Things to Do in Isfahan, Iran
Isfahan is one of those cities where you keep saying the old Persian phrase, that it is half the world, and then you start to believe it. I flew into Tehran, took the train south and spent five days in what was once the capital of the Safavid empire. The result is a city of extraordinary tile work, vast squares, gentle riverside walks and a bazaar that could occupy you for a week. This is what made the trip.
Stand in the Middle of Naqsh-e Jahan Square
Every trip to Isfahan starts, and often ends, at Naqsh-e Jahan, one of the largest city squares in the world. Once a royal polo ground, it is now a vast open space ringed by arcades, with the blue dome of the Shah Mosque at one end and the richly decorated Ali Qapu palace at the other. I stood in the centre and tried to take it all in, and I am not sure I ever fully succeeded, because the scale is simply unlike anything I had seen before. The lawn at the middle fills with families on warm evenings, which makes the square feel alive rather than merely historic.
Admire the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque
Tucked around the same square is the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, smaller than the Shah Mosque but in many ways more beautiful. The dome is a soft cream that catches the light, and inside, the tile work is so dense and so precisely arranged that it feels more like embroidery than architecture. A guide pointed out that the peacock motif in the centre of the dome shifts as you move, which I had to see twice to believe. It may be the single most beautiful interior I have seen in Iran.
Cross the Si-o-se-pol Bridge
When the afternoon heat fades, head to the Zayandeh River and the Si-o-se-pol bridge, a long stone crossing with thirty three arches. I loved this part of Isfahan most of all. The bridge is a bridge for people, built with gaps between the arches and ledges to sit on, and by dusk it fills with families, musicians and picnickers. I sat for an hour watching the lights come on across the water. Check whether the river is flowing, since it can dry out, but the bridge is worth it either way.
Get Lost in the Grand Bazaar
Behind the square stretches the Grand Bazaar, a covered maze of lanes selling carpets, copper, spices, sweets and everything in between. I did not have a shopping plan, and that was for the best, because I came out with a hand beaten copper bowl, some saffron and a bag of pistachios. The trick is to wander without a goal and let the shopkeepers invite you in for tea, because that is where the real conversation happens. Haggle gently and with humour, and you will both enjoy it.
Visit the Armenian Quarter and Vank Cathedral
Across the river lies the Armenian quarter of New Julfa, a reminder that Isfahan has always been a city of many faiths. The Vank Cathedral inside is small from the outside and spectacular within, its walls covered in frescoes that mix Christian scenes with Persian decoration. I found it fascinating precisely because it is a meeting point of two traditions. The little museum and the surrounding lanes of old Armenian houses make a peaceful contrast to the grand squares on the other side of the water.
See the Chehel Sotoun Palace Gardens
A short walk from the square, the Chehel Sotoun palace sits in long formal gardens with a reflecting pool in front. The name means forty pillars, but the reflections in the pool make them seem like more. Inside, the walls hold large frescoes of court life and royal receptions, and the whole place has a lightness that the heavier mosques do not. I went in the late morning and strolled the gardens slowly, which is the right speed for a place designed for pleasure.
Plan Your Days in Isfahan
Give Isfahan at least three full days, and four if you want to relax rather than rush. The centre is very walkable, and the sights cluster closely enough that you can do a morning on the square and an afternoon on the river. The best weather is spring and autumn, since summers are hot and winters can be cold. Dress modestly and remove shoes before entering the mosques. And keep your camera charged, because every corner of this city will make you want to stop.
Isfahan is the kind of city that changes your standard for beauty. I left convinced that the old saying was not exaggeration at all.
Drink Tea in the Teahouses of the Old City
Some of my best hours in Isfahan were spent doing almost nothing. The old city is full of teahouses, often tucked below street level or in the arcades of the square, where you sit on carpets, drink sweet tea and watch life drift past. I found a small one with a view over the square and returned twice just to sit. The light in these places, filtered through carved screens, turns even an ordinary afternoon into something contemplative. My advice is not to schedule Isfahan down to the minute. Leave time to be nothing in particular is the way this city is best spent.
