About Tehran from Lonely Planet
Things to do in Tehran
Tehran is the capital of I.R.Iran and Tehran Province. With a population of around 8.4 million in the city and 15 million in the larger metropolitan area of Greater Tehran, Tehran is the most populous city in Iran and Western Asia, and has the second-largest metropolitan area in the Middle East. It is ranked 29th in the world by the population of its metropolitan area.
Located between the Alborz Mountain, standing tall to the North, and the central desert to the South, Tehran enjoys various climatic conditions. Generally, the weather in Tehran can be described as mild and windy, with occasional showers, in the spring and autumn, hot and dry during the summer, and cold with rain and snow in the winter. Due to elevation between the southern and northern parts, the weather is usually considerably cooler in northern districts.
Tehran is the educational and scientific center of Iran. Many of the most prestigious universities of Iran are located in different parts of the city. Among them, we can name Shahid Beheshti University, University of Tehran, Sharif University of Technologies, Allameh Tabataba'i University and Amirkabir University of Technology. Moreover, many large and fully equipped libraries, research centers and laboratories, affiliated with universities and government organizations are actively passing the boundaries of human knowledge towards newer horizons.
 As well as being the political and educational capital of Iran, Tehran also possesses some of the most important tourist attractions of the country. Among the most important tourist sites located in the city, we can count the National Museum of Iran, Sa'dabad Palaces Complex, Niavaran Palace Complex, Golestan Palace, Tochal Ski Resort, Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, the Imperial Crown Jewels of Persia which is on display in the Iranian Central Bank, and many other parks, recreation complexes and museums.
There are two important landmarks in Tehran. The first is the Azadi (Liberty) Tower. Completed in 1971 with a height of 45 meters (148 ft), the Azadi Tower, standing in the center of Azadi Square and marking the western entrance to the city, has long been considered as the symbol of the capital. This tower houses a library, a museum, a ceremonial hall, and a café. The second important structure of Tehran, looking over the entire city with a height of 435 meters (1427 ft), is the Milad Tower. This tower, visible from all areas around the city, was built in 2007 and is the sixth tallest tower and the 17th tallest freestanding structure in the world. The head of the tower, a gigantic steel structure with 12 floors, consists of a closed observation deck, a cafeteria, a public art gallery, an open observation deck, a revolving restaurant, a VIP restaurant, and a sky dome.
Tehran possesses an effective, though crowded, transportation system. Firstly, there is a five-line subway system which covers a great part of the city. In addition, the city transportation enjoys a bus rapid transit (BRT) system, parts of which are active 24/7. Moreover, all around the city, you can find taxi and bus stations which can get you to your desired destinations. Traveling around Tehran can be a bit challenging at first, but once you determine your everyday destinations and find the relevant routes, you will have no trouble moving from place to place.
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