TEHRAN—The number of tourist arrivals in Isfahan, one of Iran’s top tourist destinations for good reason, has soared 28 percent during the first five months of the current Iranian year compared to the same period last year.

Over the first five months of the year (1402), some four million domestic travelers and 35,000 foreign sightseers visited Isfahan province, around 28 percent more than in the same period of 1401, Isfahan’s tourism chief said on Thursday.

“Isfahan recorded 35,000 international travelers during the first five months of the year while the figure stood at 17,000 for the same period a year earlier,” Hamidreza Mohaqeqian said.

Domestic and international arrivals in Isfahan have jumped 24 and 74 percent respectively due to easing coronavirus-related bans. And this shows there is a high level of demand for visiting Isfahan, the official explained.

Isfahan was once been a crossroads of international trade and diplomacy in Iran and now it is one of Iran’s top tourist destinations for good reasons as it is filled with many architectural wonders, such as unmatched Islamic buildings, bazaars, museums, Persian gardens, and tree-lined boulevards. It’s a city for walking, getting lost in its mazing bazaars, dozing in beautiful gardens, and meeting people.

Isfahan, the provincial capital, is renowned not only for the abundance of great historical bridges but also for its ‘life-giving river’, the Zayandeh-Rood, which has long bestowed the city an original beauty and fertility. Isfahan has long been nicknamed Nesf-e-Jahan, which is translated into “half the world”; meaning seeing it is relevant to see half the world. In its heyday, it was also one of the largest cities in the region with a population of nearly one million.

The cool blue tiles of Isfahan’s Islamic buildings, and the city’s majestic bridges, contrast perfectly with the encircling hot, dry Iranian countryside. The huge Imam Square, best known as Naghsh-e Jahan Sq. (literary meaning “Image of the World”), is one of the largest in the world (500m by 160m), and a majestic example of town planning. Constructed in the early 17th century, the UNESCO-registered square is punctuated with the most interesting sights in Isfahan.

Apart from its cultural heritage gems, Isfahan is home to some heavy industry, including steel factories and a nuclear facility on its outskirts. A top destination when it comes to medical tourism, the ancient city is also home to a gigantic, professional, and state-of-the-art healthcare city, which is a major destination in the realm of medical tourism.

AFM