Iran - Andrew Burke [126]
Stroll the back alleys to find the sweet Haji Fakr Mosque with its squat, Bukharan-style peppermill minaret. Nearby, the attractively brick-vaulted Mirza Ali Akbar Mosque (Sa’at-Noh Sq) has a blue Kufic-tiled exterior frieze and lighthouse-style minaret. The Mongol Ilkhanid Jameh Mosque (Shahid Madani St) was once a truly gigantic brick edifice reputedly built on the site of a fire temple. Ravaged by centuries of earthquakes, its heftily lumpsome ruins are currently part-hidden by restorers’ scaffolding. Off Taleqani St, the former Maryam Church has an unusual old stone pyramid as its central dome and now hosts a zurkhaneh Click here. The bigger covered bazaar is extensive and attractive, though sliced brutally in half by Imam Khomeini St. The People Museum ( 444 5885; Ali Qapu; admission IR3000; 8am-8pm Thu-Tue) has rather lacklustre ethnographic displays in the partly restored Merdum Shenasi bathhouse. The Ebrahimabad bathhouse (Sofrakhane Sonati Ebrahimabad restaurant, opposite) is much more impressive.
Sleeping
Formerly Ardabil’s traveller hub, the Sabalan Hotel (Sheikh Safi St) has been gutted. It might be rebuilt.
Iran Hotel ( 224 6644; Sar Cheshmeh Sq; s/tw/tr/q IR50,000/66,000/81,500/92,000) Mehdi’s friendly welcome in partial-English can’t disguise the rag-bag old rooms sharing squat toilets and grimy shower.
Mosaferkhaneh Safavi ( 224 0616; Sheikh Safi St; s/d/tr IR40,000/80,000/98,000) The freshest of several rock-bottom cheapies close to Imam Khomeini Sq. Some recently repainted rooms have a tap but beds are rock hard and there’s no shower or English sign.
Hotel Goolshan ( 224 6644; Modarres St; s/tr IR80,000/100,000) Although a step up from most mosaferkhanehs, the Goolshan’s bare, once-bright rooms are starting to look pretty tired. Shared kitchen and bathrooms.
Hotel Shorabil ( 551 3096; fax 551 3097; Shurabil Lakeside; s/d/tr US$18/30/38) This relaxingly quiet, midrange place is 4km from the centre but all a-twitter with birdsong in rose gardens that lead down to an attractive recreational lake. Light-suffused rooms have good hot showers and pleasant red fabrics, though the windows could use a wash.
Mahdi Hotel ( 661 4011; Besat St; s/tw from IR230,000/400,000) Decent enough rooms (some with shared bathrooms) suffer road noise above a bright restaurant with striking murals. Staff are friendly but the location is rather inconvenient.
Hotel Negin ( 223 5671; fax 223 5674; Taleqani St; tw US$45) Beyond a somewhat disinterested reception (no English spoken), almost-smart corridors lead to very good rooms with full Western facilities.
Darya Grand Hotel ( 771 6977; Atayi St; s/d/tr/q/ste US$35/53/66/78/105; ) Once considered Ardabil’s best, the Darya now feels empty and forlorn. Despite some cracks in the walls it’s clean enough, if lacking any real style. It’s 200m east of Basij Sq.
If nothing suits in Ardabil, there’s loads more accommodation in nearby Sara’eyn Click here.
Eating
Teahouse (Modarres St; 7am-3pm) An unnamed, all-male teahouse almost opposite the library does fabulous curds-and-honeycomb breakfasts (IR5000).
Hajkhalim Chaykhaneh (Qunchi Meydan Alley; tea IR500, dizi IR8000, qalyan from IR2000; 6.30am-11pm) Equally daunting for women, this place offers a very cheap, thoroughly ‘real’ local teahouse experience. Expect stares.
Restaurant Ziafat ( 224 4985; mains IR17,000-38,000; 7.30am-10.30pm) Several unexotic places for standard Iranian fare, pizzas and roast chicken are clustered along Imam Khomeini St. Of these, Ziafat is comparatively spacious with a very 1980s interior and glass-sided kitchen so you can watch chefs burning your rubbery kababs.
Sofrakhane Sonati Ebrahimabad ( 224 9588; Moadi St; mains IR25,000-60,000, tea IR3500, qalyan IR10,000) This hidden, fabulously renovated 640-year-old former hammam oozes atmosphere with three domed chambers each more magnificent than the last. Local speciality