TEHRAN – In celebration of the Iranian new year, Noruz, a cultural festival, was held in Astaneh Ashrafieh, northern Gilan province on Friday, the provincial tourism chief has said.

Among the festival’s activities were folk music performances, local games, and agricultural and handicraft markets, Vali Jahani explained on Saturday.

The best way to create more tourist attractions and distribute tourists throughout the province is through festivals and cultural events, the official added.

Gilan is known for its tourist attractions and warm-hearted and hospitable people. The people of Gilan from different ethnic groups, including Gilak, Talesh, and Tat, have come together and formed a very rich and diverse culture and customs.

The northern region was within the sphere of influence of the successive Achaemenian, Seleucid, Parthian, and Sasanian empires that ruled Iran until the 7th century CE. The subsequent Arab conquest of Iran led to the rise of many local dynasties, and Gilan acquired an independent status that continued until 1567.

Besides, its sophisticated capital city of Rasht has long been a weekend escape for residents of Tehran who are looking to sample the famous local cuisine and hoping for some pluvial action–it's the largest and wettest town in the northern region. Gilan is divided into a coastal plain, including the large delta of Sefid Rud and adjacent parts of the Alborz range.

ABU/AM