When it comes to hospitality, generosity, and kindness, the people of Iran are truly exceptional. We experienced this firsthand during our trip to the Desert of Garmeh, where we met a charming couple, Soroush and Mahsa. After just five minutes of chatting, they gave us their number and invited us to stay with them when we reached Esfahan.
Initially, we thought it would be safer to book a hotel since we didn’t know them well. However, when it was time to travel from Shiraz to Esfahan, we decided to give them a call.
That turned out to be one of the best decisions we made. Soroush and Mahsa welcomed us into their beautiful, modern apartment and even gave us our own room. They took time off from work to show us around Esfahan, cooked traditional Iranian meals, bought us gifts, and introduced us to their friends. It was like CouchSurfing, but without the couch!
We strolled through a local park, enjoying amazing singing and volleyball games. This area was purely local, with no other tourists in sight. We also visited famous bridges, explored the square and old bazaar, wandered the Armenian quarter, toured a palace, admired stunning mosques, and enjoyed their company.
Each evening, Soroush would bring out his hookah pipe, and we’d end the night with a flavorful smoke. One night, Mahsa even insisted on painting my nails at 1:00 a.m.! The Iranians definitely stay up later than we’re used to.
We were also invited to their friends Erfan and Niloofar’s home for a night of dancing, eating, playing instruments, singing, and puzzle-making. It was fascinating for Nick and me to see how people our age spend their free time in a place where alcohol isn’t an option.
One of the five days we spent there, Nick and I decided to treat our new friends to a Canadian-style spaghetti dinner. We cooked pasta, made a fresh sauce, and prepared garlic bread. We shared the meal with our four new friends and two others who joined us. It felt like a Saturday night back in Canada, minus a good glass of red wine!
We hope that if we met travelers overseas, we would be as warm and welcoming as our Iranian friends were. While we might take them out for a drink or meal, inviting strangers to stay with us for five days feels unimaginable. This profound generosity is a significant difference between Iranians and many from the Western world.
Iranians are some of the most sincerely hospitable people we’ve ever met. They don’t expect anything in return; they simply want you to have a fantastic experience and share with others that Iran is a safe place to visit.
After an unforgettable five days with our new friends, it was time to move on. Running out of time, we decided to catch a $40 flight from Esfahan to Tabriz, in northern Iran—a deal unimaginable in Canada!
Would you let complete strangers stay with you for five days, cook meals for them, show them around and buy them gifts? Let us know your thoughts.