City Rating: Isfahan

Population: 2’200’000

Date of visit: April 2017

Attractions & sights: 3/5
Nightlife: 1/5 (illegal)
Safety: 5/5
Infrastructure: 3/5
Low budget factor: 5/5
Total: 👍👍👍👍/5

The city in a nutshell:

Big but still laid-back Persian city, a mandatory destination on every Iran itinerary. Isfahan has a few terrific sights, good restaurants, but the highlight are the people. The city centre, especially the main square, is like 1001 nights.

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 Isfahan, there are less than 20 hotels. Ragrug Hostel is a new hostel with cheap prices owned by one of the most hospitable guys in Isfahan.

The Good:

If you come directly from Tehran, Isfahan is like a haven. It is not as hectic as the capital and more beautiful. There are a lot of things to see (Naqsh-e Jahan square is absolutely spectacular), the food is amazing and the people some of the friendliest in the world.

Contrary to the belief of many people, it is also one of the safest places on earth. The only danger comes from barbaric traffic, as crossing a street in Iran is like playing Russian Roulette.

Getting around in Isfahan is also quite easy, as taxis and especially the Isfahan Uber Tap30 is very cheap (like everything).

The Bad & The Ugly:

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.

There are no ATMs that accept foreign cards in Iran and you cannot pay with international credit cards. Bring enough USD or Euro.

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