Travel Guide Tabriz

Imposing, white and misty, the Zagros mountains accompany the traveller from Ardebil to Tabriz. The snowfall at the end of November covered the desert plains on either side of the road with a fine white coat, giving the strange impression of being on a giant ski run. A last mountain and in the distance a steep red mountain, then a field of buildings. Tabriz. At first glance, the city seems uninviting, especially after the grandiose landscapes that preceded it. At the top of the small hills that make up Tabriz, buildings of about ten floors under construction, witnesses to the dynamism of the city. The capital of Azerbaijan's Charghi province, Tabriz, with its 1,200,000 inhabitants, is one of Iran's largest urban, industrial and economic centres. Located in the heart of a valley (1,366 m above sea level) north of Mount Sahand, it is only 310 km from the Turkish border. The city, which is overwhelmingly populated by Azeris, is resolutely modern. As in Tehran, it is an opportunity to discover the contrasts of Iranian society. Once there, a few must-see sites will punctuate your stay, such as the superb Blue Mosque, the magnificent Azerbaijan Museum, the huge bazaar and no less than 14 mosques. Tabriz is also a base camp to discover two jewels: the village of Kandovan and the Araxe Valley.