Shiraz

By plane

Shiraz International Airport (SYZ) has regular flights to all major and some smaller cities in Iran. There are International flights to Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur, Dubai, Sharjah, Bahrain, Kuwait, Doha.
Turkish Airlines is operating weekly 4 direct flights from Istanbul to Shiraz and back.

By train

There are several trains per day to Tehran, travel time 10-15 hours, costs 700,000-1,500,000 rials (as of 2017).

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Shiraz Train stationStation is 20 km away from the city. Getting there: there is a bus waiting for the passengers on their arrival to Shiraz which brings them to the closest metro station. Taxi costs 150,000 rials per person from the city center.

By bus

From Tehran, many buses depart from South Terminal. Costs around 600,000 rials and takes around 12 hours.
From Isfahan, many buses depart from Soffe Terminal (southern terminal of Isfahan). Costs around 300,000 rials and takes around 6 hours.
From Yazd about 10-15 buses a day, 5 hours.
From Kerman several buses per day, 8 hours.

Karandish Bus station

phone: +98 921 439 9709

The main bus station from where departs most of the long-distance buses. It's a big building with lots of shops, simple eateries and a luggage storage (06:30 - 21:30).

By car

Motorways connect the city to Isfahan, Kerman, Bushehr, Ahvaz and Yasouj, and Bandar-e Abbas is reachable by highway.

For non-Iranian visitors, taxis are probably the most convenient mean of transport. However be sure to haggle for a good price prior to getting into the car, average fare inside the city 50,000-100,000 rials (as of 2017).
If an unmarked car stops while you are hailing a taxi, don't be alarmed. Many taxis in Shiraz are unmarked and also as a means to supplement their income, is not uncommon to find private car owners touting themselves as taxis.
However, it is always best to find a taxi through a reputable "telephone taxi" agency. For a set fee, drivers of these agencies will take passengers to their destination, drive them around town and also wait for them while they shop or run errands. All hotels and local residents will have a phone number of one these agencies. There are also taxis driven by women that specifically cater to women passengers.
The city also has a reasonable bus service.
A metro runs between Ehsan on the north side of the city and the airport in south of the city.

Don't hesitate to talk to people, especially youths. Almost all of them speak English well enough to talk to you, answer your questions and chat with you. Respect Iranian government and do not air condescending views of Iran.

Old quarters

• Arg of Karim Khan

  phone: +98 71 3224 7648
  Formerly a prison, but now an architectural wonder on exhibit. The design of the citadel combines military and residential architecture, for 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 of the citadel during the Qajar period.

• Shah Cheragh

  phone: +98 71 3213 1368
  A funerary monument and mosque, housing the tomb of Seyed Amir Ahmad, known as Shah-e Cheragh, the brother of Imam Reza, came to Shiraz in the latter half of the 8th century. He died in the city and his tomb is now a place of pilgrimage. The structure, tile work and the dome of the mausoleum have been rebuilt several times over the centuries. The tomb, the beautiful silver doors and the exquisite mirror work are the handicrafts of masters and contemporary artists of Shiraz. Regarded as the holiest place in Shiraz. Besides, it houses a small museum exhibiting about 30 very old and rare Qur'an books. No big cameras allowed.

• Nasir al-Mulk MosqueBuilt during the Qājār era, the mosque has extensively colored glass in its façade, and other traditional elements such as panj kāseh-i (five concaves) in its design. One of the most photographed mosques in southern Iran. Visit before 10:00 to see its beautiful mosaic glasses lit up by the background sun light.

• Jame’e Atigh MosqueA 9th-century mosque.

• Vakil MosqueBuilt between 1751 and 1773, during the Zand period; however, it was restored in the 19th century during the Qajar period where its exuberant floral decorative tiles date from. Parts of the mosque is still under construction so it's barely used as a mosque by locals.

• Narenjestan Ghavam museumBoth traditional and historical house, it was built in the mid-to-late 19th century by Mirza Ibrahim Khan. The Qavam "Naranjestan" preserves the elegance and refinement enjoyed by the upper-class families during the 19th century. The mirrored porch was a focal point of the house, overlooking onto gardens lined with date palms and flowers. The house today is a museum open to the public.

• Khan-e Zinat ol-Molk House

  address: Next to Naranjestan Qavam
  Historical house and adjoining gardens that used to be connected to Narenjestan Ghavam by underground tunnel. Now it works as a separate museum which besides of the traditional Iranian house houses Fars History museum in its basement.

• Sayyed Alaeddin Hossein MosqueIt holds shrine of Sayyed Alaeddin Hossein, one of the sons of the seventh imam. Mosque's walls and ceilings are covered with intricate mirror mosaics and coloured glass.

