The ancient city of Shiraz has been highly touted as the heartland of Persian culture for over 2000 years, and it has become synonymous with education, nightingales, poetry, flowers, and gardens.

There is no mystery as to why Isfahan is Iran's most popular tourist attraction. As the old Persian saying goes, "Isfahan nesf-e Jahan," meaning "Isfahan; half the world".

The Sa’d al-Saltaneh Caravanserai is located just north of the Qazvin bazaar on Imam Khomeini Street. This large complex consists of: four commercial courtyards, three administrative complexes, two rows of merchant stalls alongside a magnificent domed hall, one small bazaar, and two bathhouses - all in an area of 16,700 square metres. There is an entrance from Imam Street into the main courtyard of the caravanserai. The condition of this entrance shows how the main entrance hall was lost when the street was widened. There are commercial stalls surround the main courtyard. In the centre, there is a small pool that was likely filled via auxiliary aqueducts. A smaller yard with pillars sits west of the main courtyard, and has several stalls and sleeping areas that were used to store merchandise.

Golestan Palace, or the Palace of Flowers houses some of the capital’s oldest royal buildings and is one of the most prominent historic complexes in Iran. During the Qājār rule, this now UNESCO World Heritage listed site was considered the political capital of the Qājār dynasty and had witnessed coronations of seven Qājār rulers as well as both of the Pahlavi kings. The rumour has it that in order to avoid any social unrest following the king’s death, it was decided to keep Nāser Al-Din Shāh’s murder a secret. The dead body of the king was, thus, placed into the royal coach (kept in the National Car Museum of Iran) and sent to the Golestan Palace. A man impersonating Nāser Al-Din Shāh and wearing white gloves would at times wave at people or touch his moustache in the same way as the dead king used to do. Once in the Golestan Palace, the body of the dead king was buried for a period of one year in the Royal Tekiyeh and later moved to the Abdol Azim shrine.

Isfahan is one of the most visited cities in Iran, not only by locals but also by international tourists coming to the country. There are a number of monuments, historical houses and palaces, and local bazaars and shops to visit in the city.