Yazd, Iran

One of my favourite town stays in my trip to Iran has to be Yazd. While Esfahan attracts with its beauty, Yazd attracts with its simple authenticity.

Yazd is a stop in many typical Iran itineraries, although for shorter trips, it seemed to be left out for the more convenient Tehran-Esfahan-Shiraz route. Being one of the oldest towns in the world, it has its fair share of historical and cultural attractions, including quite abit of pre-Islamic Zoroastrian religion/culture. All these, like the Fire Temple and the Towers of Silence etc is easily found in guidebooks/online etc.

Admiring the interior of the Jame Mosque

For me, the highlight is the old town itself, which of course, is one of the attractions as well. I love wandering in the alleys and discovering unique encounters within the uniform coloured adobe maze. There is a historical air about the place, and everything you see is probably as is since the olden days. Unfortunately, this also means you do see parts or sections that has crumbled and nothing has been done to it. The people in Iran are also among the friendliest in the world, and chatting with the local residents can sometimes be as gratifying as gazing upon an expansive landscape. And capturing the expressions of the kids are also quite a delight!

Yes, you could cycle too!

The wind towers of Yazd

Life within the old town

Joys of travel encounters

Travel portraits!

For those souvenir shopoholic, Yazd's textiles and silk weavings are of good regard and even Marco Polo noted its quality when he visited the town on his journey. And you could get yourself Persian carpets too, and make it fly! (of course, current day carpets gotta fly by plane within some cargo hold or something.... ;) ). And to make any stay complete, alot of the accommodation options in Yazd are converted/renovated from old traditional houses which seemed to retain alot of charm, especially the beautiful courtyards for you to rest after a good day out.

Do include Yazd in your Iran itinerary!

Respite after a hard day's "work"