Visit Tabriz

A bazaar city on the edge of the Lut desert, with the Ganjali Khan bathhouse and the Rayen citadel nearby.

Ancient desert city of windcatchers.

Rosewater distilleries, the Fin garden and merchant houses with wind towers on the desert edge.

The world's largest car-free old city.

A baroque city built of black lava at the foot of Etna, with the loudest fish market in Sicily.

One of the world’s largest squares, framed by the tiled masterpieces of Safavid Isfahan.

Visit Isfahan, a historic city in central Iran. Explore Naqsh-e Jahan Square (a UNESCO World Heritage site with Shah Mosque, Ali Qapu Palace, and Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque), stroll across the Si-o-se-pol bridge (a 33-arch Safavid-era bridge over the Zayandeh River), and admire the intricate tilework at the Jameh Mosque of Isfahan (one of Iran's oldest mosques dating back to the 8th century).

Visit Shiraz, the cultural capital of Iran. Explore the Nasir al-Mulk Mosque (Pink Mosque) with its stunning stained-glass windows and morning light displays, wander through the historic Eram Garden (Persian garden with cypress trees and pavilions), see the tomb of Hafez (14th-century poet in a tranquil garden setting), and sample local dishes like kalam polo (cabbage rice) and faloodeh (rosewater sorbet).