When to go there?
Birjand has a dry climate with cold winters and very hot and dry summers. Similar to many other places in Iran, Spring and Fall are the best seasons to travel to Birjand.

How to get there?
It takes long drive to reach Birjand from northern and western Iran. The city is 5 hours drive from Mashhad and 15 hours drive from Tehran. The city has long had an international airport.

Birjand airport started operation in 1933 as the 3rd operational airport in Iran. Birjand airport offers non-stop daily flights to Tehran and Mashhad and became an international airport after the first international flight to Medina, KSA in June 2008. The city is not connected to Iran’s national railways.

Where to visit?

    Akbarieh garden and complex: Akbarieh Garden is a beautiful Iranian style gardens remained from Qajar dynasty and since 2011 is one of the nine Iranian gardens on the UNESCO’s World Heritage List. There are also wildlife, archeology and anthropology museums in the complex.

    Birjand castle: The castle is the oldest structure in the city and dates back to Safavids.  There are traditional restaurant and teahouse available in the casle and from there you will have beautiful view of the city, specially the old town. 

    Kolah Farangi ark: This Qajar style building is the symbol of Birjand and currently in use as a governmental property.

    Shokatiye school and museum: This beautiful Qajar style school was once Iran’s third modern school after Tehran’s Dar Al Fonun and Tabriz’s Roshdiyeh.

    Chahardeh waterfalls: The place is located in 30 km south of Birjand and consists of 80 waterfalls on Bagheran mountain next to pure desert area.

    Kal Jangal Parthian fresco: The stone carvings in 35 km south west of Birjand on Bagheran mountain date back to Parthian period.

Darreh Dam: The beautiful Dam in the middle of Bagheran range in South of Birjand dates back to Ghajar Dynasty.

What to buy as souvenirs?

You can find the best Saffron, barberries, and Pistachios in Southern Khorasan. They are the most famous souvenirs of Birjand, however, jujube and plums are also of finest qualities. The other souvenir is Birjandi sweet. Basketry is common in the villages but if you want to spend more money, don’t miss the rugs. Birjand carpet is famous internationally for its good quality and beautiful motifs.

Carpet designs in Birjand region is unique because the  margin  of the carpet is as important as the text itself, something that can not be seen very often in other parts of Iran. According to the weavers in the region, the margin in a carpet is considered to be like the frame of a painting in which a nice fine and pretty frame will add value to the picture, and in case of a rug it will add value to text or ground of the rug.