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Photo: Mahdi Kalhor, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Several square kilometres of sand dunes.
The Maranjab Desert is a desert region located in the northern part of Aran and Bidgol County, in Isfahan province, central Iran. It is part of the Dasht-e Kavir basin and is characterized by sand dunes, salt pans, and seasonal wetlands. The area contains historical structures such as the Maranjab Caravansarai, constructed in 1603. Despite its arid conditions, the desert supports salt-tolerant vegetation and various species of wildlife, including reptiles and birds. The region is also a site of recreational activities, though concerns have been raised about the environmental impact of tourism.
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Salt lake close by to Maranjab desert. The salt lake is not that attractive unless it gets some water after the rain. Cannot be accessed with a normal car. You'll be stopped at the gate and will have to rent a 4x4 with driver.
Huge mosque with inner square and graves of the marters of the Iran-Irak war outside.
Labyrinth of tunnels consisting of three underground floors. It was dug as a shelter to hide from the summer heat, but later was used as a hiding place at times of enemy invasions. Only a couple of hundred meters are accessible for the public, out of the tunnel's total 4 km. A guide fluent in English is likely to give more information. Two different entrances exist. Entrance 1 has the shortest tunnel length. Therefore, entrance 2 is more interesting. These are signposted in the village.
With its fantastic mudbrick architecture, it is one of the jewels of the city. Pay a small amount to one of the touts hanging around the bazaar and you will be led to the roof of the bazaar, where you can get an idea of the technical marvel of building such large structures from mudbricks and have a wonderful view over the old city.
Hammam-e-Khan
Old hammam beautifully transformed into a traditional coffee shop where you can take a rest, drink tea or smoke a shisha.