• Pars MuseumMuseum's pavilion was the place in which royal guests were hosted during the Zand dynasty. It was also used for holding official ceremonies and later became the burial place of Karim Khan Zand. Now it exhibits 30 handwritten Qurans and paintings of Persian artists.

• Khan school

  address: Lotf Ali Khan Zand St
  It's been fully reconstructed where only its facade belongs to the original structure.

• Armenian Church17th-century Armenian Church, which survived from the Safavid era.

Bazaars

• Bazaar-e VakilHuge ancient bazaar specializing in fine carpets, textiles, antiques and handicrafts, and spices. There is also a wonderful courtyard with a pool located in the bazaar, perfect for photographs. Caravansarais, bath houses, and old shops where hundreds of vendors are housed.

• Saray-e-MoshirCaravansary at the south entrance of Bazaar Vakil, which now functions as exhibition space for Iranian handicrafts.

• Vakil Bath

  phone: +98 71 3224 7646
  An old public bath which has been remodelled into a museum of waxworks.

• Mesgarha Bazaar

Northern parts near Baba Kuhi and Chehel Maqam mountains

• Hafez Tomb

  phone: +98 71 3228 4155
  Mausoleum of Hafez (1324–1391), the greatest master of Persian lyric poetry and the literary giant of the 14th century in the west and central Asia, was born in Shiraz, lived all his life here, sang its praises in unsurpassed verse and was buried in a garden known after him as the Hafezieh, in the northeast part of the city. The wide appeal of this poet among all Persian-speaking people make his tomb a cherished placed, visited by all. This mausoleum was rebuilt in the early 1950s. A flight of stone steps reaches to the tomb under a tiled cupola resembling a dervish’s hat. The tombstone is beautifully inscribed with two of Hafez’s poems or Ghazals. Visitors to the tomb can still, as they have done for centuries, take the omens, or faals, by picking a page at random from a volume of Hafez, kept for this purpose.

• Saadi TombHere lie the earthly remains of one of Iran’s greatest poets. Even from the very early days after the poet’s death, the mausoleum of Sa’di became a place of pilgrimage to lovers of poetry and literature. In 1808 AD Karim Khan Zand renovated the mausoleum. The tomb was rebuilt in the early 1950s. The porch with its tall columns of pinkish marble is a traditional feature of Iranian architecture.

• Ali Ibn Hamzeh Holly Shrine

  address: Hafez St
  Built over the shrine of Emir Ali, a nephew of Shah Cheragh. The building itself is quite new as it had to be rebuilt after an earthquake. However, it can boast of the richly-ornamented interiors, parts of which are made of marble and mirror mosaics.

• Shah Shoja TombTomb of Shah Shoja', the Mozafarid emir of Persia, and patron of Hafiz.

• Baba Kuhi TombThe Tomb of Baba Kuhi sits atop a mountain overlooking the city.

• Qur'an GateThe city's main entrance. The original gate was built as an ornamental decoration by the Buwwayhids (Buwayhid dynasty) about 1000 years ago, but this was replaced 60 years ago by new gate, which is considered one of the finest architectural designs in Iran and has won numerous awards. From the gate walk up the stone stairways to enjoy picturesque and panoramic views of Shiraz. The tomb of Khajooyeh Kermanee, a famous poet, is also located here (entrance ticket 115,000 rials). Hidden in the alleys on the hill-side are numerous restaurants that serve the finest chelo kabob. It is an excellent place for picnics and taking photographs.

• Haft Tanan Museum

  phone: +98 71 3227 7877
  address: Haft Tanan Blvd
  It's a mausoleum, where seven Sufi mystics are buried. Besides, there is a museum of stones that were collected from historical sites in Fars province.

• Gahvareh Did

  address: Haft Tanan Blvd
  People say this is the place where a guard tower was located in the old days, nowadays it has a stone replica of it. Besides, it's a fantastic observation point. Be prepared to climb up 800 steps to get there. Or be lucky that one of the guards at the gate will drive you up the hill. Even further up the road you'll end up at Mortaz Ali well, where you'll have an even more impressive overview of Shiraz (if there is no smog).

• Qasr e Abu NasrFortress built in Parthian Empire and was important and strategic location in Sassanid Empire. Archaeologists found various drachmas and art crafts belonged to different historical periods there. There is almost nothing left from those times, just stones.

Further afield

• Ancient City Bishapur

Gardens

• Delgosha GardenEnjoy a walk in this lovely old garden with flowers and bitter orange trees.

• Afif abad GardenGarden and houses owned by the Ghavami family. It contains 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.

