ramadan in iran

Where to Go & What to Eat in Iran During Ramadan?

Millions of Muslims in Iran and around the world have marked the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan. Fasting is aimed at reminding the faithful of the plight of the poor and is a major incentive for Muslims to engage in charitable activities. In addition to taking special care to avoid certain sins mentioned in the Quran, Muslims must abstain from food or drink of any kind during the daylight hours of Ramadan. Non-Muslims, too, will be expected to respect and adhere to the local culture in many Islamic countries and should be aware to follow certain rules and regulations. However, some travelers and non-Muslim tourists still wish to visit a Muslim-majority country during this important religious festival. During Ramadan, quotidian life is completely transformed and visitors to these regions are in for a serious and exciting culinary treat! Depending on the country you are in, there will be a whole array of festivities and events centered on the time of breaking fast, known as Iftar. Iran Doostan Tours proposed some cities in Iran for traveling during Ramadan. The report also includes some of the traditional cuisines served in the mentioned cities. Food can reveal some of its rich and varied regional identities. Here we go.

Mashhad: A religious city with delicious food

Home to the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza (A.S), Mashhad is the most important religious city in Iran and several Iranians and Muslims travel to the city during the holy month of Ramadan. Sheshlik Kebab, Shole Mashhadi, and Dizi are some of the renowned dishes served in Mashhad during the month of Ramadan.

Sholeh Mashhadi

Sholeh, the meat and wheat stew.

Don’t miss Shiraz’s Baq-e Eram and Shah-e Cheragh Shrine!

Baq-e Eram or Eram Garden is one of the crowded places during Ramadan in Shiraz. The traditional coffee houses around the place serve Iftar during Ramadan. On the eve of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar during which Muslims fast, the Shah Cheragh shrine was cleaned and dusted due to an old tradition to get prepared for the pilgrims during the holy month. Aash-e Sabzi, Aash-e Karde, and Kalam Polo, as well as Tare Halva in Shiraz, are also amongst the favorite cuisines served during the holy month of Ramadan in Shiraz.

Kalam polo Shirazi

Kalam Polo: Shirazians’ favorite dish.

Break your fast on the Zayanderud riverside in Isfahan

Most people in Isfahan break their fast with their families by going for a picnic near the Zayanderud River. Halim made of lentils and milk, Mast Stew, Beryuni, Halim Bademjan, and Shole-Qalamkar are traditional Isfahani cuisines served during Ramadan in Isfahan’s restaurants.

Beryooni Isfahan

Beryuni, made of baked mutton & lungs.

Try local foods in Tabriz!

Imamzadeh Seyyed Hamzeh in Tabriz and El-Golu Park is a popular hangout during the Ramadan month in Tabriz. Imamzadeh Seyyed Hamzeh is one of the religious centers in the city and people flock to it during the holy month of Ramadan. Aash-e Shir is one of the cuisines served during Iftar in Tabriz. Other traditional cuisines of Tabriz include Kufteh, Dolmeh, Aash-e Abghureh, and colorful jams, which are served at the city’s restaurants.

Koofteh Tabrizi

Koofteh Tabrizi: super meatballs stuffed with berries.

Grandma’s Aash in Rasht, a good appetizer for Ramadan

If you decide to travel to Guilan Province during Ramadan, do not forget the traditional neighborhood of the city: Chellehkhaneh. There is a famous cooking center there named Grandma Aash, which serves Aash with locally grown vegetables. There is also a famous sweet named Reshteh-Khoshkar, which is made of fried rice paste and served in confectionaries and restaurants throughout the city.

Ash Reshte-Iranian dish

Ash Reshteh: A kind of Iranian thick soup which is a lifesaver in cold winter days.

Qazvin and renowned Halim

There are several tourist sites in this city that amaze visitors. However, don’t forget to eat Obey Zakan Halim during your sojourn in this historic city. Sholeh- Zard, Aash-e Dough, Ashe- Reshteh, Shir Berenj, kheer, and Ranging are some of the alternative cuisines served during the holy month of Ramadan in Qazvin.

Halim Ghazvin

Halim of Qazvin is a soft nutritious food for breaking fast.

