One of the factors that have caused Iran to be an awesome travel destination is that this country is home to diverse and rich handicrafts and arts, and unique foods and cuisines that you wouldn’t like to miss while you visit the country. You might also like to buy some Persian handicrafts and edibles as souvenirs and take them back home with you as a remembrance of your travel to Iran. But choosing the best souvenir among all these colorful handicrafts and mouth-watering edibles might be a little tricky. So, here is a list of the top 6 souvenirs to buy in Iran.
- Persian handicrafts
Persian carpets
Iran is one of the most famous producers of carpets in the world. Persian carpets open a window into the world of eye-catching colors and patterns, Iranian myths and legends, and rich Persian culture. In traditional bazaars of Iran in different cities like Isfahan, Kurdistan, Yazd, Kashan, and Shiraz you can get acquainted with the world of urban and nomadic Persian carpets woven in different colors and sizes and choose your favorite carpet according to your taste and budget.
Persian carpet - Souvenirs to buy in Iran
Persian Turquoise
With its charming blue color, turquoise (Firoozeh) has always been an alluring gemstone among people. The turquoise mine of Neyshabour, located in Khorasan Razavi Province, is the oldest and largest turquoise mine in the world, producing 19 tons of this precious gemstone every year. In Iran, the pure blue color of turquoise has been inspiring for artists and architects as you see domes of great architectural masterpieces like the Sutaniyeh Dome and the Shah Nematollah Holy Shrine covered with this lovely blue. A piece of turquoise stone or a turquoise ring is a great choice for a souvenir from Iran as it can remind you of the oriental atmosphere of Iran as a symbol of this country.
Persian Torquoise - Souvenirs to buy in Iran
Khatam Kari
Dating back to the Safavid Dynasty, Khatam Kari or inlaying is one of the most amazing Persian handicrafts made with wood. This is the delicate art of creating a surface with tiny motifs like six-pointed stars, triangles, by cutting fine wooden sticks. To create a colorful surface with high contrast, the artists use different types of wood like orange wood, rosewood, ebony, teak, etc., and other materials like gold, silver, ivory, camel bone, etc. Shiraz and Isfahan are the two cities producing Khatam Kari in Iran, where you can buy eye-catching Khatam jewelry boxes, photo frames, as a very suitable souvenir to buy in Iran.
Khatam Kari - Souvenirs to buy in Iran
Mina Kari
Mina Kari or enameling is another well-known Persian handicraft practiced in Isfahan and Shiraz. The antiquity of Mina Kari in Iran traces back to 5000 years ago and it is believed that this technique was invented in this country and then traveled to European countries. Mina Kari is the art of creating delicate patterns on metal (especially copper) objects like plates, jars, and bowls with glazes including metal oxides. Mina objects are known for their deep blue color which reminds the sky and its delicate motifs and patterns that picture heaven.
Mina Kari - Souvenirs to buy in Iran
Termeh textile
Termeh is a luxurious handmade textile produced in the historical city of Yazd located in central Iran and also some other desert cities like Kerman, Meybod, Ravar. Termeh textile is characterized by its paisley patterns, which is called Botteh and Botteh Jeghe in the Persian language and has had a special place in Persian art and legends since ancient times. Termeh textile is usually used as a fancy tablecloth by Iranians on special occasions like Nowruz.
Termeh textile - Souvenirs to buy in Iran
- Edible souvenirs in Iran
Caviar
Caviar is one of the most luxurious choices among edible souvenirs to buy in Iran, as this country is the producer of the best caviars in the whole world, which is named Almas Beluga Caviar. This caviar is found in the Caspian Sea in the north of Iran. This caviar is known for its large golden and black eggs and its soft pleasant texture and is a very fancy food to try in Iran and take some back home.
Caviar - Souvenirs to buy in Iran
Saffron
With its heavenly aroma and golden-yellow color, Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world, derived from the Saffron Crocus flower. It is believed that this plant originates in Iran and still this country is the biggest producer. The best saffron in Iran is produced in Razavi Khorasan and South Khurasan provinces in the east of Iran. Today travelers who are interested in food culture and culinary, join Iran food tours to learn about the magic of saffron in Persian culinary and how to use this aromatic spice in Persian dishes and desserts.
Saffron - Souvenirs to buy in Iran
Pistachio
Pistachio is a small tree originally grown in the Middle East and Central Asia. The fruit of the pistachio tree is a very tasty and nutritious nut that is very popular among Iranians and is served as Ajil (Iranian trail mix) especially in Nowruz and Shab e Yalda. Iran has the biggest share in producing pistachio in the world in Kerman Province located in the east of Iran. Pistachio (especially roasted pistachio) is among the foods that shouldn’t be missed while you are in Iran and it is so tasty that you will want to take some back home as a souvenir.
Pistachio - Souvenirs to buy in Iran
As a wonderful travel destination, Iran is so rich that what mentioned above are just some of the souvenirs to buy in Iran and there are many other Persian handicrafts and edibles that you can buy in Iran, like Patteh ( traditional embroidery textile of Kerman), kilims, Giveh (a comfortable handmade shoe made in Kermanshah), Zereshk (barberry), Gaz and Sohan (sweets of Isfahan), etc.
