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Top Posts & Pages

  • Nowruz: Persian New Year Traditions
    Nowruz: Persian New Year Traditions
  • What Is the Best Ice Cream Shop In Tehran, or Ultimate Guide to Iranian Ice Cream
    What Is the Best Ice Cream Shop In Tehran, or Ultimate Guide to Iranian Ice Cream
  • Learn Persian Online
    Learn Persian Online
Iran Travel Guide, Like a Local

10 Instagram Accounts to Follow Before Travelling to Iran in 2020

Nowadays the Internet is overloaded with information about different countries and travelling tips, and social networks are making planning a trip even easier. Many Iranian Instagram accounts I follow give…

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March 6, 2018
Iran Travel Guide

Travelling Iran: What to See in Yazd

Yazd had been my favorite destination in Iran (until I discovered Qeshm island), and I always recommend it to everyone who travels to Iran. Located on the edge of a…

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August 7, 2018
Iran Travel Guide

Travel Guide to Qazvin: City of Ornaments

Qazvin is a city of ornaments and gorgeous tiles, “a city in the middle of a garden” (that`s how Nasseredin Shah depicted it to his European counterparts). Finally, Qazvin is the gate…

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November 27, 2016
  • Protests in Saqqez_title
    Like a Local

    Ways of Protest in Iran

    December 5, 2022 /

    The anti-governmental protests are still going on in Iran. They are being crushed harshly, especially in Kurdistan and Baluchistan. While in Tehran and major cities protesters face tear gas, and are being severely beaten by the police and are being shot pellets, in Kurdistan and Baluchistan people are being shot dead in protests. Almost every day brings new victims – from protesters who are being killed or injured by the police to artists and activists that are being detained by the police. When I say ‘a protest’, you probably think of people in the streets shouting out slogans. However, in Iran protests have gone much further from the streets into…

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    Katya 2 Comments

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    Ultimate Guide to Tehran Grand Bazaar. Part 2: Food

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    Cheat Sheet On Iranian Food: Eat Out Like A Local

    July 8, 2016

    Best Android Apps Made in Iran

    July 22, 2017
  • Iranian Art for Protests_featured image
    Culture

    Iranian Art Supporting Ongoing Protests

    October 17, 2022 /

    There is no way you haven`t heard of Mahsa Amini and the protests in Iran that her death sparkled. It has been on the news and all over social media for a month now. Let me tell you the whole story first to have a full picture of what`s going on in Iran. Mahsa (Zhina) Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian girl, was visiting Tehran where she was detained by morality police. At the police station she passed out and went into coma, and two days later she died. The official reason for her death, a heart attack, was disputed by some independent doctors and witnesses who say that she was…

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    Moharram. The Time for Mourning: The Day of Ashura

    November 8, 2014
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    Yalda Night in Iran: 5-Step Guide to Celebrate the Longest Night of the Year

    December 19, 2016
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    Nowruz: Persian New Year Traditions

    March 17, 2020
  • How I Learned Persian
    Learn Persian

    How I Learned Persian

    October 12, 2020 /

    Learning Persian by yourself has certain difficulties. First of all, there are not many textbooks that would teach you enough vocabulary. Most English textbooks cover all Grammar and Vocabulary in just one book which is a huge volume of information that may be hard to comprehend. And most Iranian textbooks (which cover various skills and are designed for different levels) are available only in Iran. Secondly, even if you decide to take group courses, it`s pretty hard to find one in your town. So the most efficient way to learn the Persian language is to work with a tutor. Just in case you are looking for one, I`d be happy…

    read more
    Katya 1 Comment
  • Worst Books and Movies about Iran
    Books and Movies about Iran

    Worst Books and Movies About Iran

    May 4, 2020 /

    Iranians constantly blame Western media that they are showing only the negative side of Iran creating a very dark perception of Iran in the world. However, I believe that the worst damage to the image of Iran is done by Iranians themselves. Many books and movies about Iran created in the West, are created by Iranians who fled the country due to political reasons or limitations or whatsoever. And what do they talk about? Of course, the hard times they had in Iran. I realize that these things must be said as well. But it hurts me when these films and books make a way greater impression on the audience…

