Whew. Where do we start? Let me tell you ahead of time that this is going to be a massive post. Yazd was truly one of our favorite destinations in Iran. Despite its remoteness, Yazd was a whimsical place to explore; a true mélange of a lively historic town, slow-paced lifestyle and authenticity. Definitely, a destination to wind down and enjoy the simpler things in life. Dating back from 5000-BC to 3000 BC, depending on which literature you read, the city has been able to preserve its ancient architecture and many of its traditional customs over the centuries. Mostly due to its isolation, since it’s quite literally in the middle of the desert like Kashan, Yazd avoided unwanted invasions. Anyway, here’s our detailed guide of the best things to do in Yazd, Iran.

A bit of culture

There are several distinctive traits about Yazd, as in many historic cities in Iran, that I urge you to understand and appreciate before planning a trip. As we mentioned, since Yazd was an isolated city, over the years residents and rulers had to adapt to the forces of nature to accommodate their daily needs. One of these fascinating adaptations is the construction and use of windcatchers or wind towers throughout the city – like we saw in Laft, Qeshm. The towers were made to cool down houses from the blistering heat without any electricity. Our favorite part of Yazd was finding rooftops to get a full panorama of the perched towers.

Qanats, an ancient Persian creation to supply settlements in arid environments with water, is yet another fascinating cultural aspect of the city. These canals connected water flowing from nearby mountains to sloped underground tunnels that essentially delivered large quantities of water to the surface without pumping. Much of which led to water reservoirs known as ‘anbar’s.

Yazd is also known as a conservative Muslim city, however it’s also home to the largest active Zoroastrian community in the country. Zoroastrianism is an ancient Persian religion that may have originated as early as 4000 years ago and is considered one of the oldest continuously-practiced religions in the world. This is why there are plenty of Zoroastrian sites and temples to visit throughout the city. Frankly, it was quite exciting to see something we learned about in World History class this up close and personal.

We realize this part is a bit dragged, but it’s crucial for fully appreciating cities throughout Iran. As you wander in Yazd, notice the door handles on ancient homes and traditional houses. Entrance doors have two door handles, one for women and one for men, each with a distinct shape and sound to alert the residents of the gender of those knocking on their door.

Today Yazd embraces these traits throughout its enchanting and secluded old town, deep into the deserts of the province and within its urban communities. With that, we’ll start guiding you on the best things to do and see in the city.

Where to stay

We lived our best lives experiencing different traditional homes throughout the old city in Yazd as the options were endless. The top contenders are, DAD Hotel, Wadi House and Laleh Yazd for luxurious experiences in traditional homestays, and for more budget friendly options we recommend Firoozeh Hotel or Fahadan hotel.

What to see

Amir Chaqmak Square

Straight and center, as squares usually are, is the massive Amir Chaqmak Square – which was built in 1438. The complex is comprised of a mosque, a bazaar, a public bathhouse and a mausoleum, among other things. The three-story façade is quite elaborate with tens of symmetrical sunken alcoves.

Saheb e Zaman Zukrhanekh

A repurposed water reservoir that is now used as a gym by locals to practice an ancient body-building sport in preparation for unarmed combat. The techniques used are unique to Iran, even the equipment is unlike anything we’ve seen before. The practice is coupled with live music. If you’re lucky enough, the partitioners will invite you to join them for exercise – beware that you will have to work out in front of an audience.

Jameh Mosque

At the entrance of the old city of Yazd, this mosque is known as a symbol of the city specifically because of its minarets, the tallest in Iran. Decorated from top to bottom in intricate tile work, a true example of unique Azadi style architecture.

Alexander Prison

Frankly, we’re not sure why this structure is called a prison as it’s a mosque and a theological school. However, there are many floating rumors that the space was transformed into a prison when Alexander attacked Iran, but there are many theories that negate this. Regardless, the structure is fascinating and a prime example of ancient construction using sun-dried bricks.

Fire Temple (Atashkadeh)

Visit the sacred Zoroastrian Fire Temple, known to have the only ‘Atash Bahrams’ or Victorious Fire in Iran today. Visitors can also enter the museum adjacent to the temple to learn more about the religion and its rituals. This will give you some great insight before your visit to the Towers of Silence, but more on that later on. You can also visit the Water Museum, although it was closed when we visited we hear it’s a great stop.

Dolat Abad Garden

Dolat Abad is also one of 9 Persian Gardens registered by the UNECSO World Heritage, particularly famed for having the tallest windcatcher in Iran. Although this particular garden is a bit underwhelming compared to Fin Garden in Kashan or Shahzadeh Gardens in Kerman for example, it’s quite beautiful, especially at night when the entire complex is lit and the architecture is reflected in the courtyard’s pool.

