All Iran

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Iran

54 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Iran

Updated November 21, 2025
Email

Cities

Top Cities
All Cities
  1. Fars Province
  2. Hamedan
  3. Isfahan
  4. Kish
  5. Shiraz
  6. Tabriz
  7. Tehran
  8. Yazd

Unusual Attractions in Iran

Places

Discover your next amazing Atlas Place.

Get more unusual and extraordinary places each week with the Atlas Obscura Places newsletter.

Your newsletter subscriptions with us are subject to Atlas Obscura's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

See All 54 Things To Do in Iran

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Iran

In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

In partnership with GetYourGuide

Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Explore Iran

Architecture 18
Sacred Spaces 8
Ancient 8
Ecosystems 8
History 7
Architectural Oddities 7
Caves 6
Religion 6

Iran Leaderboard

Recent Iran Activity

Stories About Iran

Wortley built the wooden backpack she used while retracing Alexandra David-Néel’s journey from a chair she found on the street in London.

How Elise Wortley Climbed Mont Blanc in 1830s Women’s Attire

Donning heavy wool skirts and hobnail boots, this intrepid explorer retraces the steps of legendary women adventurers.
by The Podcast Team
Mali Mahalingam amid the dunes of Central Nambia.

Accessible Independent Travel Is for All Ages and Abilities

See the world “any which way” you can, says a seasoned traveler in her 70s.
by Gemma Tarlach

Podcast: Songs of Ice

How to appreciate ice without getting all that cold, with the Atlas Obscura Places Team.
by The Podcast Team

Podcast: Pigeon Towers of Iran

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
by The Podcast Team
Cloves and apples make a simple but meaningful memento.

Reviving the Romance of the Kurdish Clove Apple

These fragrant fruits are deeply symbolic.
by Ramsha Zubairi
For 17 days in Scotland’s remote Cairngorms mountains, British traveler Elise Wortley retraced the journey of early-20th-century writer Nan Shepherd.

Returning to the Valley of the Assassins in the Footsteps of Explorer Freya Stark

British adventurer Elise Wortley is about to retrace a historic journey through Iran.
by Sarah Durn
Bread made with dots of sooragh shows off Hormuz’s vibrant gelak soil.

Eating the Red Soil of Rainbow Island

The landscapes on Hormuz, Iran, are striking—and edible.
by Tia Rotolo
Geologist and guide Lior Enmar among Malcham’s delicate salt structures.

The Friendly Rivalry—Between Israel and Iran—Over the World’s Longest Salt Cave

Spectacular Malcham Cave, at more than six miles, currently holds the title.
by Gitit Ginat
Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member

Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member