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    Katya 0 Comments
  • Redfis
    About Iran,  Culture

    Nowruz: Persian New Year Traditions

    March 17, 2020 /

    Nowruz is the biggest and oldest holiday celebrated in Iran. It takes a month of preparations and two (!) weeks of celebrations. So it might be a good idea to celebrate with Iranians.  In this post, you will find out what Nowruz is and get familiar with Persian New Year traditions. Nowruz (Norooz) is as old as Iran itself. Somehow it is a symbol of Persian culture. The tradition of celebrating Nowruz unites Iranians from the Caspian Sea to the Persian Gulf. Nowruz means a new day. This is the day when a new year starts in Iran and corresponds with spring equinox which marks the start of spring.

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    Moharram. The Time for Mourning: The Day of Ashura

    November 8, 2014
    Christmas in Tehran

    Tehran Events Guide: Christmas Edition

    December 22, 2016
    Cinematheques in Tehran

    Tehran Events Guide: Cinematheques in Tehran

    December 12, 2016
  • northern iran_sari
    Iran Travel Guide

    The Most Scenic Train Ride in Iran

    January 15, 2020 /

    Train has been undeservingly avoided by many tourists travelling to Iran. Most of them prefer to travel by bus which is faster and available any time of the day and sometimes even at night. But personally, I love travelling by train in Iran. And believe me, I know what I`m talking about! My husband and I traveled Iran by train a lot – from Mashhad in the east of Iran to the small city of Shoosh in the west, Sari in the north and Bandar-Abbas in the south. What I love about train trips in Iran is the comfort they offer, an opportunity to mingle with locals and finally, just…

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    10 Instagram Accounts to Follow Before Travelling to Iran in 2020

    March 6, 2018
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    August 7, 2018
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    November 25, 2014
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    Iran Travel Guide

    Travelling Iran: What to See in Yazd

    August 7, 2018 /

    Yazd had been my favorite destination in Iran (until I discovered Qeshm island), and I always recommend it to everyone who travels to Iran. Located on the edge of a desert, it impresses travelers with its unique mud-brick architecture, very different from Isfahan, Shiraz or Tehran. I have been to Yazd two times and would love to visit it again because every time I discover more and more (and of course, I don`t mind adding a couple of bowls or other Yazd ceramics to my collection). However, traveling to the city of wind-catchers is not only about visiting Yazd itself – there are plenty of religious, historical and natural sights scattered all…

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    Katya 2 Comments

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    10 Instagram Accounts to Follow Before Travelling to Iran in 2020

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    It`s a pleasure to have a picnic by the river.

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  • 10 Instagram Accounts About Iran to Follow in 2020
    Iran Travel Guide,  Like a Local

    10 Instagram Accounts to Follow Before Travelling to Iran in 2020

    March 6, 2018 /

    Nowadays the Internet is overloaded with information about different countries and travelling tips, and social networks are making planning a trip even easier. Many Iranian Instagram accounts I follow give me inspiration to continue exploring Iran, its deserts, villages and islands, as well as rediscover major cities on the tourist trail. If you are planning to visit Iran, these Instagram accounts will be a great help to you to plan your route, whether you prefer a safe plan or are looking for an adventure. And if you are just curious about Iran, they will definitely inspire you on packing your bag and travelling to Iran as soon as possible because…

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    Katya 2 Comments

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    One Day Trip From Tehran: Vardij & Varish Villages

    March 28, 2016
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  • Fajr Film Festival_logo
    About Iran,  Culture,  Iranian Cinema

