Iran Travel Tips

Cuisine

Iran has a wide variety of food that is influenced by many cultures. Iran is known for high quality stews and kebabs, and herbs and spices. Iranian restaurants generally serve chicken, veal, fish, and lamb, but no pork.

Alcohol

Alcohol is not sold in Iran. It is illegal to drink or possess alcohol.

Roads

The quality of roads is very high in Iran. Driving in Iran is generally very safe. The distance between major cities is quite large, and it may take many hours to drive from one city to the next.

Dress

Women generally wear non-transparent, loose garments that cover their bodies except for the hands and face. Although foreigners are not expected to wear the same type of garments, female travelers should be modest, and not wear tight clothes that expose your legs, shoulders, or chest.

Men also wear similar non-transparent clothes. They may also wear t-shirts, but shorts are not accepted in public. The same applies for western men. To avoid offending anyone, it’s best to wear pants that cover your legs.

When to Visit

Generally, the most popular time to visit Iran is from the beginning of March to the end of May, and from the beginning of September to the end of November.

220 Volts AC, 50 Hz. The plugs are the round two-pin type.

Do not bring in narcotics, radioactive or explosive items, live animals, items that go against Islamic morals, and weapons. Alcoholic beverages, horticultural and agricultural goods, pornography, DVDs, CDs, fashion magazines, cassettes, transmitter receivers, and serial photo cameras are also prohibited.

You are also restricted from bringing antiques and large amounts of gold, silver, and jewelry outside of Iran. An antique is an object that is older than 100 years.

The cost of living in Iran is relatively low. Food, souvenirs, transportation, and other goods are considerably cheaper than in the western world.

In Iran, the weekend is on Friday. Some companies also give complete or half-days off on Thursdays.

Yes, it is custom to tip in Iran. A lot is not expected, but generally, leaving someone the change, or around 5 percent is a good gesture.