Day 1: Tehran
Arrival at Imam Khomeini international airport. Received and greeted by Shokouh Iranian agent. Hotel transfer. Overnight stay in Tehran, the cosmopolitan capital of Iran.
Day 2. Tehran Culinary Tour
Early in the morning you get ready for the first culinary course. You are going to learn how to cook Moshti Kebab, which is a traditional food made of meat. You are given the necessary ingredients to start the cooking process. You also learn how to make a local drink to have it with your lunch. In the evening, you head out to visit some local bakeries and get familiar with different types of Iranian bread. Overnight stay in Tehran.
Day 3. Tehran – Shiraz
Capture the greatness and dignity of Golestan palace, a royal palace dating back to Qajar dynasty. Discover the National Museum of Iran, where you may enjoy the archeological items of ancient Iran and learn about Iran history. Have the juiciest Kebab you can find in Iran in one of the most well-known Tehran restaurants. There are two main types: Meat Kebab or Chicken Kebab. Based on your interest, you can order the type you like. With your meal, you can have the chance of drinking Dugh, which is an organic drink made of yogurt. Hit upon the splendid priceless Jewelry Treasury of Iran and see one of the most renowned gemstones and shah crowns around the world. Since this museum is only open from Saturday to Tuesday, the alternative program will be the Museum of Glassware and Ceramic (known as Abgineh Museum). Fly to Shiraz. Overnight stay in Shiraz.
Day 4. Shiraz Culinary Tour
After breakfast, you go to the market to buy the necessary staff for your today culinary lesson. All the tourists who visit Shiraz, would like to taste Kalam Polo, which is a famous shirazi meal. You are lucky to get the chance of learning how to cook this delicious food. Among the ingredients you will have slices of cabbage, meat balls, onion and rice. As a side dish you will taste the Shirazi Salad, you have prepared earlier. This is definitely one of the foods you will try cooking when you get back home. Overnight stay in Shiraz.
Day 5. Shiraz
Marvel at the colorful beauty of Nasir-ol-Molk Mosque, where the rays of sunlight crossing through the windows fills the interior with kaleidoscopic colors. Delight in Narenjestan-e-Qavam, an elaborate mansion built in the middle of sour orange trees. This garden house dates back to Qajar dynasty and is one of the most fascinating gardens of Shiraz. For lunch, you are transferred to Haftkhan restaurant, there you will taste Chicken Tahchin or Meat Tahchin, which is one of the most Iranian famous main courses. After lunch, get mesmerized in the tombs of widely known Persian poet, Hafez. Take a tour to awe-inspiring Vakil complex and afterwards you will visit Noodle workshop of “Faloude” (a world-re known beverage consists of starch, rosewater, sugar). Overnight stay in Shiraz.
Day 6. Shiraz – Persepolis – Yazd
Drive to Yazd, the living museum of Iran. En route, stop by the Persepolis, the glamorous capital of ancient Persia. Tread in the simple but impressive site of Pasargadae, tomb of Cyrus the Great” the Founder of the Persian Empire” and remains of his several palaces. Treat your eyes to the dazzling rock reliefs of Naghsh-e-rostam. Discover ka’be zardosht, the center of astronomy and religion in old Iran. Arrival to Yazd. Overnight stay in Yazd.
Day 7. Yazd – Esfahan
Catch a glimpse of a Zoroastrian temple where a sacred fire has been kept burning for hundreds of years. Discover the mud-brick mazes and buildings. Staying cool in scorching hot summers with windcatchers, the very first air conditioning systems ever. For lunch, you will test Yazdi Gheimeh as your main course and Shooli Ash as a side dish. After lunch, get captivated by the Tower of Silence, a structure previously used for excarnation, with a short distance from the city. Also, visit the Friday Mosque (1324 A.D.) with the highest portal and minarets in Iran, with a walk through the old Fahadan quarter. If time allows, you head into a workshop to see how to make Ghottab, which is a famous Yazdi sweet. Drive to Esfahan. Overnight stay in Esfahan.
Day 8. Esfahan Culinary Tour
In the morning, you will go to Gheysarieh Bazaar to get the required spices for your today cooking class. This is one of the most wonderful traditional bazars in Esfahan and you have the opportunity to pass your time in the lanes of the market and enjoy the traditional way of transaction among the local people. You will prepare the stuff and get ready for your class. Today you will learn how to cook Dizi, which is sometimes called Ab Goosht by the Iranians. The food is a kind of broth including meat, potato, beans, tomato and some types of spices. In the evening you have time to visit a confectionary workshop to get familiar with Gaz (Nougat), which is well known among the local people of Esfahan.
Day 9. Esfahan
Capture the marvels of Safavid dynasty, all in a single square, Naghsh- e- Jahan square, the second biggest square around the world. Once used as a polo field, Naghsh- e- Jahan square is now a lively traditional bazaar. Marvel at Ali Qapu palace with its unique features and mesmerizing view of the square from the top. Soak up Islamic architecture in magnificent Imam Mosque on one side and small but impressive sheikh Lotfollah Mosque on the other side of the square. You will have Beryani as your lunch in a restaurant in Naghshe Jahan Square. The food is made of ground meat and powdered cinnamon. Start walking toward a green garden and sip some tea in a tea house in splendid Chehel Sotoun palace. Overnight stay in Esfahan.
Day 10. Esfahan - Kashan – Airport
Depart Esfahan and drive to Abyaneh– the living anthropological museum with its red mud bricks- and wonder how the man has adjusted to the environment. Drive to Kashan, a merchant town known for its high quality ceramics, silk, carpets, and fine houses. Tread in Fin Garden, the epitome of Persian gardens including pavilion, turquoise pools, a Hammam complex, and the modest Kashan national museum. Have your lunch in a traditional restaurant near the Fin Garden. In the afternoon visit Ameriha House, a perfect example of Iranian traditional houses with a lot of glasswork and tile work. Drive to Imam Khomeini Airport. Overnight stay at Ibis Airport Hotel.
Day 11. Departure
Leave Iran with a handful of fond memories from delicious Iranian culture, history, and food.
