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Mashhad, the holiest place in Iran, is seldom on the list of travelers because of its relatively remote location. However, if you are discovering the north of Iran, you should include it in your itinerary. The heart of the city is the “haram”, the shrine complex of the 8th Shia Imam, Imam Reza, that over 20 million pilgrims visit every year. However, even if you are not Muslim, you will be astonished by the unique spiritual atmosphere of the holy complex. This comprehensive travel guide includes the best places to visit in Mashhad and around and all the practical information (where to sleep, what is the best time to go) you need to know to make the most of your trip to the second-biggest city of Iran.
- How to get to Mashhad?
- Where to sleep in Mashhad?
- What is Mashhad famous for?
- How to visit the “haram” complex?
- What are some lesser-known sights to visit in Mashhad?
- What are the best places to visit outside Mashhad?
- Other articles about Iran
- More articles about the Middle East
- How to plan your trip to Iran
How to get to Mashhad?
Mashhad has connections to several big cities.
By road: Birjand, Esfahan, Gorgan, Kerman, Tehran, Yazd.
By air: there are regular flights from Tehran and other cities to Mashhad. Check the available domestic flights here.
Read this article about the 45 import things you need to know before traveling to Iran
Where to sleep in Mashhad?
Attracting millions of pilgrims yearly, there is no shortage of accommodation for any budget in the city. In the bazaar area around the “haram,” you can easily find a room in a hotel or guesthouse. Private people also rent out rooms, so you can ask around, and they help you find something. This is how I got a private apartment for 2.5 million (8 EUR) rials in one of the residential buildings on one side street near the bazaar area.
Prices are not fixed and tend to be higher on Thursday and Friday, during the special days of praying and the most important religious festivals.
Ghasr Talaee International Hotel – 5 star
Ghast hotel – 5 star
Javad hotel – 4 star
Javaher Shargh Hotel – 3 star
How to plan your trip to Iran
Book your flight to Iran: I always use Google Flights, Skyscanner or Wayaway to find the cheapest flight tickets worldwide. To get an extra 10% for your Wayaway Membership Plus program use my discount code VOG
Important: Booking.com and other common platforms do not work due to international restrictions in Iran. The only exemption is Skyscanner, where you can book both your international flight and accommodation in Iran!
Book your accommodation in Iran: Hostelworld.com offers a limited number of hostels. All other services are only available through local travel agencies, like 1st Quest.
Get your visa to Iran: 1st Quest or Tap Persia local companies can easily arrange your insurance for Iran
Book domestic flights, hotels, transfers, bus and train tickets, and local tours, all in one place via 1st Quest travel agency.
Another good thing is that by using my discount code, you get an extra 5% off your bookings: VOG%1stQ
Virtual Private Network (VPN): Use VPNExpress, the fastest and best Virtual Private Network to get access to blocked sites in Iran and to prevent hackers from stealing your private information.
Insurance to Iran: 1st Quest or Tap Persia local companies can arrange for you visa to Iran
Book local guides and local tours: Pirsik is specialized in offering tour guides and local tours in less touristic countries, including Iran.
What is Mashhad famous for?
The history of Mashhad is linked to Imam Reza, who lived from 765 to 818 during the Abbasid rule. Thanks to his kindness and generosity, he became more popular than Ma’mun Caliph (the son of Haroun ar-Rashid, immortalized by the Thousand and One Night Nigh tales) at that time. So, he tried to get rid of Imam Reza by poisoning him. He was buried in a village near Tus in Khorasan province. The village started to attract pilgrims and became known as Mashhad, “the place of martyrdom”. The nearby Tus was a more significant town, but after Tamerlane ransacked it, Mashhad became the capital of Razavi Khorasan province.
Read this travel guide about the best 2 weeks north Iran itinerary
Shiism became a state religion only during the Safavid dynasty in Iran, and the prominent ruler reconstructed the holy shrine.
Today, Mashhad is the holiest and second-largest city of Iran, located in the northeastern part of the country in Razavi Khorasan province. Since it is far from the classical touristic Iranian route and other main cities, much fewer tourists include it in their itinerary. It is, however, an ideal stop for those continuing their trip further to Turkmenistan and South Khorasan province.
Over 20 million pilgrims come to Mashhad every year. Together with Karbala (shrine of Imam Hussein) and Najaf (burial place of Imam Ali) in Iraq, Mashhad is the third most important Shia religious site. It is believed that Imam Reza can fulfill the wishes of any person, Muslim or not Muslim, religious or not religious. Pilgrims come from different Arab countries, wear different traditional clothes, and speak different languages, making Mashhad a unique place.
On the other hand, during my travels through Iran, I also heard that some Iranians consciously keep themselves away from overly religious places, like Qom and Mashhad, as Islam already infiltrates their daily lives more than they want. For that reason, some Iranians never plan to set foot in Mashhad.
After having been to Najaf and Karbala in Iraq, I was eager to get to Mashhad as well, and I was astonished by what I saw. I joined the ladies’ queue to get close to Imam Reza’s burial place, namely the shrine’s zarih (gold-latticed cage). While in the line, a woman distributed bread. Others were praying and crying. Many people come with disabilities or physical illnesses in the hope of recovering. And miracles do happen at the shrine. There are countless records about the miraculous healings around Imam Reza’s burial place.
