City Rating: Tehran
Population: 8’800’000
Date of visit: April 2017
Attractions & sights: 4/5
Nightlife: 1/5 (illegal)
Safety: 4/5
Infrastructure: 2/5
Low budget factor: 5/5
Total: 👍👍👍/5
The city in a nutshell:
Tehran is a huge and busy concrete jungle, rich of culture and history, and with some beautiful sights and attractions. The city is the heart of Iran and for most people the point of entry to the Islamic Republic. Due to the city’s size it will take some days to all of it.
Where to stay:
Couchsurfing! There is a huge couchsurfing community in Iran (it’s illegal though) and this made my trip even better. Don’t expect many hotels in the country. Even in a city as big as Tehran, there are less than 20 hotels. One cheap and popular hostel is Seven Hostel, which is also based in Isfahan.
The Good:
The Grand Bazaar, Golestan Palace, Tabiat Bridge, Park-e Jamshidieh and many other places and sights make Tehran a great city for sightseeing. Although Iran’s capital is a concrete jungle full of ugly buildings, the city has many nice spots that are worth a visit.
The city is safe with almost no crime, so walking at night is not a problem. Moreover, the people are arguably the most hospitable in the world. They will do anything to show you that the bad image Iran has in the Western World is simply not the reality.
A hidden Gem is Darband, a beautiful getaway from the hectic city in the Northern part of Tehran. Take a sweater with you, it’s pretty chilly up there.
Tehran is also one of the cheapest cities in the world for travellers and you’ll spend most of your money on the visa and the hotel (if you don’t couchsurf or stay in a hostel).
The Bad & The Ugly:
Traffic is among the worst in the world and crossing a street in Iran is like playing Russian Roulette. Besides, you lose a lot of time while stuck in traffic jam, so calculate enough time for sightseeing.
There are no ATMs that accept foreign cards in Iran and you cannot pay with international credit cards. Bring enough USD or Euro.
Although the country has become a bit less strict in recent years, it’s still a country with Sharia Law. Alcohol is strictly forbidden and you have to dress modestly. That means no shorts and women have to cover their hair with a hijab.
The lack of nightlife is another big minus, as the city is pretty dead in the night. There are no bars and certainly no nightclubs in any Iranian city.
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