Saffron: Edible Ruby to Bring back from Iran

Planning a trip to Iran, and not sure what to bring back as an edible souvenir for yourself, or a thank you gift for the kind soul who’s watching your pet or child while you’re away?  Our suggestion is saffron, which is typically believed to be native to the Mediterranean, Asia Minor, and Iran. Saffron has been used for thousands of years as a seasoning, fragrance, dye, and medicine. The stigmas of the flower are harvested and processed by hand which is very labor intensive and the reason why Saffron is considered the world’s most expensive spice. Many Iranians believe that in its pure form, saffron works as an antidepressant and a culinary weapon against Alzheimer’s, cancer and degeneration of the eyes and that is why saffron is omnipresent, in Iranian recipes. We suggest you to indulge buying this edible ruby from Mashhad, Isfahan, and Shiraz, the producer of more than 80 percent of this valuable spice in the world.

Saffron: valuable souvenir from Iran

Pomegranate Festival: the feast of One Hundred Seeds of Ruby

Pomegranate is among the most sacred fruits in Persian culture insofar as the Zoroastrians, planted several pomegranate trees in their fire temples and held their branches as a holy plant in their rituals. The sharp contrast between the ruby red seeds and the deep green leaves, the beautiful shape and most importantly (in my idea) the delighting sweet-sour taste of pomegranate has caused this fruit to be known as a gift from paradise.

Pomegranate Festival in Iran

Solo travel to Iran.

Are you uncertain about solo traveling to Iran? Perhaps you are concerned about your safety or you think you might feel lonely and bored. But I think Iran is a great destination for Solo travelers:

What to do in Iran?

Nowadays Iran is on the bucket list of many travelers because of its supernatural landscapes, like the magically beautiful Lut Desert, wild Alborz and Zagros mountain ranges with rich flora and fauna or the scenic southern beaches. Iran is also one of the best places in the world for ancient monuments more than thousand years old, including Choghazanbil (1259 B.C), Persepolis (518 B.C), Takhte Suleiman (Sassanid Empire) and Fabulous Islamic monuments like Naqshe Jahan Square, Nasirolmolk (the pink mosque) and numerous amazing bazaars and caravanserais. So there are so many attractions available in Iran that won’t let you feel bored and you may even be in short of time to visit them all.