Discovering Tabriz

A Precious City in Northwestern Iran Located next to the green Quru River valley of the East Azerbaijan province, Tabriz is interestingly full of histories and cultures. It counts as the sixth largest city of Iran and it perennially boasts of both historical buildings that are worth seeing as well as energetic markets still existing up to this very day.

Tabriz has historically held a key outpost with a tremendous past along the celebrated 'Silk Route'; part of this ancient journey navigated through magnificent caravansary that were stopover points as well as hubs of commerce. The Tabriz Bazaar is still a major trade center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the biggest in the Middle East where people can be quite lost for miles running down all these narrow brick-vaulted lanes with an incredible number of carpets, spices, jewelries, and handicrafts being sold all over the place.

What Does the Architectural Landscape of Tabriz’s Tell About ? How Has This Been Influenced By The City? Awe-inspiring in its beauty, the Blue Mosque is decorated with a lot of turquoise mosaic tiles that exemplify something like an artistic peak or highest point which was attained during Safavid era.

The Azerbaijan Museum will captivate history enthusiasts with the legendary collectibles exhibited in it. On display are a number of artifacts covering prehistoric era through to recent pieces from Iran.

Unveiling The Natural Beauty Beyond The City Walls

Even though Iran’s unique culture can be experienced at Tabriz urban zone, veering away from the city unlocks wonders of nature around us. Mount Sahand is also a great feature in the town with its dormant volcano giving a spectacular view which also provides grounds for hiking and exploring the quiet landscapes. Additionally for anyone who is looking forward to relaxing, there are several natural hot springs that are located in various points within Tabriz town ensuring one gets rejuvenated.

A Heaven for Food Lovers

A Paradise of Taste In Tabriz, there is a culinary paradise for the people who love food. The dishes of this city are a nice combination of Turkish, Azeri and Persian tastes. One of the local favorites is Ditchlam which is a lamb stew with vegetables that are cooked slowly and as for desserts you can find freshly made qutab pies with different fillings inside.

A Flourishing Hub

Business and Education Beside the historical and cultural importance, Tabriz is a thriving center of trade and industry. Its markets are like a treasure for those people that seek for good quality rugs -this city plays an important part in Iranian carpet making industry; It also serves as home to numerous esteemed universities drawing scholars from all over the country and even abroad.

Plan for your Tabriz Adventure Tabriz, with its fascinating mix of heritage, traditions and stunning landscape, makes travelling here truly memorable. The ideal period for visiting Tabriz is springtime (March – May) or autumn (September – November) as it provides favorable climatic conditions. There are different kinds of places to stay in the city ranging from conventional guest houses to state-of-the-art hotels.

Then if indeed it's true that there is a town which perfectly marries old and new; traditional customs and the environment, Tabriz where your quest should end. Return home after discovering some of her well kept secrets and transverse the Iranian historical story told in hospitality.

Places that you can visit

Tabriz Grand Bazaar: We begin our journey to the land of the firsts and head to the largest indoor market in Iran and the largest collection of roofed and interconnected bricks in the world; An ancient market with a length of one kilometer that has passed through various historical events and today has reached us as a valuable heritage.

Blue Mosque: Blue Mosque, also known as Kabood or Goy mosque, is a famous heritage site in Tabriz, Iran. The mosque and some other public buildings were constructed upon the order of Jahan Shah, the ruler of Kara Koyunlu dynasty who chose Tabriz as the capital of his kingdom. There is a mausoleum in the southern section of the mosque where the builder, Jahan Shah, is buried.

Kandovan Village: Kandovan Village, with hand-made cliff dwellings carved into cone-shaped rocks, is a part of Osku County, in East Azerbaijan, Iran, nearly 60 km away from Tabriz. This wonderful unique village is located at the foot of Mount Sahand, a huge dormant volcano and the highest mountain in East Azerbaijan. The structures were formed by ash and debris from Mount Sahand when the volcano erupted sometime in the last 11000 years.

Saint Stepanos Monastery: The Saint Stepanos Monastery, 15 km northwest of Jolfa city, East Azerbaijan Province, northwest of Iran, is an Armenian monastery, situated in a deep canyon along the Aras River on the Iranian side of the border between the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and Iran.

All in all, Tabriz proves to be a city that goes beyond thought. This is evident in the historical markets which are filled with energy as well as calm natural environments around its central business district making it an attractive mix of past, heritage and exploration. Be it learning how to make carpets precisely, getting lost in interesting tales given by old sites or ascending Mount Sahand’s peaks, then be sure there will be no turning back after coming to Tabriz.