• Eram Garden

  phone: +98 71 3227 2538
  Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, this stunningly beautiful complex contains a vast network of gardens, a colorful palace, and a system of small artificial rivers flowing throughout the entire area. It houses wonderful flora, and you can follow the little canals' intricate system. Make sure the weather is sunny before coming here!

• Jahan Nama Garden

Shops usually open 09:00-13:00 and 17:00-21:00. It is customary to haggle for a discount, which is referred to as a takhfeef.

Shopping malls

• Aftab Fars Shopping Centre

• Hafez Shopping Centre

  phone: +98 71 3627 3721
  address: Afifabad Blv

• Persian Gulf Complex

• Setareh e Fars Shopping Centre , Afifabad Blv.

• Sina Shopping Centre

  address: Motahhari Blv

• Zaytoon Shopping Centre

  phone: +98 71 3233 1136
  address: 15 khordad Crossroad at the corner of Enghelab St

Money exchange

Exchange rates offered in local safaris are 10-15% higher than the official bank rate.

• Currency exchange offices

Local specialties

• Kebab with rice - Like elsewhere in Iran, the mighty old kebab with rice is a common fare, though Shiraz does offer a local variation on the national dish.
• Shirazi salad - A delicious and famous salad available throughout Iran, made with cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and a simple lemon juice and olive oil dressing.
• Kalam polo - Traditional food cooked only in Shiraz. Some delivery food restaurants serve this food, but it can hardly be found in normal restaurants. It is made of rice, meatballs, chopped cabbage and some other vegetables and spices.
• Ash-e Shirazi - This is a kind of soup made of vegetables and meat. It is served all over the city, but only early in the morning, 05:00-07:00
• Masghati Halva - A great dessert and snack.
• Nokhod (Chickpea) Cookie - Delicious cookie made of chickpeas, it makes for great souvenirs.
• Shirazi Faloodeh - Paloodeh/Faloodeh is an ice cream made of rice starch, which takes the form of noodles. It is flavored with "sharbat" (sugar water), which can be of different flavors. Shirazi paloodeh is the best of its kind, especially when mixed with Bahar-e-Naranj Distill.

Restaurants

Many of these places have live music playing.

• Haft khanBuffet and classic restaurant, Iranian and international cuisine.

• Lotus Restaurant, on the 13th floor of Pars International Hotel
• Lotus Restaurant, on the top floor of Setareh-e-Fars Shopping Centre

• Shater Abbas

  address: Khak Shenasi St.
  Simple traditional Iranian restaurant with quite average food.

• Sharzeh RestaurantA classic old restaurant located just outside the Vakil bazaar. It is often packed with tourist groups.

• Soofi Restaurant, traditional restaurant located at Sattarkhan St.

• DragonChinese food.

• Noor, Lebanese restaurant, Chamran Blv

• Moshit Restaurant

  address: Corner of North Qaani street
  A small restaurant that also serves breakfast: fried eggs, tea, and the famous Ash-e-shiraz.

• Persian Dinner

  phone: +989128092545
  address: Fazilat Boulevard, 31 Rd, second right, blue door
  Not a restaurant, but a house that needs to be booked in advance for an Iranian and Shirazian dinner.

Fast food

You can find at least one fast food parlor in every street of Shiraz.

• Bagro, experience the real taste of pizza and sandwich in a lovely place
• Givani, modern restaurant offering Burgers, FC, Pizza
• Safir SFC, another Modern themed restaurant
• Exis, Italian and Mexican fast foods
• Sand, a lovely fast food with a unique interior design
• Zaver, great Italian pizzas

• Baba bastani

  address: West Ghodoosi Blv
  Ice cream shop, more creamy than most other ice cream found in Shiraz. Try the special cone ice cream. The shop is popular with the locals, so expect a queue. No seats but there is a small park beside.

Cafés

You can find coffee shops of every size, at shopping centres and on the main streets.

• Brentin, Sattarkhan Blv
• Blensi, Dena Building, Moali abad Blv
• Wafi, Dena Building, Moali abad Blv
• Parmin, Parmin Building, Moali abad Blv
• Tulip, Khakshenasi st
• Safir, Ghasr dasht st
• Soofi, Chencheneh Intersection

Food gardens

There are a lot of gardens out of Shiraz, and many have been remodeled as restaurants. Most have live music playing in the evenings and offer great view.

• Nakhlestan Garden
• Padra Garden, relatively new
• Darband Garden
• Silvia Garden

For more information on typical drinks in Iran, see Iran#Drink

• Distills - Shiraz has many kinds of aromatic distills.

