Traveling during Ramadan

One of the things to know before traveling to Iran is traveling during Ramadan. It's a good idea to check the calendar before planning your vacation because visiting Iran during Ramadan may be inconvenient. Because the mood in the country is quite mellow at the moment, many attractions have varying or limited hours of operation.

The largest hardship, though, is that there is no eating or drinking in public throughout the day. Because restaurants and cafés close immediately before iftar (and stay open longer than usual in the evening), your only choice for a meal during the day is at a hotel. However, Muslims are not required to fast when traveling, therefore if you are traveling between towns, you are allowed to eat (i.e., eating in the airport or on the train is fine). Otherwise, be discreet if you must eat or drink during prohibited hours. Generally, Ramadan is not a popular time for Iranians to travel since they are more relaxed on fast days. As a result, the highways, hotels, and especially the attractions are not packed, and you may enjoy much more qualified sightseeing and time-consuming road excursions in Iran.