Isfahan is second largest city in all of Iran. The city is also called Esfahan but in Iran, Isfahan is specifically used. What a beautiful city this is. Unlike all the other cities we have been to in Iran, Isfahan has lots of trees and greenery. This makes it pleasant to walk around here. We slept in Iran Hotel. The owner is an Iranian who lived and worked in Canada for 20 years. Therefore, his English was excellent and that helped greatly in getting directions in Isfahan.
There are several things to do in Isfahan. We did the following:
The pride of Isfahan: Ash soup tasting at Abbasi hotel teahouse
A large 5-star hotel in downtown Isfahan – Abbassi Hotel- has a beautiful large garden. Here you can relax and eat. Obviously sleep, but was “slightly” over our budget. You can even sit there without ordering anything. Sander even worked here for a client in the Netherlands. But we didn’t come to this hotel for this. This hotel is known for its traditional ash soup. The soup tastes a little like pea soup. It looked very inviting. Unfortunately, I couldn’t really enjoy it. They had dropped them a white sauce on top of the soup. So-called ‘kashk’ . A white sauce that tastes like what a goat smells like say…get it? This did not drive my taste buds wild so I skipped it. The atmosphere was lovely, though. With the temperature becoming pleasant in the evening a good place to have dinner sometime. Oh well, we’d love to hear what you thought of the ash with kashk! After all, tastes differ (thankfully).
Address: Amadegah Street, Esfahan, Iran, +98 31 3222 6010
Naqsh-e jahan square
This is a must see in Isfahan. You will find the oldest mosque in Isfahan. The mosque was built 1,000 years ago. Recommended to go in here. For all mosques, you usually (except the one in Yazd) pay around 150,000 rial. Have you run out in the mosque? Then go have coffee at Roozegar. A sweet and cozy coffee shop in one of the square’s side streets. You can come here until 11 p.m. for coffee, smooties, food and meetings with Iranians.
Address Roozegar Naghsh-e Jahan Square | No 37 +983132234357
Jolfa and the cathedral in Isfahan
Armenian neighborhood. During the 1910 genocide in Turkey, many people fled from turkey to Iran. In particular, they ended up in Isfahan. The Turkish government killed more than 1.5 million people during the genocide. In the Jolfa district there is a cathedral and also a museum. This museum has number of photos and history about the genocide. Pretty impressive. After all the impressions in the museum, we sat down on a bench for a while. Then a boy came and sat next to us. He too pounced on his government after some small talk. He wanted to get out of Iran. He wants to be free and disagrees with how things are going in his country. It was intense to hear. His cheeks quivered with emotion. The oppression in Iran runs deep.
Khajou Burg and Si-o-Se bridge
Masterpieces connecting one side of Isfahan to the other. The river has been dry for years, but once there was a river here. Especially at night, the view of the bridge is beautiful. Many young people sit here in groups. And light shows are projected on the bridge. This produces a spectacular feast of colors on the bridge.
Viewing art in Chehel Sotoun
Persian art can be viewed at Chehel Sotoun. This building stands next to a statue of a dinosaur. Here you should not enter but the entrance next door. You marvel at the beautiful art on display here. The building itself is also worth seeing.
Jame Mosque and bazaar in Isfahan
A beautiful large mosque. Many unexpected nooks and crannies, and the tranquility of the mosque is overwhelming. Nice place to walk around. There is also a cozy bazaar around the mosque. Fun to walk through and less crowded than in Tehran. The bazaar also though smaller so of course that already makes half the difference. The mosque and small bazaar is definitely worth visiting.
Read more about Iran for example: Yazd, the desert in Iran or the metropolis of Tehran.
