Iran - Between Mountains and a Million Metropolis

Hello dear readers. My journey through the world begins in Iran. In a short trip (February/March 2018) I got to know the beauty of the country, the openness and friendliness of the Persians and the crazy idea of snowboarding in Iran! The journey started for 4 days in the Dizin ski resort and ended after another 5 days in the capital Tehran. This experience has awakened my longing to learn more about this country... Conclusion: I will come back!

Winter vacation in Iran... how did I come up with such an idea???!!! Most comments were: 'Skiing in Iran? Can you really ski there?!'

Yes, you can! There are several ski resorts in the Alborz Mountains. The highest ski resort is located on Tochal and reaches 3,850 meters. However, the ski resorts only cover a few kilometers of slopes.
I was with 4 other adventurous travelers in the Dizin ski resort, which is the largest ski resort in Iran with a total of 18 km.

We couldn't really imagine what Dizin had to offer. The internet hardly reveals any information.

The surprise was great and successful! We had fantastic weather and a lot of fresh snow. After reaching 3,500 meters with the ancient gondolas (from the 70s, but functional!), we were overwhelmed by a feeling of freedom - vast snow-covered slopes and a view that will accompany us for a lifetime.

Dizin makes the freerider's heart beat faster. Off the slopes, you can experience absolute fun in the deep snow and wide slopes as far as the eye can see. And there is always an untouched spot for powdering!

Exclusive piste skiers also get their money's worth with 18 km of wide and well-prepared slopes ;-)

For party-loving winter vacationers, the typical après-ski fun will be missing here... but Iran offers its own flair with Persian beats, shisha and masala tea.

We stayed at the Dizin Hotel. It is located directly at the valley station. Although the age left its mark here and there, the rooms were clean and fairly modern. The hotel offered a good, sufficient breakfast and a billiard and shisha cellar for evening entertainment. I can highly recommend the shisha!

There is not much to find in the surrounding area. However, 2 km towards the valley you will find the Lotus restaurant, with very good cuisine, very friendly service and also a billiard table.

After 4 wonderful and snowy days, we continued to Tehran. We encountered an incredibly large city filled with history, Persian culture, labyrinthine bazaars and open-hearted people.
Our accommodation there was the Tehran Esteghbal Hotel with well-appointed apartments and breakfast.

We visited, among others, the Golestan Palace, Shah Palace Saadabad, the Jewelry and National Museum. Apart from the National Museum, you can expect a lot of pomp. Our path led us further north of Tehran to the pilgrimage site at Tajrish Square: the shrine of Imamzadeh Saleh.

As a woman, it was a challenge for me to wear the chador that I borrowed there, as it was so slippery that it kept slipping off :-) From there, we went to the Tajrish Bazaar. Equally impressive was the Tehran Bazaar (which is the largest in the city) and Darband, a place in the mountains dotted with venues and restaurants step by step along the riverbed. Here you can relax directly in the river on large loungers, indulge in delicacies and enjoy very tasty shishas.

An highlight in Tehran was the Tabiat Bridge as well as the Milad Tower at sunset. We had a fantastic view over the whole city surrounded by mountains and bathed in light.

Above all, the fresh Iranian cuisine fascinated us again and again - from saffron rice and kebab to Mirza Ghasemi and Ghormeh Sabzi. The Street of June 30th is recommended for this. One snack bar follows another and convinces with a variety of Arabian and Persian delicacies. Especially the chocolate cake in Tehran is a must!

But it will always be the people we met in Iran that will remain unforgettable and deep in our hearts. Two loving friends from Tehran welcomed us hospitably and guided us through their wonderful country. Thanks to them and many others who approached us with great interest and fascination, the trip was so fantastic.

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Sidebar note - Women's dress code and cultural relativism (?!):

Before going to Iran, of course, I was concerned about the dress code... How should the headscarf be worn? Can you also wear tight clothing? What about head coverings in the ski resort?

Generally, the dress code is seen very relaxed. Hair as well as hands and ankles do not have to be completely covered. Clothing can be figure-hugging, but the buttocks should be covered with a coat or long clothing. Over time, the headscarf has become an accessory for young Iranian women and usually hangs at the back of the head and loosely around the neckline.

In the ski resort, it was perfectly sufficient to wear a hat or hood when taking off the helmet. The buttocks do not need to be covered with longer clothing. It would also look strange with cool snowboard/ski clothing ;-)

And what do I mean by cultural relativism?... Well, go through the various cultures of this world with open-minded and far-sighted eyes without being guided by prejudices. View them independently of your own morals and values. Only then will you get to know them in their own way.

Iran is gradually returning to the society that prevailed at the time. In order to boost tourism, religious norms and values are limited to the minimum. Tourists are subject to relaxed regulations, which means that you can move around in Iran without great concern (relatively) freely. Nevertheless, the prevailing norms and values should be respected and honored by the guest! This does not mean that you submit to a political-religious system or that you support the oppression of women when traveling to Iran. It means that you accept the culture with an open mind and try to understand it. It's worth taking a look inside...