TEHRAN - A full day visit to the old Shah's residence - Sa'ad Abad Palace, Reza Abbasi and National Jewelry museums. Evening Transfer to the airport  and board flight to Shiraz.

SA'AD ABAD PALACE
Set in lush , and peaceful surroundings in the southern foothills of the Alborz Mountains , the Sa'ad Abad Palace complex was originally the summer residence of the former Shah of Iran until the Islamic Revolution of 1979.

today it remains an illustration of the grandeur and opulence in which the Shah and his family lived. Now , many of these palace buildings house fascinating exhibits including some of Iran's greatest treasures and finest works of art

Reza Abbasi Museum:

Our next museum would be  the Reza Abbasid's. a unique collection of artifacts dating back to the 14th century and the museum exhibits stunning examples of Islamic calligraphy and exquisite jewelry from several dynasties.

National Jewelry Museum:

Host to the most elegant and valuable treasury jewelry and artworks .

ESFAHAN - A Full day of sightseeing in this amazing city with afternoon dedicated to shopping and free at leisure walking tours :

Hasht Behest Garden:

Afternoon Free at leisure walking tour in * Behesht garden .

ARMENIAN QUARTER:
While Iran is , for all intents and purposes , and Islamic nation , there are various other religious minorities free to practice their faith.

VANK CATHEDRAL:

 in Esfahan 's Armenian Quarter is a testament to the fact that Muslims and Christians have lived together peacefully here for centuries.

While the exterior of the cathedral observes traditional Christian designs , the interior decorations are a curious combination of time honored Christian images and ancient Persian art.

Underway visiting Naeen Silk Carpet producing places, ancient sites underway and then H/D city tour in Yazd . A visit to the magnificent Masjid-e Jame and Amir-Chakhmaq Mosques. The following day we continue to the Zoroastrian Towers of Silence and the Fire Temple (where fire worship is still practiced) and then tour Doulat Abad Garden with its traditional ventilation shaft (wind tower) 

**Camel riding tour in Desert and Overnight in Camping:**

Visits:

Drive to Shiraz , Underway excursion to  visit of Passargade, Persepolis, and Nagh - she rostam (Necropolis).
 

PERSEPOLIS:
No trip to Iran would be complete without a visit to Persepolis. The site is recognized as the best preserved remains of the great Persian Empire which , at its zenith , stretched from the Indus Valley to the Aegean Sea , encompassing Thrace , Armenia , Asia Minor , Assyria , and Lower Egypt.

Persepolis , meaning "Capital of Persia" in Greek , was founded by King Darius the Great who reigned between 521 and 486 BC , as the Ceremonial Capital of his Empire. Later , the city was further developed by Darius' successors over a period of more than 150 years.

today , you can see the remains of Persepolis' grandeur which made this one of the finest cities of the ancient world - the Monumental Gateway , Palaces , Audience Halls , and the Treasury; and beliefs depicting the New Year ceremonies in which Heads of State from all over the Empire would travel to Persepolis to pay taxes in the form of lavish gifts for the Great King.

NAQSH-E-RUSTAM (Necropolis):
Literally "Picture of Rustam" , local supposition associated these four beautifully carved tombs cut high into the cliffs near Persepolis with the famous Persian mythical hero , Rustam.

In actual fact they are the tombs of the great Achaemenian kings of the 4th & 5th centuries BC: Darius the Great , Xerxes , Darius II and Artaxerxes.

PASSARGADE
In the vast desert plain between Shiraz and Esfahan , lie the remains of the first capital of the Achaemenian (Persian) Empire. Passargade was established by King Cyrus the Great in the early 6th century BC as the empire's seat of government and central military base

Shiraz

Background:

SHIRAZ : a city which envelopes so many images of ancient Persia - exotic gardens , lavish mansions , rich red wine , silky woolen rugs , philosophy and poetry.

Shiraz has also always been a renowned center of learning , boasting many of the most prestigious colleges and universities in the country. Known as Iran's "Poetic Capital" , it was also home to two of Persia's most famous poets of the 13th and 14th centuries , SAADI & HAFEZ , whose mausoleums are here in Shiraz.

Visits:

Our day is spent exploring Shiraz where we start with a visit to the picturesque Eram Garden , famous for its cypress trees. Next we visit the tombs of Persia's best known poets: Saadi and Hafiz. While there , why not enjoy a cup of chai at the wonderful atmospheric teahouse where one sit on a floor of cushions and mingle with the locals. Our next stop takes us to the "modern" Nasiro-Molk mosque and the pretty Afif-Abad Garden followed by a visit to the Church of Saint Simmon the Zealot with the famed stained glass windows and then off to see the ornately mirrored Shrine of Shah-Cheragh. This wonderful day culminates with a trip to a labyrinthine bazaar.

Free time in Shiraz can be spent exploring at your own pace. Wander the maze of narrow streets and alleyways of the old city filled with traditional handicraft workshops and local markets. For the avid sightseers the splendid mansion of Ghavam Orangery , the sumptuous Garden of Paradise , and the impressive intricately decorated Karim Khan Citadel are each worthy of a visit.