Mashhad
As the provincial capital of the largest province in Iran, Khorasan Razavi, the city of Mashhad is located in northeast Iran. It stands out among other provinces in the country. In fact Mashhad could be likened to an Islamic museum and a major tourist, cultural and pilgrimage attraction.
According to Iranyellowpages website, the city is called Mashhad because it is where the Eighth Shiite Imam Reza (AS) was martyred and laid to rest and thus Muslims from across the globe congregate in this sacred city and appeal to Imam Reza (AS) for the relief of their pains and sorrows.
Bahaie Din Ameli known as Sheikh-Bahaie, Sheikh Tabarsi and Imam Mohammad Ghazali’s tombs in and around the city also constitute other pilgrimage centers. With a lively and colorful nature and a mild climate this holy city not only hosts millions of tourists every year, but also ranks first in attracting pilgrims.
Qom
Qom, 156 kilometers southwest of Tehran, is the capital city of Qom Province. It is situated on the banks of Qom River and considered to be a holy city for Shiite Muslims, as it is the site of the holy shrine of Hazrat Fatema Masumeh, sister of Imam Reza (AS), the eight infallible successor of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The city is the largest center for Shiite scholarship throughout the world and a major pilgrimage site.
Qom as an urban settlement existed in the pre-Islamic ages. Architectural discoveries indicate that Qom was a residential area from the 5th millennium BC. Pre-Islamic remaining relics and historical texts show that Qom is a large regional city. Kum was known to be the name of this ancient city, thus, the incoming 7th century Arabs called it Qom during the conquests of Iran.
Today, it is considered as one of the focal centers of Shiites both in Iran and around the globe. Its theological center and the holy shrine of Hazrat Ma’sumeh are prominent features of the holy city.
Another religious site of pilgrimage is outside the city of Qom and is called Jamkaran.

Kerman
Large numbers of magnificent historical artifact(s), both from the modern era and some dating back to 3000 BC remarkably endure within a 170 thousand-km radius of the province of Kerman.
Bam’s historical citadel is the greatest earthen monument in the world, an ancient structure which traces its roots back to 2500 BC.
The Jabalieh arch, Imam mosque, Shah Nematollah Vali’s tomb, Ali Khan’s treasure collection, Vakil Bath and numerous old castles are among Kerman’s historical legacies. Currently, the number of tourists visiting Iran are on the rise and the city of Kerman certainly plays a major role in attracting domestic and foreign tourists in increasingly large numbers.

Kashan
Iran’s archeology traces its origin to the city of Kashan. An ancient civilization known as the “Sialk“ had existed in this region, about seven thousand BC up to 400 BC, and the only remnants indicating the existence of such a civilization are now the “hills“ situated three kilometers southwest of Kashan and still called the “Sialk hills“.
Indeed, a visit to Kashan and its historical monuments is like visiting history itself both before and after the advent of Islam. Additionally, Kashan’s world-renowned carpets, its Ghamsar rose water and the special spring ceremonies of washing carpets are popular nationwide and never cease to attract tourists to this ancient and beautiful city.

Yazd
Yazd is another important historic city in Iran which ranks second in earthen architecture throughout the world, based upon UNESCO’s latest survey.
Due to geomorphological phenomena, the province of Yazd also benefits from the existence of unique deserts in the world.
Journeying across this province is like reliving history. In every corner of the city visitors are beholden by handicraft(s), various architectural designs and residential units of all sorts.
Numerous bazaars offering the best of souvenirs, large number of Islamic monuments, several pilgrimage sites and fire-temples dating back to over 4,500 years are also among main attractions of this ancient city.

Maranjab, a famous desert in Iran, is not much far from Tehran. It is close to Kashan and Abyaneh, two tourist hubs.
Maranjab belongs to Aran and Bidgol town in the north of Isfahan province. Salt Lake, Abbasi caravanserai (beside the ancient Silk Road), sand hills and many other attractions can be visited in Maranjab, reported CHN.
The caravanserai is about 50 kilometers from the town and it is mostly the main camp for Maranjab explorers. Maranjab Caravanserai is one of the 999 Iranian caravansaries built by Shah Abbas I, where people traveling in commercial caravans spent the night and made important business deals. Caravansaries are the oldest accommodation facilities for tourists in Iran.
Built by Shah Abbas I of the Safavid dynasty on the section of the Silk Road which crossed Iran, the Caravanserai is located on the southern shore of Qom Lake near the Aran and Bidgol regions in Isfahan Province.
When cars replaced camels, new hotels became popular and old caravanserais were neglected and fell into disrepair.
The Maranjab Caravanserai is being renovated for tourists. However, the restrooms and baths added to the building do not correspond with the traditional structure of Maranjab. The roof has been renovated and some patterns have been added to it during the restoration process, which began in 2000. Although the locals often go to the site on Thursdays for recreation, there is no drinking water available.
The whole building was constructed on a platform. There are several rooms around the caravanserai with a garden in the middle. Each room has two ovens, one for heating and the other for cooking. It is comprised of four verandas and six observation towers.
The camel stables used to be located in the western veranda and the entrance was on the northern porch. At the entrance, there were two platforms in front of each other, where the number of people, camels and the merchandise were enlisted.
The caravanserai, which was built with the aim of safeguarding commercial caravans, is gradually being converted into a temporary residence in the desert.

Iran is making efforts to introduce another four historical monuments to be registered in UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
Deputy head of Kermanshah Department of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism, Alireza Moradi-Bistouni said the four monuments include Anahita Temple, Taq-e Bostan, Qasr-e Shirin and Yazdgerd Fort, IRNA reported.
He said the files of the four ancient monuments will be presented to the UNESCO.
Moradi-Bistouni said feasibility and typographical studies are underway on the four historical sites.
He added that Bistoun has already been inscribed in UNESCO as a world heritage.
“Kermanshah is a historical city and has great potential in cultural and historical terms,“ he said.
Referring to the number of tourists visiting Kermanshah during the new year holidays this year, Moradi-Bistouni said more than two million holiday-makers visited the western province.
This indicates an 80-percent increase compared to the figure of the last year.
Iran has already inscribed eight monuments in the World Heritage List. They include Isfahan’s Naqsh-e Jahan Square (1979), Persepolis (1979), Choghazanbil (1979), Takht-e Soleiman (2003), Pasargad (2004), Bam Citadel (2004), Soltaniyeh (2005) and Bistoun (2008).