Bazaar of Kashan

One of the most beautiful bazaars in Iran remains strangely off-the-beaten-path. It lacks the throngs of tourists that fill its more famous counterparts, making it easy to spend hours exploring its miles of hidden alleys and colorful stores without getting lost in the crowd.

The historic bazaar in Kashan is full of winding passageways, concealed yards, tombs, and small mosques, all interspersed among stores selling vibrant goods. The marketplace and its network of passageways contain historic treasures like an 800-year-old mosque and historic bathhouses that have since been converted to tea shops. Its stores sell gorgeous goods like traditional rugs and textiles as well as tasty treats.

When you’re done exploring all the indoor market has to offer, be sure to head to the roof. There, you’ll find sweeping views of a landscape dotted with domes, all containing the bazaar’s colorful world beneath their pale tan exteriors.

Though the bazaar’s caravanserai and its stunning kaleidoscope domed roof only date to 1868, the marketplace has been a trade hub for centuries. It’s believed the bazaar first began under the Seljuq dynasty, which was founded in the 10th century.