbsp;<strong>what inspired me to write this post<\/strong>, as they are what brought me back to life. All caf\u00e9s and restaurants along the river have a lounge area which is&nbsp;literally located on the river.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sometimes they are even right next to a small waterfall. Technically it&#8217;s a shisha place but you can also eat or drink a coffee. You can stay all the time you want and this is the<strong> best place to take a superpower nap<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On weekends, it may be a&nbsp;bit difficult to find an available spot, but the trail is a couple of kilometers long so you just need to walk further. Trust me, best spot ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter wp-image-3598\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/darband-hookah-lounges-1024x680.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/darband-hookah-lounges-1024x680.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/darband-hookah-lounges-1024x680.jpg\" alt=\"Hookah lounge on a river in Darband, Tehran\" class=\"wp-image-3598\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span style=\"color: #808080; font-size: 10pt;\"><em>Is there any better spot to chill?<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Eating best <em>shish kebaps<\/em> in town<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Take note on this<\/strong>: Darband is famous for having the best shish&nbsp;<em>kebaps (of kabob)<\/em>&nbsp;in town. It\u00b4s not my personal opinion but several locals told me the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A shish kebab is a skewer with meat and vegetables and is usually grilled. It can contain lamb, beef, fish, or chicken, as well as vegetables like green peppers, onions, and mushrooms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Darband, to make these <em>shish<\/em>&nbsp;<em>kebaps<\/em> they use only animals that have been raised freely on farms. They use the best quality meat, 100% organic and grilled nearly&nbsp;to perfection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It can get a bit expensive (350,000-450,000 IR for a meal) but it\u00b4s definitely worth the taste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter wp-image-3600\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/darband-kebap-1024x562.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/darband-kebap-1024x562.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/darband-kebap-1024x562.jpg\" alt=\"Darvand is home to the best shish kebaps of Tehran\" class=\"wp-image-3600\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span style=\"color: #808080; font-size: 10pt;\"><em>Best shish kebap in town<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Go hiking<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alternatively, once you have eaten your farm chicken <em>kebap<\/em> and you have taken&nbsp;your 2 hours power nap, you can go hiking to Mount Touchal and enjoy the Tehran views.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To reach the peak, you just need to follow the trail or the locals. It&#8217;s very easy. Even though you are just a few kilometers away from the city, the air is fresh and pure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some Iranian girls take advantage of it and decide to remove their veil.&nbsp;Reaching the top takes around 3h. I know.&nbsp;As you can see in the picture below, air pollution is&nbsp;an issue in Tehran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter wp-image-3606\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/tehran-views-1024x680.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/tehran-views-1024x680.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/tehran-views-1024x680.jpg\" alt=\"Tehran air pollution, Mount Tochal\" class=\"wp-image-3606\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span style=\"color: #808080; font-size: 10pt;\"><em>Polluted Tehran<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Go to Darband at night<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you are not into hiking or you have something else to do during the day, Darband also gets busy at night among the locals. Even a good Iranian friend of mine who lives in <a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/things-to-do-in-tehran\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"10447\"><strong>Tehran<\/strong><\/a> told me to meet up there with him, but since I had just gotten back from there we went somewhere else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter wp-image-3602\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/darband-night-1024x680.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/darband-night-1024x680.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/darband-night-1024x680.jpg\" alt=\"Darband caf\u00e9s &amp; restaurants at night\" class=\"wp-image-3602\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span style=\"color: #808080; font-size: 10pt;\"><em>Darband cafe at night<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Please note that I don&#8217;t want to underestimate Tehran. In fact, I like this kind of cities because they are so animated and full of life and there is so much to explore. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On that day, I was feeling extremely tired but on the following days I got the chance to explore it deeper and came to the conclusion that Tehran is an interesting city. Especially when you visit those neighborhoods where the Iranian hipsters hang out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Definitely, a face you would have never imagined about Iran. Therefore, coming back to the question in the first paragraph.&nbsp;Should you skip Tehran?&nbsp;No. Please don\u00b4t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">More information for visiting Darband<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-white-color has-text-color has-background wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"background-color:#2b8f2b\">\ud83d\udce2 In my <a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/travel-resources\/\"><strong>Travel Resources Page<\/strong><\/a> you can find the list of all the sites and services I use to book hotels, tours, travel insurance and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don\u2019t forget to check our <a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/travel-to-iran-ultimate-survival-guide\/\"><strong>travel guide to Iran<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As well as all our Iran articles:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/iran-itinerary\/\">Iran itinerary<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/best-books-iran\/\">Best Books about Iran<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/travel-insurance-iran\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Travel insurance for Iran<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/vpn-iran\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">VPN for Iran<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/iran-solo-female-traveler\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Solo Female Travel Guide to Iran<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/things-to-do-in-tehran\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Tehran Travel Guide<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/qeshm-island-travel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Qeshm Island Travel Guide<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/off-the-beaten-track-things-shiraz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Travel Guide to Shiraz<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/kaluts-desert-iran\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">A trip to the desert of the Kaluts<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/zagros-mountains-iran\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Trekking Guide to Zagros Mountains<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/qashqai-people-iranian-nomads\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Meeting the Qashqai People<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/fars-province\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Fars Province Travel Guide<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/iran-visa-code\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Visa Guide for Iran<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/masouleh-village\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Masouleh Travel Guide<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/golestan-province-iran\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Travel Guide to Golestan Province<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/iran-iraq-border\/\">Iran-Iraq border crossing<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/is-iran-safe\/\">Is Iran Safe?<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/best-hotels-in-tehran\/\">Best Hotels in Tehran<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter is-resized\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Darband-685x1024.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Darband-685x1024.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Darband-685x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Darband, Tehran\" class=\"wp-image-5123\" style=\"width:512px;height:auto\"><\/picture><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ask any Iranian outside of Tehran what he thinks about the capital and he will tell you: &#8221;Tehran is a polluted expensive city, full of traffic and dust&#8221;. Iranians claim that it lacks soul and I can partially understand it as it&#8217;s sort of a new city with no history if you compare it with [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3598,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_wp_convertkit_post_meta":{"form":"3747129","landing_page":"","tag":"0","restrict_content":"0"},"footnotes":""},"categories":[157,156],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1044","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-iran","category-middle-east"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1044","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1044"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1044\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":60044,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1044\/revisions\/60044"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3598"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1044"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1044"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1044"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}