Nickname: The Green Province
Capital
Sari
Population
~3.28 million
Mazandaran runs along the Caspian Sea's southern shore, where rice paddies and citrus orchards climb into the dense Hyrcanian forest before meeting the Alborz peaks. It is where Tehranis go for humid coastal air, and where Mount Damavand's glaciers begin.
Culture & people
Home to the Mazanderani people and language, a lush Caspian coastal culture of rice paddies, tea gardens, and Iran's most popular domestic beach destinations.
Notable cities
Sari
The provincial capital, a Caspian lowland city surrounded by rice paddies and citrus groves. It serves as a practical base for exploring the province's beaches and forested hills.
Ramsar
A resort town on the Caspian coast known for its grand early-20th-century hotel and cable car up into the forested hills above. It has long been one of Iran's most fashionable seaside destinations.
Babol
A commercial city known for its citrus orchards and as a gateway to the nearby Alborz forests and waterfalls. Its bazaar is one of the busiest on the Caspian coast.
Highlights
- Hyrcanian forest and the Chalus road
- Caspian coastline near Ramsar and Chalus
- Mount Damavand, Iran's highest peak
- Alamut's Assassin castle ruins nearby
- Rudkhan Castle amid the tree canopy
Best time to visit
Late spring and early autumn avoid both the summer coastal crowds and winter rains, though skiers head here December to March for Damavand's slopes.
Getting there
Sari and Ramsar have small airports, but most travellers drive the scenic Chalus or Haraz roads north from Tehran in three to four hours.
The province's location, highlighted on the map of Iran.
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