• Haiku

  address: Gas Square, in front of Azadi Park, across street,
  Special herb teas and coffee with fresh baked cakes and desserts.
• Taropood Art Gallery, behind the national museum. Art gallery with a nice cafe attached to it. Regular free exhibitions as well (updated Oct 2016).

Budget

There are a few budget hotels about 200 m south of the roundabout at Arg-é Karim Khan.

• Darya Hotel

  address: Piruzi Street
  Clean.

• Lotus guest house

  phone: +98 7132241147, +98 9177059775 (WhatsApp)
  address: Khyabne Lotfali-Khane Zand, Kuche Baghe Ghawam, Kuche Hamame Gachine, No. 12 (12/2)
  8 room hostel with courtyard

• Golshan Hostel

  phone: +98-713-2220715
  address: No. 15 Alley 38. Lotfali Khan-e-Zand
  Awesome traditional court to hang around, drink tea and have a shisha. There is a five-bed dorm room. The owner, Parviz, is an honest and good host, who speaks English fluently. He knows all transport possibilities and can book you a hotel he likes in another city at a fair price.

• Niayesh Boutique Hotel

  phone: +98-713-2233623
  address: No. 10, Shahzadeh Jamali Lane, Bibi Dokhtaran Mausoleum Lane, Namazi junction, Lotfali Khan-e Zand St.
  A new hotel with a nice inner courtyard and an OK restaurant serving standard fare. There is a dormitory, but it only sleeps four (with two single beds and a double bed). Great value for money. Very good buffet breakfast. Optional extras like tea and laundry are quite expensive, so make sure you settle on a price before agreeing to use additional services. There are reports of private car drivers booked through this hotel overcharging, and the hotel is not responsible for that.

• Golha Hotel

  phone: +98 71 3233 2729
  address: Karim Khan Zand Blvd
  Good location. Clean and very cheap. They speak no English, though. No breakfast.

• Taha Hostel

  phone: +98 71 3738 1610
  address: Darvaze Kazeroon Front of Armenian Church
  Traditional house with high walls and orange trees. Rooms with old brick and stone and wooden doors, preserved from the Qajar period. Hostel with small traditional courtyard.

Mid-range

• Apadana Hotel

  phone: +98 71 12301336, +98 71 12359322
  address: Ahli St.

• Aryo-Barzan Hotel

  phone: +98 (711) 2247182-4
  address: Roodaki Ave.

• Eram Hotel

  phone: +98 71 230-3884
  address: Karim Khan-é Zand.

• Parseh Hotel

  phone: +98 (711) 2226600
  address: 22 Bahman St.

• Parsian Hotel

  phone: +98 (711) 2304965-69
  address: Roodaki Ave.

• Arian Hotel

  phone: +989178785416
  address: Ferdowsi St., before the Rudaki crossroad
  Close to the city center.

• Jahannama Hotel

  phone: +989178785416
  address: Hejrat Blvd, middle of Javid St
  Between the tomb of Hafez and the Zandiyeh Complex, and close to the city center. Included breakfast and free Wi-Fi. It's better to send an email for reserve and confirmation and get info about hotel.

Splurge

• Chamran Grand Hotel

  phone: +98 711 626 2000
  address: Chamran Blvd
  Tallest hotel building in Shiraz. 250 rooms and suites on 30 floors.

• Homa Hotel

  phone: +98 71 32288000, +98 71 32288009
  address: Meshkinfam St
  Housed in the former Intercontinental.

• Pars International Hotel

  phone: +98 71 3233 2255
  address: Zand Boulevard

• Persepolis International Hotel

  phone: +98 71 3227 1280
  address: Atlasi Sq., Azadi Blvd.

Emergency services

• Police: 110
• Fire Assistance : 125
• EMS: 115
• Road EMS: 115 or 112

• Immigration office

  address: on a side street off Modares Boulevard, 300 m east from Valiye-asr Square
  Visa extensions for foreign tourists.

• Firouzabad — revived old town destroyed by Alexander of Macedonia. With two stumbling palaces of those days: Qal'eh Dokhtar and Castle of Ardeshir e Babakan.
• Jahrom, to the south of Shiraz
• Isfahan
• Kerman
• Margoon Waterfall — 70 meter high and 100 meter wide waterfall
• Pasargad was a Persian capital built by Cyrus the Great in the 6th century BC. Around 500 BC, Darius I built a new capital at Persepolis 50 km away. Both are now listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List and are near Shiraz. Pasargad has the limestone tomb of Cyrus and the 'prison' of Solomon. 200.00 rials (Oct 0219)
• Persepolis — a historical site 60 km north of Shiraz that used to be a ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire. The earliest remains of Persepolis date back to 515 BC.
• Yazd