    Iranian Cinema: An Overview of Fajr Film Festival

    January 29, 2018 /

    Fajr Film Festival may not be a well-known film festival in the world, but it is definitely a significant event inside Iran. Interestingly, not only people from cinema industry, but ordinary people as well (mostly younger generation) try to attend as many film screenings as possible. Read up to the end to find out why. As in Iranian cinemas you can see only Iranian movies (well, with rare exception), and even Iranian TV channels show a very small percent of foreign movies, Iranian cinema industry has to fulfill these needs and produce a huge number of films, animated films and documentaries. I`ve come up with interesting statistics that will help you imagine the scale of…

    read more
    Katya 0 Comments

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    Yalda Night in Iran: 5-Step Guide to Celebrate the Longest Night of the Year

    December 19, 2016
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    Feel Christmas Spirit in Tehran!

    December 21, 2015
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    Guide to Events in Tehran: The International Tourism Fair

    March 12, 2016
  • Niavaran Palace
    Explore Tehran

    Guide to Tehran Palaces: Niavaran Palace

    November 25, 2017 /

    You can`t imagine visiting Tehran without seeing one of Tehran palaces. Tehran has been the capital of Iran for around 200 years and has seen many shahs, each of whom wanted to build a palace more beautiful than previous shahs. Golestan, Sadabad and Niavaran palaces remain the most popular and significant tourist attractions in Tehran. Each of them can offer its visitors several palaces from different historical periods as well as a range of museums. So I`ve decided to write a complete guide for each palace complex to help you decide which palaces and museums to visit. In this article I`ll tell you about Niavaran palace and its museums. Sahebgheraniyeh…

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 Older Posts

About Me

I`m Katya, and I am here to share my insights on life in Iran as well as tips and tricks for travelling Iran!

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Про Иран сейчас говорят все Про Иран сейчас говорят все больше и больше, что не может не радовать. Хотя достойного контекта, который бы объективно показывал Иран, не так много.

В этом видео я собрала 4 видео, которые, на мой взгляд, наиболее разносторонне описывают Иран.

Если вы очень мало знаете об Иране, советую посмотреть серию выпусков от Mash Paradox и выпуск Редакции.

А если вы уже неплохо знакомы с Ираном и хотите углубить свои знания, очень рекомендую канал библиотеки им. Некрасова (там есть несколько лекций на тему Ирана) и канал LectOrient, где вы найдете лекции не только про Иран, но и весь исламский мир (в том числе и ислам в России).

Спасибо @maria_p_oleynik и @annushkarazlilamaslo за рекомендации!

#иран #иран🇮🇷 #иранцы #иранки #ирансегодня #проиран
Iran & Russia's ties are getting stronger each yea Iran & Russia's ties are getting stronger each year. Let's see what Iranian products can be found in a typical Russian supermarket!

Of course, most of them are sweets by popular Iranian brand Shirin Asal and all types of tomato paste which is used in Russia quite a lot too. Also, I saw different types of cheese by Kaleh, but didn't have a chance to snap a picture of it.

#iranianproducts #иран #иранскиепродукты #иранроссия #чтоедятвиране #iranianfood
Beards in Iran That`s interesting how a beard bea Beards in Iran

That`s interesting how a beard bears a lot of meaning like the person`s social status, political views, etc. However, it has become harder to judge a person by their beard now. While before, mostly religious people (or those connected to the government who are supposed to be religious by default) wore beards, now it has become a world-wide trend. So now, people of all sorts may have a beard in Iran.

Also, most countries have their own names for different kinds of beards. So let`s see what names various beards have in Iran!

Rish-e professori (3) - a professor`s beard is not the name of a professor`s beard, but rather a goatee with a mustache.

Rish-e kalle-ghandi (4-5) - a beard that resembles a sugar loaf.

Rish-e sattari (6) - a beard that became popular thanks to a singer called Sattar.

Rish-e hakhamaneshi (7-8) - a beard that resembles beards of the shahs of Achaemenid dynasty (4-6 centuries BC).

Rish-e toopi (9) - (a ball beard) a round big beard.

Rish-e saye (10) - shadow beard.

Which beard type is popular in your country? Write in comments!

