I had to do this from Shiraz, as I had promised myself to. However, I kept delaying this and now Shiraz seems to be so far away from where I am. Perhaps it is good, because only the parts that I remember would pop up here. Parts like the first morning in Shiraz, or the last evening. The morning where the city woke up to a Saturday and the scent of bread filled my lungs which were welcoming as compared to the fumes from the exhaust in Tehran.
My first morning in Shiraz was early. Still struggling with jet lag from the earlier flights, I woke up at 5 am and was out on the street at 6. The early morning sounds of the birds were peaceful as was the walking on the street with only the sweepers as a company. I had hoped that some tea shop would be randomly open and I would grab a tea before heading to the Nasir Ul Molk mosque. The best in Iran they say.
At 0715 the doors of the mosque opened and the first batch of tourists including myself rushed in. There was no need to rush, but we were all tourists and sometimes that’s what happens after waiting for 45 minutes. At the gate, the odd 20 people waiting seemed like a crowd, but in the courtyard, it felt as if each one had his own space.
When to visit the best mosque in Iran?
Do this not exactly very early. The individuals come early at 0700 and the tour groups come at 0830. Go at 0800 for some peaceful time with the stained glass. The sun starts showing through better after 0830 though, depending on the time of the year.
Shirazi’s are crazy about their faloode, which is vermicelli mixed with rose or lemon water. On my last evening in Shiraz, I took my tourists to taste the faloode. The dessert was too sweet for our taste, but the experience of sitting with the local families with our backs leaning on the walls of the citadel was just perfect in taste.
Top 5 attractions of Shiraz
- The Nasir Ol Molk Mosque
- The Vakil Bazaar square in the evening
- Leaning against the citadel walls and having a Faloode
- The garden of Shiraz
- Having a coffee at any of the espresso shops for less than 50 cents
They call Shiraz, the cultural capital of Iran. My cultural experience of Iran had already started in Tehran, with the kind of people I got to meet. In Shiraz, it only went to the next level.
