Iran - Andrew Burke [259]
Kerman Tourist Inn (Hotel Jahangardi; 244 5203-05; www.ittic.com; Jomhuri-ye Eslami Blvd; s/d/ste US$41/50/80; ) A fair way from the bazaar, the small, recently renovated rooms are OK but the whole place is a bit soulless. Try Akhavan first.
Kerman Pars International Hotel ( 211 9301-32; www.parshotels.com; Jomhuri-ye Eslami Blvd; s/d with breakfast US$72/103; ) This 200-room behemoth on the edge of town is easily Kerman’s best. Rooms are quite luxurious and from the foyer to the facilities – including gym, pool, sauna and three restaurants – it’s very much an upmarket business hotel. Good value.
Eating
For cheap eats, there are kababis (kabab shops) ice-cream and fruit-shake places, and a pizza place or two on Dr Beheshti and Dr Shariati Sts, particularly around the squares.
Chelo Kabab Rahimi (Tohid Sq; meals IR25,000; 11am-3pm & 5-9pm) No-frills place true to its name that also offers a decent khoresht (thick meaty stew with rice).
Restaurant Ganjali Khan ( 222 7716; Tohid Sq; meals IR20,000-35,000; 8am-10pm) This underground place near the bazaar entrance is not nearly as charming as the Hamam-e Vakil Chaykhaneh, but delicious food at very reasonable prices makes it a local favourite. You can also just sit and drink tea. There is no English sign.
Hamam-e Vakil Chaykhaneh ( 222 5989; Bazar-e Vakil; admission IR5000 incl tea; meals IR40,000; 9am-7pm Sat-Thu, until 7.30pm summer, 9am-2pm Fri) This architecturally magnificent subterranean teahouse built in 1820 is easily the most atmospheric dining option in Kerman. It’s better known for its elegant arches and superb vaulted ceilings than its food (lunch only), though it’s not bad. A traditional band plays most days.
Khayyam Restaurant ( 245 1417; Ayatollah Saduqi St, off Azadi Sq; meals IR35,000-55,000; noon-11pm) This faux-traditional place is convenient to the Ayatollah Saduqi St hotels, though the food quality is inconsistent.
Akhavan Hotel Restaurant ( 244 1411-2; Ayatollah Saduqi St; meals IR30,000) What it lacks in atmosphere (it looks like a hospital ward) is amply made up for with the delicious, varied, plentiful and cheap Iranian food; try a bit of everything for the IR50,000 buffet dinner. For a little more romance get it served in your room.
Pepe Nero Italian Food ( 244 9716; Dr Beheshti St; meals IR30,000-40,000; noon-3pm & 6-10pm) More than 700 years after Marco Polo swung by, Kerman finally has a restaurant (not a pizzeria) serving foreign flavours. And while it’s a way off any Michelin stars, the pasta and lasagne we had were surprisingly good.
Shopping
Kermani carpets have been famous for centuries (Click here). The bazaar is a good place to shop for them and if you hunt around a bit you should be able to find good carpets at reasonable prices. The bazaar is also the place to look for Kermani pate, a brightly coloured square of cloth with intricate embroidered designs that is unique to Kerman.
Getting There & Away
AIR
Iran Air ( 245 7770; Dr Mofatteh St) and Mahan Air ( 245 0542; Dr Beheshti St) both fly daily to Tehran (one way IR457,000) and Mahan Air also flies to Esfahan (IR335,000, weekly), Kish (IR362,000, twice weekly) and Zahedan (IR258,000, weekly).
BUS, MINIBUS & SAVARI
The bus terminal is in the southwest of Kerman but Taavoni 7 (Volvos only) has an office on Azadi Sq, Taavoni 4 has an office on Tohid Sq. All the other main bus companies have offices at the bus terminal, where Taavoni 15 is the best bet if you want a mahmooly bus. The following services are for mahmooly/Volvo buses.
Taavoni 4 has most services to Shahr-e Babak; for Bandar Abbas, see Taavoni 7 first. Minibuses to Mahan (IR1000) leave from around Khaju (Kermani) Sq, though it’s worth asking around near Shohada