Word: isfahan
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...legacy of Shah 'Abbas stems from the architecture of his capital, Isfahan. With its mosques, minarets and brightly colored tiles, the city's vast central square remains one of the world's most dramatic public spaces. "A lot of what he did was inspired by the rivalry with the Ottomans," Axworthy says. "It was intended to create an impression of magnificence so that Isfahan was taken as seriously as Istanbul...
...removed from Tehran's bustling tin-roofed teashops and Isfahan's verdant pomegranate gardens, the deserts known as Dasht-e Kavir and Dasht-e Lut meet at the city of Yazd, once the heart of the Persian Empire...
...city's star attraction is Imam Square. One of the largest in the world, it was originally built as a polo ground for Shah Abbas the Great, a charismatic tyrant who initiated Isfahan's Golden Age in the 16th century with his patronage of the arts. The south side of the square is dominated by the huge Imam Mosque complex, but it's the smaller Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque with its intricately patterned dome that awes visitors into silence. Look up and you may see a shimmering peacock in the center - a visual effect created by sunlight hitting the blue, white...
...Imam Square is also where you'll find Isfahan's bazaar. Save your rials for miniature paintings, decorative tiles and - if you're feeling flush - a rug or two. When retail overload hits, head deep into the market and get a table at the delightfully clandestine Azadeghan teahouse for a pot of brew and a plate of sweets. Try the nabat (saffron rock candy) or the Moorish zulbia (twirly, deep-fried dough in syrup...
...former caravanserai. With its restaurants, fitness complex and teahouse - plus a courtyard styled like a traditional Persian garden - it's no wonder the city's beau monde flocks here after dark. Eager to rub shoulders with the all-too-rare tourists in their midst, they'll guarantee you leave Isfahan vowing to return...