Persepolis, Naqsh-i Rustam, Naqsh - i Rajab - Visit the important Achaemenid sites of Persepolis and Naqsh-i Rustam. Also view the nearby rock reliefs at Naqsh-i Rajab. At Persepolis we visit the palace built by Darius (522 - 486 BC), his son Xerxes, and grandson Artaxerxes and at Naqsh-i Rustam we see Achaemenid royal graves of the 5th century BC and Sasanian rock-reliefs of the 3rd century AD.

Shiraz- Tour of Shiraz, highlighting the Shah-i Cheragh Mosque, the Pars Museum and the Persian gardens. Also, view the tombs of the great Persian poets, Hafez and Saadi.

Firuzabad- A visit to the splendidly preserved Sasanian palace in remote Firuzabad.

Pasargadae, Isfahan- See the remains of palaces and the tomb of Cyrus the Great at Pasargadae, where we have evidence of the earliest Persian garden. Continue to Isfahan for a 3-night stay.

& 13 - Isfahan- A change of focus to the medieval Safavid period including the royal Maidan-i-Shah, Lotfollah Mosque and the 33-arched Allahverdi Khan bridge among other highlights of the city.

Tepe Selik, Tehran - Travel to the important site at Tepe Selik, dating back over 7,000 years and excavated by Ghirshman in the 1930s. Also see the Garden of Fin in Kashan. On to Tehran for overnight.

Tehran/London- Return flight to London.