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Be aware of what's on your social media before you go to Iran. Have you been critical of the Iranian government on Facebook? Do you post a lot of gay-themed photos or stories on Instagram? If you do, then you need to be very careful. You don't want this to come up while applying for an Iranian tourist visa. During the visa process, I was never asked about social media. Recently though, I was contacted by a gay couple who told me that they were asked for their Facebook and Twitter profiles during the visa application process.
Rohit from this gay couple asked:. That had me worried, as we have photos on there that show us being married. First, wait to see if anyone asks to see your social media profiles. They may never ask. If they do though, you may wish to play with your Facebook privacy settings to make albums or photos private if you think they may raise any concerns. Personally, I would go farther than that. Deactivate your Facebook profile before you apply for the visa and reactivate it when you get home.
Also, delete any tweets and Instagram posts that are critical of Iran or are super gay-themed. No one is going to question you about it! Having said that, they will likely put you in a room with two separate beds, so you have to be willing to either sleep apart or push your beds together. If you are going to engage in any hotel room fun, keep that in mind! Get in-depth FREE gay travel guides, along with inspiring stories, savvy planning tips, and exclusive discounts on gay tours.
As mentioned above, this is a country which is so rich with culture, history and beauty. Isfahan, also known as Esfahan in English, is the third-largest city in Iran but was once one of the biggest cities in the world.
It is famous for its beautiful Perso-Islamic architecture with grand boulevards, covered bridges, palaces, tiled mosques and minarets almost everywhere you look. The majestic palaces and Islamic buildings around the Naqsh-e Jahan Imam Square are a real highlight, while the square itself is one of the largest in the world as well as a UNESCO world heritage site. It is a bustling, lively and super hip city. The skyline is dominated by the Milad Tower, which is the sixth-tallest tower in the world that you can also ascend for epic views of the city.
You can even have a romantic dinner in the fancy revolving restaurant. Tehran is also home to the National Museum of Iran as well as Golestan Palace: a magnificent 19th-century Qajar royal abode. You have to spend some time shopping in a Bazaar in Iran, it's an experience in itself!
Some of the best are in the capital, as well as in cities like Esfahan, Shiraz, Kerman and Kashan. This particular bazaar was even mentioned by Marco Polo, who passed through while travelling the Silk Road. Nearly any city you visit in Iran will have a bazaar worth exploring, where you can taste local foods and find lots of beautiful handicrafts to take home with you. There are a lot of Zoroastrian Fire Temples more about those later here, as well as the Towers of Silence where Zoroastrians would leave their lost ones to be picked clean by carrion birds.
For something a little less gruesome-sounding, Yazd is also famous for having the most bicycles per capita in Iran. If you like getting out into nature then you should definitely explore and hike in the legendary Alamut Valley region. The landscapes are simply breathtaking, so this is an excellent excursion if you like to challenge yourself.
Most main meals in Iran are based on rice with meat, vegetables and nuts. Herbs and fruit also make up a lot of the traditional dishes, so expect to see lots of these for sale in local bazaars alongside many different spices. While different types of kebabs are most associated with Iran, we also love their hearty stews and ash , which is a kind of thick soup. For drinking, bear in mind that Iran is an alcohol-free country, but instead try the delicious sweet chai tea as well as a plethora of yummy non-alcoholic beers in a variety of flavours. We mentioned the Zoroastrians when talking about Yazd, and you should definitely explore their otherworldly fire temples.
Zoroastrianism is one of the world's oldest continuously practised religions, which originated in Iran around the 6th century BC. There are many Zoroastrian fire temples in Iran, where there are ever-burning fires which the Zoroastrians revere. The fire inside the Yazd Atash Behram temple in Yazd has been continuously burning for over 1, years!
You might have heard of the Achaemenid Empire as the Persian Empire, the one that invaded Greece and defeated the Spartans at the Battle of Thermopylae. Persepolis was founded by Darius I, and completed during the reign of Xerxes I, who led the invasion of Greece. This is the biggest mosque in the world, which contains the mausoleum of Imam Reza, a museum, a library, a cemetery, the Razavi University of Islamic Sciences, a dining hall for pilgrims, vast prayer halls and other buildings. Imam Reza was a descendant of the prophet Muhammad, so this is a very important site for Muslims.
