Luxury Iran Tours

Today's political climate is little more than a blip on the radar screen of the fabled Persian empire, as the sights you'll encounter on luxury Iran tours will certainly bear witness. A dry, mountainous, and ethnically diverse country in southwest Asia, Iran is part of the old Fertile Crescent one studied in ancient history classes. Civilization rose to amazing heights here about 4,000 years ago--encompassing mathematics, the arts, law, and architecture.

Luxury Iran tours do not cloak the toll that years of regional conflict have taken. The capital city of Tehran--famed for its verdant gardens and magnificent architecture--fell into some disrepair after the Iranian Revolution of 1979, for example, but is gradually restoring its visual heritage. Tragically, the spectacular citadel at Bam was largely destroyed by a 6.3 earthquake in December of 2003.

From the thousand-year-old Mil-e Gonbad tower to Choqa Zanbil's magnificent brick ziggurat, much remains, however. About 250 miles south of Tehran is the city of Esfahan, whose trademark cool blue tiles, Islamic architecture, and spectacular bridges over the Zayandeh River are breathtaking. Sights there to enjoy during luxury Iran tours include the Emam Mosque, the 17th-century Chehel Sotun pavilion, and the Vank cathedral. Shiraz, one of medieval Islam's most important cities, is a relaxed and cultivated city. Capital of Iran in the mid-18th century, Shiraz was restored then, and many of its most beautiful architecture dates from then.

A Gem of Luxury Iran Tours

Persepolis, a magnificent palace complex built about 500 BC, embodies the glory and grandeur of the ancient Middle East. Burnt to the ground during the time of Alexander the Great in about 331, the city was rediscovered in the 1930s. A shadow of its former glory, the massive Apandan palace complex, the Palace of 100 Columns, and the intricate carvings and inscriptions of Xerxes' Gateway are still marvels to behold!