Capital of Iran located in the north of the country, at the foot of the Elbourz Mountains and the Caspian Sea, Tehran is the largest city in the country with, in 2015, around 9 million inhabitants and more than 15 million people throughout the urban area. Perched between 1,100 meters and 1,700 meters above sea level from south to north, the city extends its ramifications over 686 km², the entire territory of the municipality of Arles (13). Due to its position between the mountain and the desert, the agglomeration of Tehran has several climatic influences, with a cool and semi-humid climate in the north and hot and dry zones in the south.
A major historical, cultural and political center in Iran, Tehran has many monuments to visit. It is also a very student city, the city is home to around fifty higher education establishments.
Also Read: 12 Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Iran
Are you looking for things to do in Tehran? You will not be bored by coming to visit Tehran. We have listed a selection of 12 essential things to do in the Iranian capital.
1. La Tour Milad
Photo credit: Flickr - farhad sheikh
Iconic tower of Tehran, the Borj-e Milad tower is the tallest in the country and the sixth tallest telecommunications tower in the world, reaching 435 meters at its top. Open since 2009, you can see it everywhere, especially from the northern districts. It is also impossible to visit Tehran without climbing there. Here you will find a cultural center, an exhibition hall, a panoramic restaurant, a luxury hotel and a breathtaking view of the whole city.
2. Go through the Azadi Tower
Photo credit: Flickr - Johannes Zielcke
The Azadi Tower is another symbol of Tehran: inaugurated in 1971 to celebrate the 2,500 years of history of the Persian Empire, the authorities have changed it into an emblem of the Islamic Revolution of 1979. It rises 45 meters from high and is completely covered with white marble. Under the tower, visit the dedicated museum and its fountains.
3. The mosque of Imam Zadeh Saleh
Photo credit: Wikipedia - Arian Ar
What to do in Tehran? You are not going to leave Iran anyway without seeing this famous blue meringue with rounded shapes? Imam Zadeh Saleh's mosque is a must see even if you are not a Muslim. Standing next to Tajrish Square in the north of the city, this mosque is a must visit. The decoration, the meticulous paintings of the facades and the ornamentation of the interior will captivate more than one!
4. The Golestan Palace
Photo credit: Flickr - Ninara
Located in the historic district of Tehran, the Golestan Palace - meaning "palace of the flower garden" - is a bonus if you do not know what to do in Tehran. It is the former royal palace of the Qajar dynasty , a Turkmen dynasty that ruled the country between 1786 and 1925. This palace is listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, and mixes styles of Persian and Western architecture. . Located near City Park , the Palace is surrounded by sumptuous gardens where you can stroll.
5. The Sa'dabad Palace
Photo credit: Flickr - Ninara
Together built by the Qadjare dynasty and the Pahlavi dynasty at the beginning of the 20th century, the Sa'dabad Palace is located north of the city, between the foothills of the Elbourz mountains and the valley of the Darband district. The Palace houses museums - the Water Museum, the Fine Arts Museum, the Hossein Behzâd Museum - allowing you to discover an important part of Iran's rich and powerful cultural history.
6. The Palace of Niavaran
Photo credit: Flickr - David Stanley
You no longer know what to do in Tehran? Visit Niavaran Palace , a palatial complex in the Shemiran district, north of the city, built at the behest of Iran's last shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi . The palace was completed in 1968 and served as a residence for the royal family before the Iranian revolution of Ayatollah Khomeini (1979).
7. The Grand Bazaar in Tehran
Photo credit: Flickr - Ninara
How to visit Tehran without going to smell the popular atmosphere of the locals at the Grand Bazaar ? Would you consider going to Marseille without seeing the Calanques? The Grand Bazaar, these are shopping galleries with high and vaulted ceilings, adorned with multiple colors where everything is exchanged in a friendly climate, at the bottom of noisy and crowded alleys. You will find everything there absolutely: spices, handmade Persian rugs, decorative objects, various utensils, silk scarves, colorful fabrics, cakes and confectionery, telephones ... To immerse yourself in Iranian culture and visit Tehran in an authentic way, it's where to go.
8. The mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini
Photo credit: Flickr - Gilbert Sopakuwa
What to do in Tehran? The mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini is an unmissable visit. It is a funeral complex located south of the city. It is dedicated to Ayatollah Rouhollah Khomeini (1902-1989), an iconic figure of the Iranian revolution in 1979. The mausoleum houses the remains of Ayatollah and his wife. Under construction since 1989, the complex will be a 20 km² center surrounded by four minarets, under a giant dome bringing together prayer rooms, a university for Islamic studies, a memorial center and souvenir shops.
9. They were Zoo Park
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons - Amingholamali
Also known as the Tehran Zoological Gardens, the Eram Zoo Park is located to the west of the city. It shelters, on an area of 5 hectares, more than 290 species of animals, including 121 native of Iran, since 1992. It is a place which will seduce children and adults, where to observe tigers, leopard, lynx, wolves , primates, reptiles, birds, turtles and many more. Still wondering what to do in Tehran?
10. The National Museum of Iran
Credit photo: Wikipedia - Ondřej Žváček
If you like culture and history, the National Museum of Iran - also the Archaeological Museum of Iran - is the place to go to visit Tehran. It traces the history of the city and the country since Antiquity. Opened in 1937, it has many pottery, metal objects, books and pieces from ancient Persia, but also objects dating from the Neolithic, Paleolithic, and pre-Islamic times. The museum contains eight different rooms dedicated to different periods of history.
11. Mount Tochal
Have you seen everything and don't know what to do in Tehran? Do you see the mountains to the north? You can hike the slopes of the Elbourz mountains and pass from (a temperature of 40 ° C to 10 ° C! Along a 12 km ridge line culminating at 3,942 meters above sea level, the hikes allow an extraordinary view over the city of Tehran, which can be reached by cable car from Tajrish , north of Tehran, to the Tochal ski resort, with access to around ten peaks from the ridge.
12. Sorkheh Hesar National Park
Crédit photo: Wikimedia Commons – Mahdi Kalhor
Why not take advantage of Sorkheh Hesar National Park and its 9,380 hectares directly accessible to the east of the city by visiting Tehran ? You can climb to 1,547 meters above sea level to take a little sweetness - if you come in summer, the days can be scorching - in this protected area. In winter, the area serves as a starting point for bird migration. Please note, due to its semi-arid climate, the annual average thermal amplitude is important: 19 ° C between day and night!