Are you planning to travel to Iran? Check out our Iran tours. Maybe you will find interesting Ramadan in Iran.

Persian Gulf

Happy 29 April, National Persian Gulf Day

Riding on a boat on the blue waters of the Persian Gulf while watching the cute seagulls flying over and lovely dolphins swimming in the water, I was thinking this is definitely an entire travel experience for every tourist. However, the Persian Gulf is not simply a body of water for Iranians, it deeply evokes a sense of patriotism in us! 29 April is celebrated as National Persian Gulf Day in Iran. What is the story behind it? Stay with us to know more about the day!

Persian Gulf Day

The beautiful coast of the Persian Gulf in Qeshm Island. There are 20 islands in this gulf, out of which, 11 are residential and 9 are abandoned.

The story behind this glorious day goes back to about 400 years ago when Shah Abas Safavid took back the Hormoz Island from Portuguese and forced them out of the Hormoz strait and the Persian Gulf. And until this day, the amazing Hormoz island has remained as an integrated part of Iran’s territory.

Although some countries have tried to change the name of the Persian Gulf throughout history, they were not successful. In 1840, the UK tried to change the name of the Persian Gulf to Britain Sea. Later, the US started to address the Persian Gulf by the name of the Arabian Gulf as their ties deepened with Saudi Arabia after World War II. In 2005 National Geography published a world an atlas and mentioned the “Arabian Gulf” in parenthesis next to the name the Persian Gulf. Google and Google Maps also used the term Gulf or Arabian Gulf. Iran has banned the publication of National Geography and Economist in Iran because they did not refer to the Persian Gulf by its real name. So, it is no joke that the Persian Gulf evokes a sense of patriotism among Iranians!

To put an end to all these confusions about the name of the Persian Gulf, in 2006 Iran government passed the bill of selecting a national day for the Persian Gulf and called 29 April as “Persian Gulf Day” after the great historical event happened years ago on the same day.

In 2006 United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names printed a document named Historical, Geographical, and Legal Validity of the Name: Persian Gulf, so no publication or media would “damage its own international credibility” by using any other name for the Persian Gulf.

It is our greatest honor to celebrate the beauty and magnificence of the Persian Gulf every year.

Speak farsi-Irandoostan

Learn to speak Farsi for your travel to Iran

On your travel to Iran, you may need to Speak farsi (Persian) with some Iranians who may not know the English language, so it would be perfect to know some key phrases in Persian, so that Persian native speakers can help you. Here are some key words and phrases in Persian (Farsi) for your travel to Iran.

And if you are planning to travel to Iran, here is the link to online Iran visa.

                  English                Pronunciation           Persian (Farsi)
Hello Salam سلام
Good bye Khoda Hafez خداحافظ
See you later! Ba’adan mibinamet بعداً میبینمت
Good morning Sobh be kheir صبح بخیر
Good night Shab be kheir شب بخیر
Good evening Asr be kheir عصر بخیر
How are you? Chetori?/halet chetori? چطوری؟
I’m fine Man khoobam من خوبم
I miss you Delam barat tang shode دلم برات تنگ شده
What’s new? What’s up? Che khabar? چه خبر؟
Nothing much Khabari nist خبری نیست
Thank you Mamnoon ممنون
Say hi to John for me Be John salam bereson به جان سلام برسون
You’re welcome Khahesh mikonam

Ghabeli nadasht

خواهش میکنم

قابلی نداره

Don’t worry! Negaran nabashi نگران نباش
Excuse me (to get someone’s attention) Bebakhshid ببخشید
Sorry Bebakhshid ببخشید
Have a nice day Rooze khobi dashte bashi روز خوبی داشته باشی
What is your name? Esmet chie? اسمت چیه؟
My name is … Esme man … ast اسم من…است
Pleased to meet you

Nice to meet you

Az didane shoma khoshalam از دیدن شما خوشحالم
Bon appetit / Have a nice meal Nooshe jan نوش جان
Bon voyage / Have a good journey Safar be kheir سفر بخیر
Where’s the toilet/bathroom? Dastshoyi kojas? دستشویی کجاس؟
What time is it? Saat chande? ساعت چنده؟
It’s 10 o’clock.

