The Independent (London)
September 24, 2005, Saturday
48 HOURS IN TEHRAN;
IT MIGHT NOT BE AN OBVIOUS DESTINATION, BUT THE IRANIAN CAPITAL IS
BY ANDREW BURKE
Night market: vibrant red pomegranates in a bazaar (above); workers
on the Imam Khomeini grand mosque EPA; Reuters
WHY GO NOW?
Tehran is the big, buzzing, beating heart of one of the world’s
friendliest, most beautiful and misunderstood nations. Autumn weather
is ideal for exploring Iran’s dynamic capital.
TOUCH DOWN
British Mediterranean flies daily from Heathrow to Tehran on behalf
of British Airways (0870 850 9850; ). Iran Air (020-7409
0971; ) also offers non-stop flights three times a
week from Heathrow. From Birmingham, you can fly twice a week on
Mahan Air (0121 554 1555; ). Connections are
available in a wide range of cities, including Amsterdam, Istanbul
and Dubai. Emirates (0870 243 2222; ) flies via the
latter from Gatwick, Heathrow, Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow.
Flights coming from or via the Gulf states land at the new Imam
Khomeini International Airport (Ikia), 35km south of Tehran; a taxi
into town costs about IR90,000 (£5.50). Flights from Europe arrive at
Mehrabad Airport and taxis from here cost about IR40,000 (£2.50).
>From October 2 all international flights are supposed to land at
Ikia, but you should check with your airline before you leave. Recent
liberalisation of immigration means that many travellers can get a
seven-day visa on arrival ” but unfortunately this does not include
British passport holders, who should check www.iran- embassy.org.uk
for details of red tape. Women are required to wear a headscarf in
any public place, including the airport.
GET YOUR BEARINGS
Tehran sprawls across the southern slopes of the Alborz Mountains and
follows a loose north-south grid. Southern Tehran is older and
poorer, but is also home to many of the sights and hotels. Valiasr
Avenue runs 17km from the train station in the south to the clearer
air of Tajrish in the north. It’s lined by shops virtually the whole
way, with brand- laden boutiques more prevalent the further north you
go. The slowly expanding Tehran Metro () is
useful, though taxis are cheap and easier. Incredibly for a city of
14 million, there is no tourist information office.
CHECK IN
The Laleh International Hotel (1) on Dr Hossein Fatemi Avenue (00 98
21 8896 5021; www.lalehhotel. com) overlooks central Laleh Park and
has doubles for $ 152 (£85). More fun is the Hotel Naderi (2) on
Jomhuri-ye Eslami Avenue (00 98 21 6670 1872), where for $ 30 (£18) a
large double room comes complete with bakelite telephones and
1950s-era furniture. Light sleepers should get a room at the back,
however. Downstairs, the Cafe Naderi is a meeting place of artists
and intellectuals. For budget travellers, the welcoming Firouzeh
Hotel (3) on Dolat Abadi Alley, just off Amir Kabir Street (00 98 21
311 3508; www.firouzeh hotel.com), is the best choice with spotless
doubles for IR120,000 (£7).
TAKE A HIKE
Begin at Tajrish Square (4) and walk up to Darband, a village on the
side of the mountain that has in recent years been swallowed by the
spread of the city. Tehranis love the teahouses and trails that
spread out from Darband, and hiking for a couple of hours on a Friday
afternoon before stopping for tea and qalyan (water pipe) is the
quintessential Tehran experience.
TAKE A RIDE
Take the Tehran Metro to Behesht-e Zahra (5), the vast cemetery where
tens of thousands of soldiers ‘martyred’ in the Iran-Iraq War are
buried. Wandering through the graves, each topped with a glass box
containing photos and mementoes, is quite sobering. From here, walk
over to the gargantuan Holy Shrine of Imam Khomeini (6), which is
still under construction 16 years after the ayatollah died.
