Stand at the top of the stone stairways beside Qur'an Gate in the late afternoon and the whole city opens below you: the dry riverbed, the cypresses, the tiled domes catching the last light. That view is as good a first impression of Shiraz as any.
Shiraz suits travellers who care about poetry, gardens, tilework and bazaars more than about nightlife or beaches. It is a city of two poets, Hafez and Saadi, whose tombs anchor the northern edge of town, and of mosques whose mirror work and coloured glass reward an early start. This guide covers the sights in and around the old quarters, the northern hills, and the gardens, with a one-day plan at the end.
Top things to do in Shiraz
1. Nasir al-Mulk Mosque
Built during the Qajar era, this mosque is known for the extensively coloured glass in its façade and for traditional elements such as the panj kāseh-i (five concaves) in its design. It is one of the most photographed mosques in southern Iran.
Visit before 10:00 to see the mosaic glass lit up by the background sunlight. It opens 08:00–11:30 and 14:30–17:00.
2. Hafez Tomb
The mausoleum of Hafez, the great master of Persian lyric poetry, sits in a garden known as the Hafezieh in the northeast part of the city. A flight of stone steps reaches the tomb under a tiled cupola resembling a dervish's hat, and the tombstone is inscribed with two of his ghazals.
Visitors can still take the omens, or faals, by picking a page at random from a volume of Hafez kept for that purpose. It is open 08:00–22:00.
3. Shah Cheragh
This funerary monument and mosque houses the tomb of Seyed Amir Ahmad, known as Shah-e Cheragh, and is regarded as the holiest place in Shiraz. The tomb, the silver doors and the mirror work are the handicrafts of masters and contemporary artists of Shiraz, and it holds a small museum of about 30 very old and rare Qur'an books.
Entry is free and a free guided tour is available. Large cameras are not allowed.
4. Arg of Karim Khan
This former prison is an architectural wonder on exhibit, combining military and residential design because it was the home of Karim Khan and the military centre of the dynasty. Tile works depicting legendary tales were added at the entrance gate during the Qajar period.
It is open 08:00–21:00. Pair it with the bazaar and the Vakil complex, which are in the same old quarter.
5. Vakil Mosque
Built between 1751 and 1773 during the Zand period, the mosque was restored in the 19th century under the Qajar period, when its exuberant floral decorative tiles were added. Parts of it are still under construction, so it is barely used as a mosque by locals.
Combine it with the adjoining Bazaar-e Vakil and Vakil Bath, all part of the same Vakil ensemble.
6. Bazaar-e Vakil
A huge ancient bazaar specialising in fine carpets, textiles, antiques, handicrafts and spices. Caravanserais, bath houses and old shops house hundreds of vendors, and there is a courtyard with a pool that is good for photographs.
Enter from the Saray-e-Moshir side at the south entrance, which now functions as an exhibition space for Iranian handicrafts.
7. Eram Garden
Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, this complex contains a vast network of gardens, a colourful palace and a system of small artificial rivers flowing throughout the area, with wonderful flora. It is open 08:00–17:00.
Shiraz is considered by some Iranians to be the city of gardens, and this is the one most often named.
8. Saadi Tomb
Here lie the earthly remains of one of Iran's greatest poets. Even from the early days after his death the mausoleum became a place of pilgrimage for lovers of poetry and literature, and it was rebuilt in the early 1950s. The porch with its tall columns of pinkish marble is a traditional feature of Iranian architecture.
It sits on the north side of the city, so pair it with Hafez Tomb in the same outing.
9. Naranjestan Ghavam
This traditional and historical house was built in the mid-to-late 19th century by Mirza Ibrahim Khan, preserving the elegance and refinement enjoyed by upper-class families of the period. The mirrored porch was a focal point, overlooking gardens lined with date palms and flowers, and the house is now a museum.
Khan-e Zinat ol-Molk House is next door and was once connected to it by an underground tunnel, so see the two together.
10. Khan-e Zinat ol-Molk House
A historical house and adjoining gardens that used to be connected to Naranjestan Ghavam by an underground tunnel. It now works as a separate museum and, besides the traditional Iranian house, holds the Fars History museum in its basement.
Because it is right next to Naranjestan Ghavam, it makes an easy second stop rather than a separate trip.
11. Qur'an Gate
The city's main entrance. The original gate was built as an ornamental decoration by the Buwayhid dynasty about a thousand years ago, and the present gate replaced it and is considered one of the finest architectural designs in Iran.
From the gate, walk up the stone stairways for panoramic views of Shiraz. The tomb of Khajooyeh Kermanee is also here, and the alleys on the hillside hide restaurants serving chelo kabob, making it a good place for a picnic and photographs.
12. Jame'e Atigh Mosque
A 9th-century mosque, founded as the city's first congregational mosque in 894. It is one of the oldest surviving monuments in the old quarters.
It sits in the old quarter, so it fits naturally into a walk that also takes in the Arg of Karim Khan and the bazaar.
13. Vakil Bath
An old public bath remodelled into a museum of waxworks, open 08:00–17:30.
It is part of the same Vakil group as the mosque and the bazaar, so visit it while you are already in that quarter.
14. Ali Ibn Hamzeh Holly Shrine
Built over the shrine of Emir Ali, a nephew of Shah Cheragh, on Hafez Street near Hamzeh Bridge. The building itself is quite new, having been rebuilt after an earthquake, but it has richly ornamented interiors, parts of which are made of marble and mirror mosaics.
Entry is free and a free guided tour is available. It is close to Hafez Tomb, so the two combine well.
15. Afif abad Garden
A garden and houses owned by the Ghavami family, containing a former royal mansion, a historical weapons museum and a Persian garden that is one of the oldest gardens in Shiraz, all open to the public.
Set aside more time here than for a simple garden stroll, since the mansion and museum are part of the visit.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start early at Nasir al-Mulk Mosque, before 10:00, to see the coloured glass lit by the sun. Continue to the old quarter for the Arg of Karim Khan, then walk through Bazaar-e Vakil and the adjoining Vakil Mosque and Vakil Bath.
Afternoon. Head north to Hafez Tomb and take a faal from the volume kept there, then continue to Saadi Tomb and, if time allows, the nearby Ali Ibn Hamzeh Holly Shrine. Finish the afternoon at Qur'an Gate, climbing the stone stairways for the panoramic view.
Evening. Return to the bazaar quarter for the courtyard with the pool at Bazaar-e Vakil, or stay near Qur'an Gate, where the hillside alleys have restaurants serving chelo kabob.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to see the coloured glass at Nasir al-Mulk Mosque?
Visit before 10:00, when the background sunlight lights up the mosaic glass. The mosque is open 08:00–11:30 and 14:30–17:00.
Can I take photographs inside Shah Cheragh?
Large cameras are not allowed. Entry is free and a free guided tour is available.
What can I do at Hafez Tomb besides visit the grave?
You can take the omens, or faals, by picking a page at random from a volume of Hafez kept for that purpose, as visitors have done for centuries. The tomb is open 08:00–22:00.
Which sights can I combine in a single walk?
The Arg of Karim Khan, Jame'e Atigh Mosque, Vakil Mosque, Vakil Bath and Bazaar-e Vakil all sit in the old quarters, and Naranjestan Ghavam and Khan-e Zinat ol-Molk House are next to each other. In the north, Hafez Tomb, Saadi Tomb and Ali Ibn Hamzeh Holly Shrine are close enough to visit together.
Pick your dates around the gardens and the early-morning light at Nasir al-Mulk Mosque, and you can plan the rest of Shiraz from this page.