Our Yazd.
A city of windcatchers, mud-brick alleys and water running underground, and one of the oldest cities in Iran that has never stopped being lived in. It's best seen on foot, early in the morning or as the day cools.
Around the corner
Amir Chakhmaq Square & bazaar
5 min walkThe tiered façade of the tekyeh, with the covered bazaar behind it. Loveliest in the evening, once the square lights up.
Jameh Mosque
8 min walkThe city's tallest pair of minarets and some of the finest tilework in Iran. Go early, before the tour groups arrive.
The old lanes
From the doorCovered passages, windcatchers, and carved doors with separate knockers for men and women. Wander without a plan; getting a little lost is part of it.
The rooftops
At sunsetYazd makes most sense from above: domes, windcatchers, and the mountains turning pink as the light fades.
In and around the city
Dowlatabad Garden
In the cityA UNESCO-listed Persian garden, home to one of the tallest windcatchers in Iran.
Water Museum
In the cityThe story of the qanats, the hand-dug channels that made life in the desert possible.
Atash Behram
In the cityThe Zoroastrian fire temple, where a sacred flame has been tended for centuries.
Towers of Silence
Edge of the cityTwo Zoroastrian funerary towers on the hills south of town. Climb up in the late afternoon, when the light is softest.
Kharanaq
Day tripAn abandoned mud-brick village in a valley north of Yazd, with a caravanserai and a shaking minaret.
Meybod & Chak Chak
Day tripMeybod's pottery, ice house and caravanserai, then the Zoroastrian shrine set into the cliffs at Chak Chak.
Tell us how many days you have, and we'll happily suggest a route.
Yazd through the year
Spring
March – MayMild days and the courtyard in flower. Our busiest time, so write early.
Summer
June – AugustVery hot by day. Head out early and spend the afternoon resting behind cool, thick walls.
Autumn
September – NovemberWarm, clear days and cool evenings, with the most beautiful light of the year.
Winter
December – FebruarySunny, quiet days and cold nights. Yalda, the longest night of the year, comes in December.