Yazd walking tour & city guide
Mud-brick lanes and windcatchers in the desert.
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Yazd, between two deserts in central Iran, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Its old town of mud-brick houses, covered lanes and windcatchers is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it remains a center of the ancient Zoroastrian faith.
The old city
The old city is a maze of narrow, earth-colored lanes, some roofed to keep out the sun. Rising above the rooftops are badgirs, windcatchers that funnel cool air into the houses below. The Jameh Mosque has one of the tallest pairs of minarets in Iran and a tiled portal of great beauty, and the rooftops around it offer views across the city at sunset.
The three-story facade of the Amir Chakhmaq Complex is lit up beautifully in the evening. The Dowlat Abad Garden has one of the tallest windcatchers in the world.
Zoroastrian Yazd
The Atash Behram fire temple keeps a sacred flame said to have burned for more than 1,500 years. On the edge of the city stand the Towers of Silence, hilltop enclosures where Zoroastrians once laid their dead. Underground qanats, ancient water channels, brought water to the city from the mountains, and some can be visited.
Top sights in Yazd
- 1
Jameh Mosque
A mosque with towering minarets.
- 2
Amir Chakhmaq Complex
A grand facade lit at night.
- 3
Dowlat Abad Garden
A garden with a giant windcatcher.
- 4
Atash Behram
A Zoroastrian fire temple.
- 5
Towers of Silence
Hilltop Zoroastrian burial sites.
Food markets & where to eat in Yazd
Old city
Traditional houses turned into teahouses.
Bazaar
Sweet shops selling local pastries.
Food to try in Yazd
Baghlava
Yazdi baklava with almonds and pistachios.
Qottab
Fried pastries filled with almonds.
Shooli
A tangy beet and herb soup.
Opening hours and prices change often. Please check with each place before you visit.
Plan your trip to Yazd
Enjoyed the walk? Here is everything you need to see it for real.
- Hotels in YazdCompare places to stay and prices.
- Tours & ticketsWalking tours, museums and day trips in Yazd.
- eSIM for IranStay online from the moment you land.
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