Teheran – Sehenswürdigkeiten in der iranische Hauptstadt

“Tehran 1200 kilometers,” I read aloud from the fast-passing road sign and say to my friend “that’s it now, isn’t it?!” We are at this moment on the way back from the Caucasus to Tbilisi. A few hours later we fly back to Switzerland – somehow not at all willing and full of desire to discover more of this exciting area between the Black and Caspian Seas. A few hours later – having just unpacked my suitcase – I receive an e-mail from the Swiss trekking and adventure tour operator Globotrek: “Anita, would you like to accompany us to Tehran and then to the highest Iranian?” As if someone had played this moment to them in the rickety car in the middle of the evening traffic chaos of the Georgian capital. “Sure!” I didn’t have to think about it for long and from that moment on I was full of anticipation and excitement for a country that my father traveled by train in the 1970s and that is incredibly rich in stories and cultural treasures.

Preparations for a trip to Iran

The first stage of this journey leads to Winterthur to the forensic department of the Zurich Cantonal Police, where a nice lady struggles with my stiff fingers. “Leave it alone,” she repeats with each of my fingers, which she presses on a digitizing device. Proof of fingerprints is required for an Iran visa. Next, I’ll turn to the topic of dress codes. How do I have to dress in the city and what do I wear for trekking in the mountains? Long trousers / leggings (reaching above the ankles) are important. On top, wide, long-sleeved blouses that reach at least mid-thighs and completely cover the buttocks. And, of course, the headscarf. The dress code does not mean that Iranian women walk around like a “potato sack”. On the contrary – they know how to deal with it very creatively and dress chic and casual. The same applies to the headscarf, which fits loosely on many women in Tehran and shows a lot of hair. My choice fell on my favorite linen trousers from Closed (Winston Short) and in Turin I happened to get hold of a perfectly fitting tunic shirt from Max&Co – a pleasant combination at 38-40° Celsius during the day. As a headscarf, I packed a cashmere scarf that my mom brought me as a souvenir from Nepal. Silk would have been better in view of the heat, but you should take hair clips with you to fix it, as the material is slippery (and there is nothing more tedious than checking all day whether the headscarf is still “modestly” placed on the head).

So far so good. I was prepared for Tehran (and as far as the mountains are concerned, I’ll give you an insight into the equipment in a next blog post). We flew to Tehran via Istanbul and the entry was quick and surprisingly fast (and that in the morning at 2:00 in the morning). After a short night, Tehran was waiting to be discovered. Before the trek, we had just under 1.5 days to get a taste of the big city air. The city is a good 50 kilometers wide and just as long and is home to almost 15 million inhabitants – absolutely impossible to get a comprehensive insight in such a short time. We have picked out a few highlights, which I will present to you below. But one thing is clear: Tehran, we’ll see you again!

Tehran in a nutshell – splendour, hustle and bustle, nonchalance

Vogelblick || Milad Tower

If you want to get an impression of the size of this metropolis, which borders on desert landscapes on one side and proud four-thousand-metre peaks on the other, the first thing you should do is head for the Milad Tower. From the viewing platform of the 435 m high TV tower there is a great panoramic view.

Green oasis and crazy travel stories || Saadabad Palace Complex

In summer, the heat has a firm grip on the big city. The Saadabad Palace complex in the north of the city offers a welcome cooling off with its extensive gardens. A total of 18 palaces can be found in the complex, which was originally built by the Qajar kings as a summer residence. The detour to the travel museum, which is dedicated to the legendary Iranian Omidvar brothers, is exciting.

Relaxation by the river || Darband

The Saadabad Palace complex is located in the Darband district. The former village is located at an altitude of 1,700 metres above sea level and nestles against the Elbrus Mountains, which surround Tehran to the north. Within walking distance of the palace complex is the chairlift that leads up to Mount Tochal (3,964 m above sea level). Along the river ravine there are numerous street vendors and restaurants and the further you follow the road up, the greener and more secluded it becomes. If you want to do the same as the local tourists, you can sit down on one of the carpet platforms installed in the river and order a round of tea (and shisha).

Glitter and splendour || Golestan Palace

While the Saadabad palace complex served as a summer residence, the Golestanpalat in the south of Tehran was the government palace of the Qajars. Since 2013, the complex has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The number of elaborately handcrafted mirrors and mosaic tiles seems almost unbelievable – the rooms sparkle and glitter. I don’t quite like this visibly celebrated splendour of days gone by. I definitely like the beautifully designed facades better.

Amazement and haggling || Grand Bazaar

Pure contrast is offered just around the corner from the Golestan Palace. This is where the Grand Bazaar of Tehran is located. A huge network of corridors and halls, where you can find everything your heart desires, from cooking utensils to fabrics and clothes to carpets. If you take the right turn, you will also find a mosque in the middle of the hustle and bustle. We made a warm acquaintance with the “guards” there, who dutifully adjusted our headscarves and then posed for a selfie with us. Anyway – if there’s one thing I remember in particular, it’s all the incredibly touching encounters with the locals. Where are you from? What are you doing here? Have you already visited this and that? Are you on Instagram?… The curiosity and joy that we are traveling to their country is clearly palpable.

Chill out in a casual atmosphere || Iranian Artists Forum

The headscarf position is pushed to the limit on the roof terrace of the Iranian Artist Forum. Located in the centre of the city in Honarmandan Park, the institution is a meeting place for the creative scene. On the ground floor there is a casual souvenir shop and art exhibitions. And the roof terrace is the perfect location for an aperitif (alcohol-free, of course).

Tehran for Foodies || Gilac and Zahir

The Persian cuisine is actually reason enough to travel to Iran again. We ate incredibly well everywhere – only the wasteful use of plastic packaging (from cutlery to bread to onions in many restaurants everything is completely shrink-wrapped in plastic) is incomprehensible from my point of view. If you want to enjoy an excellent (plastic-free) extract from Persian cuisine, the Gilac restaurant is a good choice.

Another casual place is the Zahir Cafe (which can be found on Facebook despite the official Facebook ban – like most Iranians, by the way). The décor is totally hip with beautiful wooden tables and bright interiors and on the menu cool drinks and delicious burgers (yes, I know, that could also be in Zurich or Stockholm – but that’s Tehran too).

Practical tips for Tehran

• Recently, the airport has been served by metro.
• In the metro, the front and rearmost cars are reserved for women (men are not allowed in there – conversely, women are allowed in the other cars)
• Allow enough time for a taxi ride (no matter where) – traffic jams are the order of the day
• Negotiate the price of a taxi ride before you start your trip (or use local apps with fixed prices)
• We stayed at the Mashad Hotel within walking distance of the Taleghani metro station
• Take cash (dollars or euros) with you to change

Note: Globotrek invited me to this research trip. All opinions/impressions are, as always, mine.

Merken