Nickname: Land of Cyrus the Great
Capital
Shiraz
Population
~4.85 million
The historical heart of the Achaemenid and Persian literary traditions, where Persepolis and Pasargadae still stand in the plains north of Shiraz, and the city itself is threaded with rose gardens, the tombs of Hafez and Saadi, and the stained-glass interior of the Nasir al-Molk Mosque.
Culture & people
The historic Persian heartland — the name 'Persia' itself derives from Fars — and home to the Qashqai and other nomadic confederations alongside settled Shirazi culture.
Notable cities
Shiraz
The provincial capital, celebrated for Persian poetry, gardens and the tilework of the Nasir al-Mulk mosque. It is also the gateway to Persepolis, a short drive away.
Marvdasht
A farming town that sits closest to the ruins of Persepolis and nearby Naqsh-e Rostam, where Achaemenid kings carved their tombs into a cliff face. Most travellers pass through on their way to the ruins rather than stopping long.
Kazerun
A town near the Sasanian ruins of Bishapur and the Chogan caves, one of Iran's longest cave systems. It sits on the historic route between Shiraz and the Persian Gulf.
Highlights
- Persepolis, Darius's ceremonial capital
- Pasargadae and the Tomb of Cyrus
- Naqsh-e Rostam rock-cut tombs
- Nasir al-Molk, the Pink Mosque
- Eram Garden and the Vakil Bazaar
- Tombs of Hafez and Saadi
Best time to visit
March to May and October to November give warm, dry days without Shiraz's summer heat, plus the orange-blossom scent of spring gardens.
Getting there
Shiraz International Airport connects directly to Tehran and other Iranian cities, roughly a 90-minute flight or a full day's drive south.
The province's location, highlighted on the map of Iran.
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