#beards #beardsaroundtheworld
When you go to Turkey but visit a Greek village in When you go to Turkey but visit a Greek village instead.

A beautiful village by the sea is a reminder of a dark page in history of these two countries. In 1923 all Greeks (but practically all non-Muslims) were sent to Greece and Turks were invited to come from Greece and live in their houses and take over their farms.

#greekvillage
The language is definitely something that brings I The language is definitely something that brings Iran and Turkey close to each other. 

Although these languages have a different origin, they've had such a strong effect on it other that you can't be very sure whether some of the words originate from which language.

What's more, both languages experienced influence of other countries, so both of them have a huge number of common Arabic words and a few French words.

On the trip to Turkey, I made a long list of similar words and here are just some of them.

Emlak املاک
Vitrin ویترین
Tepe تپه
Kale قلعه
Belediyesi بلدیه
Sehir شهر
Sulh صلح
Taze تازه
Adet عدد
Kasap قصاب
Balkon بالاکن
Bahce باغچه
Vatan وطن
Devlet دولت
Tane دانه
Dünya دنیا
Mirasi میراث
Merkezi مرکز
Gümrük گمرک
Tesekkür تشکر
Sikayet شکایت
Siparis سفارش

#languagenerd
Many people think that Iran is a very religious co Many people think that Iran is a very religious country, it`s an Islamic republic after all. But in Turkey I realized that Iranians are mostly far from religious. Here are a few examples that made me think so.

The first thing you notice is a very loud azan that is performed live at mosques 5 times a day. (Outside city center a recorded azan is played, but still 5 times a day.) For comparison, in Iranian cities azan is never performed live, and it is played only 2 times a day (will never wake you up early in the morning). Also, you really need to have a mosque down your street to hear it (which is quite rare in residential areas).

Another thing is hijab. Let`s start with the perception of hijab in Iran and Turkey. Turkish women may wear short blouses, dresses or long skirts, but they will make sure their hair is hidden under the scarf. In Iran, though, having a little bit of hair out of the scarf is acceptable which is, I think, how Iranian women used to wear scarf traditionally.

Also, I was very surprised by the number of women (especially young ones) wearing hijab, even in its cosmopolitan capital. It`s hard to predict how many women would wear a scarf in Iran if it wasn`t compulsory, but something tells me that it would be less.

 #realiran
Modern Art in Tehran Art has long ago gone outsid Modern Art in Tehran

Art has long ago gone outside museums and galleries, public spaces, streets has created even more opportunities for artists.

In Iran, however, the relationship with modern art is not that simple. That is why this story seems like a miracle to me! An abandoned factory was removed from the list of cultural heritage to be demolished to free space for more residential buildings. But somehow it was turned into an art space.

This exhibition was up for a while now, so don't miss the chance to visit it before it's too late! Go to @kahrizak.sugar.factory for visiting hours and address.

#iranianart 

Music: Sunrise
Musician: Ilya Marfin
5 FACTS ABOUT TEHRAN METRO Tehran metro has 7 lin 5 FACTS ABOUT TEHRAN METRO

Tehran metro has 7 lines.

One-way ticket (inside the city) costs 10 cents.

Metro connects the city to Imam Khomeini International Airport.

The construction of Tehran metro started in 1978, but it started operating only in 1999.

The first and the last carriages are only for women, while the rest of the carriages are mixed.

#tehranmetro #iran #nextstopiran #seeyouiniran #iran_tourism #metro #subwaystation #metrostation #irancumentary #tehrandailylife #everydaytehran #lifeiniran
I constantly receive questions what to read or wat I constantly receive questions what to read or watch in Persian, so I thought I'd share with you what I read, watch and listen to.

I'll appreciate it if you let me know if this kind of stuff is useful for you!

#iraniancinema #streetsoftehran #tehrandailylife #everydaytehran #lifeiniran #iranianliterature #iranianpodcasts #podcastsinpersian #persianlanguage #irecommend
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