With British airways now resuming flights to Iran, it's now much easier to visit this wonderful destination from the UK.

I thought it's helpful to write about my recent Iran trip experience here.

I spent 10 days in Iran visiting Tehran, Isfahan, Yazd and Shiraz on a tour operated by an Iran-based tour operator (Iranian Tours : www.iraniantours.com) which was recommended to me by a friend working at a European diplomatic mission in Tehran. The tour price was much better than those offered by UK-based operators. The booking process and communication with the company was straight forward and professional. Landed in Tehran, I was welcomed by a representative and started the tour next morning. There were about 12 people from different countries in the group guided by a very knowledgeable guide on a land trip starting in Tehran and ending in Shiraz over 10 days. We were booked in good hotels conveniently located for visiting the highlights and town centres. The program was well planned covering many interesting sites and activities, yet not exhausting. We were offered to try a comprehensive selection of Persian cuisine for lunches during the tour. Visa procedure was a bit slow which was okay as I had booked the tour far in advance. However, we were told the visa could be only issued within few weeks prior to tour departure. I took Turkish Airlines for flying to Iran via Istanbul which was very good, although a non-stop flight would be better which was not an option for me then. The only problem was an obvious traffic disorder in Iran which made me feel insecure on the first days. However, Iranian drivers seem to feel confident within this system as I didn't notice any major incidents during this 1000+ miles journey.

I highly recommend visiting this great destination, if you are into culture and history.