WINDOW SHOPPING
Tehran Bazaar is the largest market in Iran and while there aren’t
many windows, the 10km of covered alleys are home to just about every
consumer item you can imagine. The various commodities are grouped
together, with alleys dedicated to spices, goldsmiths, cobblers,
tailors, tobacconists and, of course, Persian carpet merchants.
Forget about navigating, just walk through the main entrance (7) at
15 Khordad Avenue and wander. If it’s carpets you seek, never fear ”
the vendors will find you.
LUNCH ON THE RUN
For a quick meal it’s hard to beat dizi, a delicious soup-stew
combination of lamb, chickpeas and flat bread cooked and served in a
stone jar. You’ll find it in any chaykhuneh (teahouse), though the
Azari Traditional Restaurant (8) on Valiasr Avenue (00 98 21 5537
6702) and Agha Bozorg (9) at 28 Keshavarz Blvd (00 98 21 8890 0522)
are good options.
CULTURAL AFTERNOON
Start at the National Museum of Iran (10) on Si Tir Street (00 98 21
6670 2061) where remarkable exhibits from the ancient Persian capital
of Persepolis include a bull-headed stone capital, a cuneiform
inscription immodestly describing Xerxes closeness to the gods, and a
magnificent frieze of glazed tiles from the Apadana Palace. It’s open
9am-4.45pm daily except Monday, admission IR10,000 (60p). From the
museum, head south a couple of blocks to the Golestan Palace (11),
just off Ark Square. The numerous palaces were built by the Qajar
shahs (1779-1926), who helped pay for these and other excesses by
selling state assets. The palace (00 98 21 3311 3335;
) opens 9am-3pm daily except Sunday and
Thursday, admission IR4,000 (25p) per building.
AN APERITIF
Alcohol is not entirely banned in Iran. If you must have a drink,
then head to the Armenian Club (12) at 68 Khark Street (00 98 21 6670
0521). In this somewhat surreal place, Tehran’s Armenian Christian
community and non-Muslim visitors are permitted to drink (in
moderation, of course) with their meals ” and, if you are a woman,
you may take off your headscarf.
DINING WITH THE LOCALS
Khayyam Traditional Restaurant (13) on Khayyam Street (00 98 21 5580
0760) in southern Tehran serves a good range of Persian classics in a
wonderfully restored, 300-year-old building. More local is Khoshbin
Restaurant (14) on Sa’di Street (00 98 21 3390 2194), which
specialises in mouthwatering Caspian cuisine and the heavenly mirza
ghasemi. There’s no sign in English; look for fish in the window.
SUNDAY MORNING: GO TO CHURCH
The Armenian Christian community attends mass at Sarkis Cathedral
(15) on Karim Khan-e Zand Street. The 1960s cathedral is no Notre
Dame, but worshippers are welcome on Sundays.
OUT TO BRUNCH
Jaam-e Jam Food Court (16) on the corner of Valiasr Avenue and Taheri
Street doesn’t sound that exciting, but Iran’s first food court is
ideal for people-watching. Sit with coffee and pastry and watch
heavily made- up women make eyes at eligible young men.
A WALK IN THE PARK
With no pubs, Tehranis love hanging out in parks in the afternoons
and evenings. One of the busiest is Mellat Park (17), off Valiasr
Avenue, where young couples hone their flirting skills over tea,
ice-cream and, for the more energetic, paddleboats.
ICING ON THE CAKE
If you like the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London, you’re going to
love the National Jewels Museum (18) on Ferdosi Street (00 98 21 6446
3785). Here in an underground vault are displayed the pick of the
diamonds, rubies, emeralds, pearls and gold amassed by various
dynasties of Persian rulers. Highlights include the 182-carat Sea of
Light diamond; the 34kg Globe of Jewels, with its 51,366 precious
stones; and the Peacock Throne (though it’s not the one stolen from
India). The museum keeps short hours ” 2-4.30pm Saturday to Tuesday,
admission IR30,000 (£2) ” so time your run.