Those who behold the ancient city of Yazd from afar could be forgiven for not being able to delineate its intricate array of arabesque minarets and adobe domes, all concealed in their earthy tones between the sun-scorched Zagros Mountains and central deserts of the Iranian plateau to the east and west.
Still, they are there, and any who venture past the crumbling city walls here to the dust-clad old town will soon be lost within, under the apses of the majestic Masjid-e Jame Mosque, between the elaborate Tombs of the Imams and the stoic mud-brick bulwarks of Alexander’s Prison. Be sure to have your Yazd tour guide point out the wide squares of Amir Chakhmaq and Markar on the map, where fountains bubble over beneath the sun and it’s possible to stand right in the centre of the Iranian nation (literally!).
Afterwards, why not head away from the ancient core to enjoy the countless hidden and yet historic neighbourhoods of Yazd, and the Zoroastrian influences in the city at its Fire Temple and Tower of Silence. Or make a jaunt to the looming Yazd Mountains for an altogether wilder getaway from the fray.