Alison Lovell

Shiraz is hands down my favorite city in Iran. It seems to embody the whole vibe of the country in an astute way. Shiraz is the perfect mix of old and new, beauty and grunge, desert and oasis. With all the conveniences of a big city and all the charm of a village, Shiraz will feel like your Iranian home away from home.

 Let’s face it, modern day hotels across the world are all cut from the same cloth. Whether you’re in New York City, Morocco or Cape Town, from the inside of a modern hotel room you could be anywhere in the world.

More and more, travelers are seeking a less trodden path. Following the Nuclear Deal, negotiated primarily between Iran’s President Rouhani and President Obama in 2015, adventurous travelers started to see Iran as a viable and safe tourist destination. In the wake of this international trade deal, many travelers (including myself) took the opportunity to visit Iran for the first time. As it were, I was not alone, between 2015 and 2019 Iran saw a steady increase in foreign tourists, with a 50% increase in inbound tourists in 2018.

Backpacking is defined as low cost, independent travel. Backpacking in Iran is defined as extremely low cost, intrepid adventure with everything from modern art galleries to 4,000 year old archaeological sites. In this post, I give you the scoop on a backpack’s guide to Iran (on a budget!).