Yazd

Authors: Ben <benk@tilde.team>

Dated: 2020-10-06

Recently my wife and I took a short trip to Yazd, a famous city in Iran popular among travelers. Iran is a big country with lots to see, so very few international tourists ever get to see all of it, but Yazd is one of the most popular destinations among a handful of cities that nearly every traveler is required to visit, the main ones being Tehran, Esfahan, and Shiraz. The rest is at your discretion or opportunity.

Yazd is slightly out of the way but worth the detour. After spending a few days there, I came away with the conclusion that Yazd is a little bit misrepresented from the outside to someone who has never been there.

Before coming to Iran I had already learned a lot about the country, seen countless pictures, videos, travel documentaries, and more. I've spoken to people and read a lot. Yazd is presented the way a lot of things are Iran, by focusing intensely one or two objects, be it a historical building, alleyway, or something.

This means when you finally visit a place, you run the risk of being underwhelmed when you realize that the camera magnified a small number of very small sites. Yazd is presented like it's a tiny village in the desert, like an ancient city that fell off the map and was thereefore isolated from modernity and development.

Everyone already knows that Iran is very developed and that the concept of it all being rocks and dirt is kind of an offensive trope, but if anything Yazd in particular seems to be given that brand.

Anyhow, I arrived in Yazd to find a surprisingly large, vibrant city, like any other in Iran. Yazd is an important urban center in its region, and it appears not to have missed out on any development. It didn't really come across as "super historical" as I had been led to think, but yes it has its nice atmosphere and cultural vibe, and a few choice historical items to look at.

I have nothing but good things to say about Yazd. It might so far be my favorite place I've visited in Iran. The people seem particularly kind, honest, and laid back. It's certainly tourist friendly, and the food is superb. It will be a relaxing part of your trip, spent in the more intimate setting of traditional art-themed restaurants and cafes. The desert climate is there, and I enjoy it.

It isn't the biggest or most glamorous, but it effuses an innate quality through its humble ways and means. Somehow it felt even cozier than smaller cities like Kashan.

Next to the great food are Yazd's amazing pastries, which you have to acquire from the original confectionary. I've had versions of these famous pastries outside of Yazd, but they were honestly an insult to the real thing. The difference was like night and day.

All things considered, it was a great trip. If you don't speak Persian, you may not realize how truly nice the locals are. European tourists are used to be fawned over in Iran, though this behavior can unfortunately be insincere and self-serving. As a resident and able to blend in a little bit better with the population, I get more of a taste of the unfiltered experience of mundane life. So when I say the people in Yazd are good, I feel this is an honest representation of how they are even when nobody is watching.