Beautify and secret places in Iran you don't get to see but is now welcoming Westerners with open arms (Photos)

Apart from all the war stories in Iran history, the country has something very beautiful inside it. See photos after the cut

The scorching desert sun has just set behind the majestic, centuries-old Khaju Bridge. But its ancient arches now glow bright yellow in the night sky and set the scene for a wonderful spectacle. 

The people of Isfahan meet beneath the lights here – and on the Zayandeh River’s other crossings – every evening to socialise.

It’s a balmy Wednesday night in Iran and the big arches echo with the soulful sounds of poets and folk singers, as they have done for hundreds of years.

Further along the bridge the smell of freshly barbecued corn on the cob hangs sweetly in the air and an impromptu volleyball match is under way, which I was invited to take part in.

Young and old, men and women are meeting up to say hello, stroll in the warm air and enjoy sumptuous picnics together on nearby grassy banks.

It’s a gentle, safe, welcoming atmosphere – and not what I expected to find in Iran’s third biggest city.

There is, of course, a good reason for that. Relations between Britain and Iran have been poor for many years and tourists have not been welcome.

But with the election of a new president and the lifting of economic sanctions, Iran is ready to build bridges with the West.

And anyone thinking of going is in for a lovely surprise.

The country I saw was very different to the hostile one represented in the UK for so long – it’s more normal, relaxed and friendly than you would ever have imagined.

Iran has been so off limits in recent years that many of its incredible treasures have rarely been seen by Western travellers.

Isfahan, considered one of the Islamic world’s finest cities, has them in abundance – in fact, a Persian proverb says “Isfahan is half of the world’’.

 

Isfahan's impressive Imam Square  

Tehran's Grand Bazaar

The exquisitely tiled dome of the Imam mosque 

 

 The 17th century Safavid Imam mosque of Isfahan seen from the Naghshe Jahan square

 

Milad tower at sunset in Tehran, Iran 

The Tehran city skyline towards the Milad Tower 

 

The Liberty Tower in Tehran was erected in 1973 to commemorate the 2500th anniversary of the first Persian empire