Tabriz Travel Guide
From Wikitravel
Tabriz is the capital of East Azerbaijan province, in the Azerbaijan region of Iran.
Contents |
Get in
By Air
Daily flights from Tehran on Iran Air, Iran Aseman and other companies. Fare is 256,000 Rials for 1-way. Direct flights from Dubai have just started on Tue and Sat, operated by Kish Air (around 200 USD for 2-way). Direct flights from Istanbul (5 flights per week), operated by Turkish airlines (3 flights) and Iran air (2 flights); fare is around 250 USD for 2-way.There are also direct flights from Baku and Damsacus.
Flights to other Iranian cities are scarce. Ask your favourite Iranian travel agency for schedules.
By Train
Daily train from Tehran. 12 Hours travel.
By Bus
Bus relations with major cities. 10 Hours travel from Tehran.
Get around
City transport, awaiting the Metro currently under construction (and still for a long time) is limited to Taxis, shared taxis and buses.
Taxis can be chartered for a modest fee (around 20 USD if you need a driver and car for the whole day to visit the region !)
Shared taxis are even more of a bargain, but you will need to speak a few words of Persian and risk your life by stepping on the side of the road an scream your destination at passing-by Paykans. However, the experience of sharing a car with 5 locals of both genders and all ages (+ driver...) can be fun ! Odds are the fare won't be more than 10 cents (1.000 Rials) for a 10-minutes trip. Some drivers even refuse to be paid, the pelasure of chatting with a foreigner about the various plagues of Iran being apparently enough to make their day. (be careful of tarof, though)
Buses are difficult to take (no map, no schedule...) and definitely not worth the experience when compared to shared taxis despite being quasi-free.
See
Not much to see inside the city itself : the region around has much more touristic potential.
Inside Tabriz :
- El Goli (formerly Shah Goli) : A superb park around a square artificial pond. In the center, a small hall is located on an island and hosts a restaurant. Very nice for eating some tchelokebab or sip some tea while enjoying the freshness of the park in summer.
- Blue Mosque : A mosque which was once certainly superb, but which had been destroyed in an earthquake and not rebuilt until recently. The inside of the mosque is tilled with superb blue ceramic. Unfortunately, lots of pieces went missing during the quake and are simply replaced by paiting instead of tiles. Historic renovation, iranian style.
- Constitution house : a house retracing the story of the Iranian constitutional revolution in the early 20th century, Tabriz being a high place of the uprising. Quite well documented and well kept, although few english translations are available.
- Bazaar : one of the most beautiful and largest in Iran. Some parts have been renovated and are trully wonderful. You will find mosques, bid selling halls, and all kind of trades possible. Worth to get lost inside for a few hours.
- Azerbaidjan Museum : a good place encompassing the long iranian history. But poorly kept : very few translations and erratic classification makes the trip inside the numerous dynasties intricate for first timers.
Numerous places to see around Tabriz. The mountainous region of south Azerbaidjan offers breathtaking views and excellent treks among castles, rocky pathes and remote villages.
Highlights :
- Orumyeh Lake : a salted lake with salt beaches and improbable bathing spots (gender separate, of course). Numerous migratory birds stop there on their long trip for some rest and food.
- Babak Castle : breathtaking castle, nested on a rocky peak at an altitude of 2,700 m. Babak was apparently one of the last zoroastrian heroes fighting the islamic invasion, 1400 years ago. A 2-hours walk to get up there, but definitely worth it. What a view !
- Kandovan : a troglodytic village 2 hours away from Tabriz. Great for discovering both the odd beauty of the place and the daily life of an iranian village, among sheeps, donkeys, hens and cats... Women in printed chadors can go outside and playing kids are all around. Mullahs obviously don't bother going there too often. Resistant walking shoes mandatory if you want to climb up the village.
- Mount Sahand : big dome topping at around 3,700 m. Interesting to climb in summer, or for skying in winter (1 lift available, another in project)
Do
Eastern Azerbaidjan offers numerous trekking opportunities. However, very few treks are organized and the odds are you won't find anyone along the pathes except sheeps, shepherds and some villagers. An unspoilt region.
For those who come there in Winter, ski is possible on Mount Sahand and in Yam. Trips are organised by Alp Agency in Valiasr disctrict and the Tourist Information Office.
Buy
If you have (lots of) money, the tabrizi carpets are among the finest in Iran, and you will find masterpieces in shops and inside the Bazaar.
Eat
Kabab, rice, Abgoush, Fried trout... some restaurants serve them all, but if you step inside a more modest Tchelowkebabi, the odds are you won't have much choice apart from the traditional rice and kebab.
Drink
Tea, dough, tea, Zamzam Cola, tea, Fanta, tea...
Let's say Iran isn't really a destination for binge drinking. More the kind of place for Tea and Hubble Bubble (Qalyan) lovers. Or sipping a glass of dough over some Tchelowkebab.
Sleep
As in most parts of Iran, expect double-standards for us, rich western tourists. Apart from the modest mosaferkhaneh and 1* hotels, you will probably pay from 25 to 70 % more than an Iranian national. The "rich western tourist" tariff applies also for broke backpackers.
Five-star Tabriz El-Goli PARS Hotel [1]
4* Hotel International, Abresan Crossroads. 50$ single / 75$ double, with breakfast, for foreigners (prices for Iranians are somehow cheaper). New interior, very clean and quiet, semi-international standards (meaning new western bathroom, soap, clean towels, room service, buffet breakfast, TV, mini-bar, english spoken...). Worth a good European 3*.
2* Hotel Azerbaidjan, 150.000 Rls Double Room. Dirty and noisy, definitely not worth it.
1* Ark Hotel, 80.000 Rls Double room with shower (iranian style) and toilets (western style available), fridge and TV. Old but not very dirty, good for backpackers. No english spoken, but the guy knows you don't come there to buy carpets so everything should get along fine.
1* Hotel Mashad 40000 Rial Single rooms. Near the tourist office ask there.
Get out
"getting out" doesn't have the same meaning in iranian towns...apart from private parties in northern Tehran, you won't find anything even vaguely close to a nightclub in the whole country.
However, places for getting out at night in Tabriz include ice & juice houses, kebab restaurants, Qalyan (hubble bubble), tchaikhaneh and walking around the Valiasr district. Nothing really exciting, but good enough for spending the evening chatting with friends or trying to meet young locals.
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