When it comes to money in Iran, everyone gets confused. But don’t worry I will explain everything here. The official rate here is Iranian Rial(IRR), it means that in banks and on our bills the currency is Rial.

In order to know Toman you need to omit one zero from the price. For example 10,000 Rial equals 1,000 Toman. On the paper bill, you will see the Rial always, but normally local people say costs in Toman because it is easier as it has one zero less.

Someties we also make it easire and say 1 Toman instead of 1,000 Toman. 1,000 Toman is almost the minumum amount of products and you will usually not expect change under this amount. So you will not amounts under 1.000 Toman a lot and when we say for example 50 Toman. It means:

50 Toman = 50,000 Toman = 500,000 Rial

In resturants most of the time you will you see the first two type.
Don’t worry if you get confused, sometimes it is also confusing for us. So I think people will understand and will help you calculate or just give you time to get clear before paying.

Or you could easily use Iranian prepaid debit cards which makes your mind free of calculating and gives you the option to see the price of everything you buy in Rial and euro or dollar at the same time.

For better understanding of the world’s most confusing currency in Drew Binsky point of view, watch the below video.

How and where to exchange in Iran?

In Iran, unfortunately, you can not use your credit or debit card, there is no international bank or ATM in Iran. So you need to bring cash with you. For the exchange you go to exchange offices, you can of course exchange in the airport if it is necessary, but usually the exchange rate is not high. If you are entering Tehran, you can go to Ferdowsi square where is the place where you can find many exchange offices. Ferdowsi square is close to the city center and you can manage to visit other sightseeing parts besides exchanging your money. The prices usually fluctuates a lot and sometimes it is good to exchange at the begining and sometimes not.

For checking the exchange rate you can visit https://www.bonbast.com/

I will not suggest google because the exchange rate it suggest is not correct.

Can I use my credit card in Iran?

No, unfortunately, due to an embargo that the US declared on Iran trading, any international credit or debit card doesn’t work in Iran banking system. So none of your local or international bank cards will work here. That’s why you should bring all the money you will need for your trip in cash. 

Is there a debit card in Iran?

Yes, Iranian have their own debit cards here and they can have cards, shop online, and pay on bank poses while shopping even in small shops. These cards are connected to Shetab system that is approved by the central bank. If you also want to have Iranian debit card to avoid caring your cash and shop online from Iranian websites,  you can use our prepaid debit card.

The post Everything you need to know about money and exchange in Iran appeared first on Irandestina.

The night of  Yalda is the last day of fall and it is the longest night of the year in the Northern hemisphere. In Yalda night there is a special ceremony in Iran. In most parts of Iran, the extended family gather around and enjoy their time together with a lot of foods and snacks. If I could call this night with another name that would surely be the “delicious night”!

There are many varieties of fruits, pastry, and nuts. Everyone is talking about this night weeks before and they are deciding where to gather and what to cook. Pomegranates and watermelons are the special fruits for this time. Although the watermelons are most of the time white because of the season.  parents usually give newlyweds presents on this night. children are happy that they can stay awake until late at night and enjoy their time with the family and sweets!

Wait a minute!

After writing this blog post, I started to share it on social media, and I suddenly remembered I didn’t mention anything
other than food. I obviously forget the cultural part of Yalda night, because I am so foody that I missed the most important part of this special night, reading poems!
At this night we read Hafez, Khayyam, and Ferdousi poems together, we also tell our fortune with reading Hafez poems by chance and dear Hafez speak to us and advice us what to do in the future.
After that, I got a really nice comment on my post which I will bring here.

Yalda is the longest night of the year. Yalda is also a girls name (maybe with thick long black hair).
The family gathers together, mostly at grandparents place, so they fight and survive the “darkness” together. The elderly entertain by telling stories (keep everyone busy so they forget the presence of the darkness) and feed the family with some summer fruits (saved for months in a cool place) reminding their flock of longer days ahead.
We Iranians celebrate by constantly using our profound symbols of life and creation.

Okay, now I feel much better, but I will definitely add more things on this blog as soon as I remember or if any of you remind me more traditions for this wonderful night!

Do you want to celebrate Yalda with us?

This year, Irandestina group as a tourism event organizer invites all travelers who are in Tehran to celebrate Yalda night together. This ceremony will be held in Baccara Cafe with one of the most creative team and local food and beverages. We celebrate Yalda in Baccara Cafe for happiness, poetry, live Persian traditional music, Yalda snacks, Siah Bazi performance, etc.

Join us and experience Yalda like a local.

Reserving contact:

info@irandestina.com

Whatsapp
+989194194872

The post Let’s celebrate Yalda in Baccara Cafe appeared first on Irandestina.

I personally like Tajrish and the bazaar because of its atmosphere. The bazaar consists of a vegetable market that has a great vibe and it is colorful. Everyone is looking for something and sometimes you stuck in people traffic. Local people really like this place and people from all over Tehran go there to shop or just enjoy the colorful shops.

Whenever I go there I should buy something, I cannot resist the smell and image. You hear sellers trying to advertise their products and they smile at you. There is almost everything in the Bazaar and you will not come back home without finding what you need.

For tourists and photographers, it is a nice place to shoot photos, especially in the early morning, both because of the light and because it is less crowded.

You can spend at least one day in this area, there is also lots of attractions nearby.

Like:

• Imamzadeh Saleh
• Darband mountains and village
• Saad abad palace
  Niavaran palace
  
  Tajrish bazaar is close to Tajrish metro station and you can reach there easily.

The post Tajrish Bazaar appeared first on Irandestina.

Cave in Hormoz Island

I was the last child in my family and because of that all of my siblings took me with them in their trips in Iran and that’s when my desire to travel started. I visited all of provinces is Iran and I learned a lot of things while traveling. Every city and village in Iran has its own culture and that helped me to be more open-minded and grow in my life.

I wanted to know more and I decided to learn English to be able to communicate with the world and learn from other people. That was not enough I could only read about other countries. I decided to study tourism and that was when I started to travel to other countries and meet tourists in Iran. They turn out to be my friends and I am so happy to be in this path. Tourism gives me the opportunity to make new friends from all over the world and learn from them.
I like to be a minimalist in my life so I can spend time on the things that really matter in my life, like people and traveling.

The post Parastoo’s story appeared first on Irandestina.