The ancient city of Susa also sometimes called Shush features a castle, acropolis and palace remnants. Nearby city Shushtar is home to an amazing historic hydraulic system with water mills, dams, tunnels and canals. You might not think of snow when you think of Iran, but the northern Alborz mountains are actually a popular skiing destination with local Iranians.
The ski resorts of Shemshak and Dizin are both about two hours drive from Tehran with high altitudes which make them perfect for powder junkies. The area is amazing for skiing in the winter as well as for hiking in the warmer months. Immersed amongst the date palms and unique crumbling castles, Garmeh is a classic desert oasis village, built using rustic mud-bricks. The village is years old, but becoming a bit of a popular destination for travellers looking to experience traditional Iranian desert life.
While staying here you can organise camel-rides further into the desert, hikes to hot-water springs and excursions to the nearby salt flats. Just be aware that it does get ridiculously hot in summer, so you may want to visit during the cooler shoulder season. Why should we go giving our hard-earned dolly dollars and pink pounds to a regime that simply wants to get rid of us?
I am generally opposed to people who say you should boycott countries for human rights issues. Because when it comes to issues like gay rights, I think it's far more productive to travel to these countries, find gay friendly people and businesses if you can and support them with your tourist cash. Check out the Nomadic Boys' article about what it's like travelling as a gay couple in Asia , in which they explored this argument in detail.
Plus, in many countries with anti-LGBT policies, human rights violations against gay people generally happen with the citizens of those countries — not tourists. I was recently in Iran for about 10 days. I really didn't get the sense that gay issues were a top concern for the people who lived there.
Iranians are mostly concerned about inflation and putting food on their tables. They probably don't give much thought to gay people — if they think of them at all. Moreover, it's important to remember that you're going there on vacation — not to advocate for gay rights or to live out your life as you would if you were at home. You're going to visit Persepolis and Tehran and Shiraz, not to participate in a parade.
Before I embarked on my trip, one of the main concerns of my friends and family was that I would be a gay guy travelling to a country with such strict laws against it.
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Their comprehensive coverage is second to none and their online claims process is very user friendly. Stefan is the co-founder, editor and author of the gay travel blog nomadicboys. As a travel nerd, he has explored more than 80 countries across 5 continents. What he loves the most about travelling is discovering the local gay scene, making new friends and learning new cultures. Stefan is also a qualified lawyer, having practised as a commercial property litigator in London for over 10 years. He left his lawyer days behind to work full time on Nomadic Boys with his husband Sebastien.
Find out more about Nomadic Boys. I am a 21 yo gay boy in iran. Oh your reports is trebly wrong dear. Ofcourse homosex is illegal in iran. Some cities are religious like qom and mashhad and romantic act is rudeness there even about hetrosex couples. Hey JU thanks for your message.
In , blogger Sattar Beheshti was killed while in prison. The duration is set out in the marriage contract, almost like an apartment lease. Some ISPs also discounted access to websites that did not feature on the list. However, a move to prioritize local content through differential pricing threatens net neutrality, the principle that providers should not discriminate against certain types of content or services. There are many Zoroastrian fire temples in Iran, where there are ever-burning fires which the Zoroastrians revere. We were also introduced to some local gay guys and even saw a couple openly yet discreetly kissing and holding hands at an artsy restaurant.
What a wonderful and inspiring experience to read about! I hope progressive change continues in Iran. I visited Iran for a month with my boyfriend last year, and it was completely fine — more than that, it was one of my best travelling experiences! That being said, we were also pretty lucky to be visiting friends that knew we were a couple and it was absolutely fine with them and with their friends.
We were also introduced to some local gay guys and even saw a couple openly yet discreetly kissing and holding hands at an artsy restaurant. From my impression, it feels like attitudes are fast changing in Iran, even if the political situation remains complex, to say the least. Great article. I travelled Iran solo last year and was amazed with the friendliness of everyone.