The Best Markets To Visit In Tehran Iran

For shopaholics looking for the best products and the best deals, navigating Iran’s chaotic capital presents some sizable challenges. From food markets, to touristy goods, from bargain antiques, to everyday household items, Tehran has a bazaar for all occasions and inclinations, so long as you know where to go. Here we feature some of the best markets in the city.

The Grand Bazaar

Historic, expansive, and dizzying, Tehran’s Grand Bazaar should be at the top of any bargain-hunter’s agenda. The bazaar consists of over 10 kilometers of labyrinthine covered alleys, and is divided up into sections selling different types of product. Everything imaginable is up for sale here; of particular note are the jewelry and carpet sections. The frenzied atmosphere may not be every shopper’s cup of tea, but the Grand Bazaar offers a tour de force of Iranian market life, and there are plenty of teahouses and restaurants around for a moment’s respite.

Address: Panzdah-e Khordad Street, Tehran

1. Tajrish Bazaar

Restaurant

Tajrish Bazaar

More tourist-friendly and aesthetically pleasing than the central Grand Bazaar, the Tajrish Bazaar in northern Tehran is a great venue for a spot of afternoon shopping. Boasting a vibrant central section selling fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as traditional Iranian sweets, the other alleyways of the bazaar peddle everyday items alongside traditional crafts and touristy merchandise. The Bazaar backs onto the picturesque Imamzadeh Saleh shrine, a popular local pilgrimage site, and also houses an excellent value kebab restaurant and teahouse.

Address: Tajrish Square, Tehran

Tajrish Bazaar | © shapour bahrami/Flickr

2. Jomeh Bazaar

Market

Jomeh Bazaar

The Jomeh, or Friday Bazaar is a popular flea market held every Friday morning in an empty multi-story car park on Jomhuri Street, not far from Sa’di Metro Station. Filled with antiques, pre-revolutionary memorabilia, crafts and clothing from the different regions of Iran, as well as more contemporary artisan products, this bazaar is a veritable treasure trove, filled with hidden gems and unexpected discoveries. Crowds become increasingly large after midday, so it’s best to get there as early as possible.

Address: Jomhuri Street (head west from Sa’di Metro Station), Tehran

Carpet market | © Fabienkhan/Wikicommons

3. Rey Bazaar

Rey Bazaar

The historical town of Shahr-e Rey, located just to the south of Tehran, remains an important pilgrimage site thanks to the magnificent shrine of Shah Abdol Azim. Accessible by metro, the town also boasts a small but delightful bazaar of its own, primarily selling religious goods, but also offers other curious trinkets, such as elegant Shisha pipes.

Address: Shahr-e Rey, south of Tehran

Imam Hossein Square

Out in the east of the city at the end of the famous Enghelab Street is Imam Hossein Square, around which is found the best second-hand furniture market in the city. If you are looking to furnish an empty flat or pick up a second-hand washing machine, this is the place to come. Most appealingly, however, are the second-hand rugs you’ll find for sale around here, often at remarkably good prices.

Address: Imam Hussein Square, eastern end of Enghelab Street, Tehran

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.