Best Time to Visit Iran

Spring and autumn are the sweet spots

For most of Iran, April and May are the best months. October works almost everywhere too. Days are warm, evenings are mild, and you can walk around without wilting. Tehran, Mashhad and Tabriz all follow this pattern.

Isfahan and Shiraz start a little earlier and finish a little later. March to April and October to November suit them best. Shiraz is lovely in spring, when the gardens around Eram and the road out to Persepolis (the ancient Persian capital) are at their greenest. Karaj, just west of Tehran, likes April, May and September.

Summer heat and winter chill

July is the hottest month in every city we cover. Shiraz hits 40°C and Isfahan 39°C, so midday at Naqsh-e Jahan Square feels like standing in an oven. Tehran reaches 38°C. Karaj, Mashhad and Tabriz are a bit gentler at 34 to 35°C. If you must come in summer, plan indoor stops like the Golestan Palace or a bazaar for the afternoon, and go out again after sunset.

Winter is quiet and cold in the north and west, and rain is light everywhere. Rainfall peaks in different months by city: November in Tehran and Karaj, February in Isfahan, and January in Shiraz. Even the wettest months are not very wet, so rain rarely ruins a trip.

Nowruz, holidays and crowds

Nowruz, the Persian New Year, falls around 20 or 21 March. It's the biggest holiday of the year. Many Iranians travel for about two weeks, so hotels in Isfahan and Shiraz fill up and prices rise. Shops in cities can close for the first few days. If you want local atmosphere, it's special. If you hate crowds, go in late April instead.

Religious dates matter too. During Ramadan, many cafés close in daytime, and the dates move earlier each year. Muharram, especially Ashura, brings processions and mourning, and Mashhad's Imam Reza shrine draws huge numbers of pilgrims all year.

High season runs from late March to May and again in October. Low season is midsummer and midwinter, when you'll find more space and cheaper rooms.