Sales Specialist, Chantal Chenede, tells us about her journey through Central Iran

As many countries, if booking with a reputable company with a good agent overseas: Iran is a must. I would recommend to travel in the spring or autumn when temperatures are more moderate.

My husband and I spent 2 weeks visiting Teheran, Yazd, Shiraz, Esfahan and Kashan on a tailor made basis. We found the transport, guide and sights overwhelming and within a few days I felt at home and very relaxed.

What has it got to offer? Iran is an exotic location with many archaeological sites. The Islamic mosques are so huge, yet peaceful, and I was mesmerised by the intricate tiling.

We strolled through beautiful gardens, full of pavilions, fountains, canals and unusual shrubs.

The bazaars are a joy for browsing (without sellers being pushy!) with gifts that you’ll want to take home. There are so many artisans still trading and keeping old craftsmanship.

Food was cheap, tasty… and fat free! Very delicate, and not too spicy, so well suited to the British palate.

So if you can ignore the politics, be teetotal, and the ladies can put up with covering their head, arms and legs – why not give it a try? BMI fly direct to the capital and so it is a destination that is easy to get to.

I visited Central Iran but if I had longer I would have gone along the Caspian Sea, Persian Gulf or the North Eat bordering Turkey as Bam and Kerman are out of bounds at present.

For more information and first hand knowledge, please call me on 01306 732716.

About Chantal Chenede

Other articles by Chantal Chenede

When I joined Bales, approximately 11 years ago, it gave me the opportunity to expand my knowledge and my love of discovering new destinations. Over the years, I have been lucky enough to travel to some of the world’s most beautiful and remarkable countries. On several occasions, Bales have also given me the responsibility and privilege of being tour manager on a number of our escorted trips. I have thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of being tour manager especially planning the journeys, inspecting the hotels, meeting the locals, tasting the food and wine and experiencing the culture and atmosphere of every destination. Eleven years on and I am still passionate about travelling. Currently, I specialise in Central and South America and enjoy passing on my vast product knowledge to our clients.