In the center of Mashhad stands the “haram”, the shrine complex where the highly respected 8th Imam, Imam Reza, is buried.
Besides being the holiest place, Mashhad is also great for buying Persian carpets and has the best quality saffron in Iran.
How to visit the “haram” complex?
In the center of the haram stands the burial place of Imam Reza. It contains museums, courtyards, mosques, a library, seminaries, a cemetery, several praying halls with stunning blue-tiled and mirror decorations, and the Razavi University of Islamic Sciences. It is a city within a city that has a different atmosphere each time of the day, for which you should return at least once during the day and in the evening.
The shrine complex is maintained purely by donations and thousands of volunteers managed by Astan Quds Razavi Foundation, the longest-standing organization since the martyrdom of Imam Reza 1200 years ago. Among the volunteers are politicians, ministers, businessmen, and people from every walk of life since it is an honor to assist at the shrine of the respected imam. So many people want to serve as a volunteer that there is a long waiting list. Sometimes they need to wait for years.
It has almost 20 000 employees employed by the educational, cultural, or social institutes the Foundation manages. The organization operates an Islamic University and a hospital as well, and it owns shops and hostels. It plays a key role in the economy of Mashhad. Until some years ago, upon the order of Khomeini ayatollah, it benefited from tax-exemption. The president of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi (August 2021-), was chairman of the Astan Quds Razavi from 2016 to 2019 before being appointed Chief of Justice. He is the son-in-law of the Friday prayer leader and Grand Imam of the shrine.
Orientation
The complex has several entrances and exit gates that can look alike, making you quickly lose direction. Remember which exit you want to take after the visit. Since the haram is stunningly illuminated at night, it is worth visiting it twice, during the day and evening. At night, take extra care about which exit you want to use, as it is easier to get lost.
Security check
There is a security check before entering the haram for men and women separately. You must deposit your backpack and bigger bags. You can only take a small bag with the essentials.
Chador and tour guide
You must wear a chador to enter the holy complex. Unlike other mosques and imamzadeh, the haram does not have any readily available chador at the entrance, and you are probably not prepared to have one with you as a foreigner, either. When you arrive, and they see you without a chador, they call the department of foreign visitors. You will get a tour guide who also brings a chador that you can keep as a gift. They told me that every foreigner must have a tour guide as they easily get lost and are not allowed to go around alone.
However, if you have a chador with you, I’m sure they just let you in and will never stop you because you are a foreigner.
I didn’t mind getting a tour guide, as I was glad to get more information about the significance and history of the complex. However, my tour guides were not fluent in English and did not share as much information as I expected. It was still good to have my first visit with them to get a sense of orientation in the haram. They took me to the visitor’s center where I could watch a short movie in English, and a mullah gave further explanations and answered my questions. However, the guides won’t wait for you to join the long queue to see the shrine of Imam Reza inside.
So, I came back in the evening alone. I spent more time walking around, observed the pilgrims, and joined the queue to get inside the shrine of Imam Reza.
Restrictions for foreigners
Non-Muslims can visit most places but cannot enter the Goharshad Mosque.
Safety
Beware of your belongings! Despite it being a holy place, pickpockets are common.
Goharshad Mosque
The Tamerlane’s son and his wife, Gohar Shad, enlarged the haram in the 15th century, for which the central mosque in the complex is named after her.
On the 13th of July 1935, the armed forces of Reza Shah, the first Pahlavi dynasty in Iran, attacked the Goharshad Mosque and massacred the people protesting against the anti-Islamic law by Reza Shah of banning the Hijab (headscarf) for women in Iran. Later, during the Iranian Revolution, on the 21st of November 1978, Mohammad Reza Shah’s troops killed many people within the shrine.
Non-Muslims are not allowed to enter the impressive blue-domes mosque.
Museums in the holy shrine
There are three museums inside the haram: the Carpet Museum, the Quran museum, and one telling the shrine’s history. Most of them close at 2 pm, so it is better to go in the morning. They keep a Quran written by Imam Ali himself.
The Library
Anybody can have access to the precious collection of the library, not only university students. It is one of the libraries with the longest tradition that changed place several times until it was moved to the haram.
What are some lesser-known sights to visit in Mashhad?
Boq’eh-ye Khajeh Rabi
The mausoleum of an apostle of the prophet Mohammad, who later went to exile in Khorasan, is located in the middle of a garden. Around the impressive, blue-domed mausoleum is a cemetery with thousands of tombstones, where people are willing to pay extraordinary prices for burial.
The mausoleum of Nader Shah
The mausoleum of one of the most prominent Persian rulers is a short walk from the haram and is another city landmark. He ended the two-hundred-year-old rule of the Safavid dynasty, and during his short reign (1737-1747), he reconquered several territories Persia lost to the Ottomans and Russians. He launched several campaigns, managed to reunite Persia, and extended his Empire to today’s Turkmenistan, Pakistan, Oman, Turkey, the Persian Gulf, and the Caucasus. But when he was assassinated, his Empire quickly fell apart in 1747.