07:30pm

Saat dah ast.

Saat haft-o nim-e ba’ad az zohr ast.

ساعت ده است

ساعت هفت و نیم بعداز ظهر است

How much is it Gheymate in chand ast? قیمت این چند است؟
Give me some discount Be man takhfif bede. به من تخفیف بده
It is expensive In geran ast. این گران است
I’m hungry Man gorosne hastam. من گرسنه هستم
I’m thirsty Man teshneh hastam. من تشنه هستم
Where do you come from? Ahle koja hasti? اهل کجا هستی؟
I come from Spain Man ahle Spania hastam. من اهل اسپانیا هستم
I understand Mifahmam. میفهمم
I don’t understand Man nemifahmam. نمیفهمم
I don’t know Nemidoonam. نمیدونم
I need a doctor Man niaz be doctor daram. من نیازبه دکتر دارم
I feel sick Man mariz hastam. من مریض هستم
Please say that again Lotfan dobare begoo. لطفاً دوباره بگو
Please speak more slowly Lotfan ahest-e tar sohbat kon. لطفاً آهسته تر صحبت کن
Please write it down Lotfan benevisesh. لطفاً بنویسش
I speak Persian (Farsi) a little Man Farsi kam baladam. من فارسی کم بلدم
What Does … Mean in English?(an object or a word) In be englisi chi mishe? این به انگلیسی چی میشه؟
What Is This In chi hast? این چی هست؟
I’m lost Man gom shodam. من گم شدم
I have to go to… (a place) Man bayad beram be… من باید برم به…
Can I help you? Mitonam komaket konam? میتونم کمکت کنم؟
Can you help me? Mitoni komakam koni? میتونی کمکم کنی؟
Merry Christmas Christmas mobarak کریسمس مبارک
Happy New Year Sal-e no mobarak سال نو مبارک
Happy Birthday Tavalodet mobarak تولدت مبارک
Congratulations! Tabrik migam تبریک میگم
Good luck! Movafagh Bashi موفق باشی
Bless you (when sneezing) Afiat bashe عافیت باشه
Good/ Bad/ So-So Khoob /Bad(the same as English term)/taghriban خوب / بد/ تقریباً
Today/ Now Emrooz/ Al’an امروز / الان
Tomorrow/ Yesterday Farad/ Dirooz فردا / دیروز
Here you go! (when giving something) Befarmaeed بفرمایید
Hurry up! Zood bash زود باش
Do you like it? Doosesh dari? دوسش داری؟
I really like it! Man doosesh daram. من دوسش دارم
Call the police Be police zang bezan. به پلیس زنگ بزن
Yes Baleh بله
No Nah نه
Friend Doost دوست
Pharmacy Daroo khaneh داروخانه
Hospital Bimarestan بیمارستان
Fire Atash آتش
Help Komak کمک
Why Chera چرا؟
Who Che kasi? چه کسی؟
What Chi? چی؟
How Chetor? چطور؟
Where Koja? کجا؟
When Kay? کی؟
Stop! Eest ایست
Really! Vaghean? واقعاً
Look! Negah kon نگاه کن
Please Lotfan لطفاً
I Man من
You (singular) To تو
He/She Ou او
It Oon اون
We Ma ما
You Shoma شما
They Ishan ایشان
Wife Zan / khanoom زن / خانم
Husband Shohar شوهر
Spouse Hamsar همسر
Son/boy Pesr پسر
Daughter/girl Dokhtar دختر
Mother Madar مادر
Father Pedar پدر
Sister Khahar خواهر
Brother Baradar برادر
Mr. /Man Agha آقا
Mrs. /Ms. /Lady Khanom خانم
English Numbers 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Persian Numbers 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Persian Pronunciation Sefr Yek Dow Seh Chahar Panj Shish Haft Hasht Noh Dah
English Numbers 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Persian Numbers 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Persian Pronunciation Bist See Chehel Panjah Shast Haftad Hashtad Navad Sad

Are you planning to travel to Iran and looking for an Iran travel agency? Check out our Iran tours.