Khan Lariha Historic Home

It’s not like we visited half a dozen in Kashan already, but Yazd’s homes were just as beautiful. Many were renovated and transformed into boutique hotels, others are fully functional restaurants and the rest are just homes open for public visitation. The Lariha mansion was built over 150 years ago, and underwent significant renovations to ensure its preservation. Like all historic homes in Iran, Lariha has two parts, the ‘andarooni’ which is the private section of the home and the ‘birooni’ a space for guests, typically where the garden and reception are.

Where to eat & the best Rooftop Cafés in Yazd

To get the best impression of the City of Windcatchers, you have to check out as many rooftop cafes as you can!

Rain House or ‘baran house,’ is one of the coolest late-night rooftop lounges in Yazd, overlooking the city and offering the best dopiazeh one can consume. Bon apple tea (obvious joke in case you missed the memes).

Yazd Art House café, another beautiful rooftop that has an assortment of Iranian mocktails and dishes. In addition to the cozy atmosphere, you will also be surrounded by authentic art and crafts.

Tourist Library is quite a hidden gem, although not quite hidden because it’s an information center, a carpet store, a library and a café. Stumbling upon it was a treat nonetheless.

Because you probably get the gist, we won’t go into detail about each place, but don’t miss out on Café Nardoon,

Silk Road Hotel for a traditional dinner, and Fazeli Hotel Coffee Shop.

Excursions

Aside from the beauty of Yazd city, there are several attractions to visit on the outskirts of the town. For this reason, we recommend planning at least three days in Yazd.

North of Old City of Yazd

Towers of Silence

Looming over the city of Yazd are the ancient Towers of Silence, a place where Zoroastrian rituals and prayers took place until the 1990s. Although the site is now abandoned, there are twin outposts to visit to witness what remains of ‘dakhma,’ a burial method where dead bodies were left atop the towers to be consumed by vultures. This is one of the best things to do in Yazd.

Narin Castle

Located in the heart of Meybod City, is one of the oldest citadels in Iran. Despite its name, Narin is much more than just a castle, it’s a complex with a section for common people and another for royalty. It continues to attract attention since it is believed to have been built over 2,000 years ago. Although much of it has been destroyed, you can still spend at least an hour wandering through the fortress.

Kharanaq Village

Ah, how we love abandoned places. Our favorite stop outside of the old town of Yazd, was the ancient village of Kharanaq. An intricate reminder of the simplicity of ancient life and the genius that went into developing cities with little resources.

Kabootar Dovecote Pigeon

Unlike any pigeon tower you’ve probably seen, Kabootar Dovecote is a structure leftover from the Qajar Dynasty, which makes it around 200 years old. Can you imagine that this little tower provided a nesting space for 4000 birds at one time?

Shah Abbasi Caravanserai

Before departing Meybod city, take a quick stop at the caravanserai where locals continue to practice rug weaving and sell handicrafts. Look up the aerial view of the structure because you need to fully grasp the intricacy of the place.

Pir-e-Sabz Fire Temple

Sometimes also referred to as Chak Chak, this holy site for Zoroastrians is perched atop a hill (which requires quite a bit of hiking to reach). The shrine itself is said to have been named after Nikbanou, daughter of King Yazdegerd III, was corned by invaders and in response, the mountain miraculously opened up and sheltered her. Today, a continuous spring of water drips through the cavern’s cracks, symbolizing her tears.

South of Old City of Yazd

Zein o Din Caravanserai

Dating back to the 16^th century, this historic resting place is one of two rounded caravanserais in Iran and is situated on the ancient Silk Road. Here’s a general fun fact we learned on our tour, during the Safavid Dynasty, Shah Abbas built 999 caravanserais on the Silk Road! Zein o Din currently offers the same concept for modern travelers and is a wonderful place for accommodation.

Saryazd Castle

As you make your way back into town from an overnight stay or day visit to the caravanserai, admire what remains of the Saryazd compound.  Close to 500 chambers have been identified here, each of which belonged to a family where they could store their valuables if and when the village was invaded. What we learned was that Saryazd was only used in times of emergencies and was not the common living space for locals at the time. All in all, it’s incredibly sophisticated and an underrated attraction in the province!

If you’d like an excellent tour guide to get you through the best things to do and see in Yazd, please reach out to Amir here on TripAdvisor. He’s incredibly knowledgable and makes traveling through the city a one of a kind experience.