Now that you’ve had your Persian history lesson, it’s time to soak up some Persian culture. Everyone enjoys the beauty of sunrise, but there are few better places to take your breath away so early than Nasir ol-Molk Mosque, nicknamed the Pink Mosque. Sunlight shines through the stained-glass windows and reflects off the Persian rugs, transforming the mosque into a walk-in kaleidoscope. Each nook is more photogenic than the last. You’ll love not only capturing this masterpiece but also becoming part of it.
Get your motor running again at Arg-e Karim Khan, an 18th century citadel built by and named after the founder of the Zand Dynasty. With a lovely courtyard filled with citrus trees and a central pool, it’s hard to imagine that the four surrounding towers of this fortress once served as prisons. Don’t miss the tilework showing scenes from Ferdowi’s epic poem, Shahnameh.