His attack against the Mughal Empire in India is especially famous in world history. During one day, his troops killed 20- 30 000 Indians and took thousands of slaves. The Mughal ruler had no choice but to beg for mercy.
Nader Shah took the famous Peacock Throne embedded with precious and semi-precious stones and other valuable pieces of the royal treasury, like the Koh-i-Noor and Darya-ye Noor diamonds as a booty. He needed 700 elephants, 4000 camels, and 12 000 horses to carry the treasure. After this, he exempted people from tax for three years.
The grey concrete monument was only erected in the 1960s.
Entrance fee for foreigners: 1 million Rial
Gonbad-e Shabz
The mausoleum of scholar and mystic Momen Mashadi with a green dome stands in the middle of a traffic circle.
Mashhad Old Mosalla or Mosalla Paein Khiaban
10 minutes’ walk from the Imam Reza holy shrine, you can visit the Old Mosalla (old mosque) of Mashhad. It dates back to the Safavid times in the 17th century. A part of the mosque was detroyed during the Russian attack, but later it was reconstructed, and people used it until the new Mosalla was built.
Darougheh historical house
This attractive mansion is a short walk from the Imam Reza holy shrine is one of the less-known places to visit in Mashhad. It follows the layout of traditional Iranian houses, but the seven-color tiles, carved statues, wooden carvings, and other architectural elements reflect Russian elements. The house, built during the late Qajar period at the beginning of the 20th century, has living rooms, a kitchen, a bakery, and the first private bathroom. The basement had a pool to cool the temperature during the hot summertime and store the food. Darougheh means “Sheriff,” referring to its previous owner, Mashhad’s Sheriff, Yousef Khan Herati. Until some decades ago, the house was still used.
What are the best places to visit outside Mashhad?
1. Kang village (45 km from Mashhad, 1 hour)
The best place to visit around Mashhad is Kang, a stepped village of mud-brick houses. It is one of the beautiful stepped villages in Iran. The road leading to the village is surrounded by restaurants and cafes in a forest that is ideal for hiking. Kang is a favorite among locals to come at the weekend and escape from the big city, Mashhad. There are rooms for rent if you want to stay for the night in the village. They often call it the “Masouleh of Khorasan”, but it is a much less touristic version.
You can reach a spot with the best view of the 3000-year-old village within a short walk.
2. Tomb or Ferdowsi (30 km from Mashhad, half an hour)
Ferdowsi is one of the most respected poets of Persia, who wrote the national epic, Shah Nameh.
It is one of the key symbols of Persian identity that took Ferdowsi 33 years to complete and focuses on the legends and history of pre-Islamic Persia. It means so much to the Iranians that they can recite long passages by heart. The epic emphasizes the distinct identity of Persians from Arabs. Persians could hold on to their language and calendar even after converting to Islam. The mythical, pre-Islamic king, Jamshid, tells the stories of his glorious age and how the Arab Army defeated Persia, which was a national disaster.
Through Shah Nameh, you can learn about Parthian, Sassanid, and Persia’s early medieval world view fueled with heroism, justice, pride, and Persian patriotism.
Check the Shahnameh and other famous books about Iran
The tomb of Ferdowsi in Tus, where he was born and died, resembles that of Cyrus the Great in Pasargadae, not without a coincidence. It was built in the 1930s by Reza shah in an Achaemenid architectural style that was a conscious political choice from the Pahlavi ruler, who prioritized the country’s pre-Islamic traditions. Therefore, the tomb contains Zoroastrian symbols, the state religion during the Ancient Persian Empire.
Ferdowsi is now one of the most respected poets in Iran, but his merits were only acknowledged after his death. For centuries, he only had an unremarkable tomb, but in the 20th century, the Pahlavi rulers realized Ferdowsi could play an essential role in defining the Iranian identity.
After the Islamic Revolution, the new regime tried to eliminate the monuments and traditions of the pre-Islamic period. Still, since Ferdowsi was a devout Shia, his tomb was not in danger.
Mashhad is one of the best places to visit if you visit the northern part of Iran. The Holy Shrine of Imam Reza has a unique atmosphere even for non-believers and is absolutely the biggest attraction of Mashhad. The best is to visit it both during the day and at night. Apart from that, the thousands-of-year-old Kang stepped village is one of the less-known but fascinating places around Mashhad. I hope that this travel guide was useful to you. Please leave a comment if you have any questions.
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by Agnes Simigh
I’m a passionate tour guide and travel writer, who is curious to discover places that seldom catch the attention of the media or that are misrepresented. My goal is to inspire you to choose off-the-beaten-track destinations by sharing objective and detailed information. I believe that it is mainly the lack of “intel” that keeps us away from incredible places. And that just shouldn’t be the case.
by Ramin Paknejad
A tour guide in Iran for cultural and cycling tours with ten years of experience who jumps on every opportunity to bike long distances. After the start of the Syria war, he and his team completed the 5900km Tehran-Istanbul-Tehran “cycling for peace project”. His big dream is to bike from the North Cape of Norway to Cape Town in South Africa as soon as visa restrictions are eased.