Arts & Culture

RICK STEVES' EUROPE: Iran: Tehran And Side Trips

By Jennifer Robinson / Web Producer

Published December 20, 2011 at 9:52 AM PST

Rick Steves makes new friends in Iran. Welcoming travelers is a traditional Muslim value, and being American makes you the most popular kid in the village.

Airs Saturday, August 2, 2014 at 4 p.m. on KPBS TV

America's favorite travel guide transports viewers to Europe's cities, villages and countryside. In the fifth season of RICK STEVES' EUROPE, Rick bikes the back lanes of Copenhagen, waltzes through Vienna, slurps escargot in Burgundy, ventures to the desolate side of a Greek isle for the perfect sunset, and strives to appreciate famously stinky cheese of Olomouc in the Czech Republic. He also wanders through Salvador Dali's home, communes with Viking ghosts on Denmark’s "ship-in-a-bottle" isle, scampers through Delphi’s dramatic ruins, witnesses Barcelonan children learning to speak Catalan and ventures through a World War II-era fortress buried deep in the Swiss Alps.

1 of 10

Rick Steves had no problem chatting with students in Iran.

Courtesy of Rick Steves

2 of 10

Rick Steves sits for a photo with a group of women in Iran. Imagine a society where all the women are nuns...and all the problems like Maria.

Courtesy of Rick Steves

3 of 10

Our trip through Iran gave us a glimpse into a paradoxical world where the murals are mean, yet the people are friendly.

Courtesy of Rick Steves

4 of 10

Rick Steves sits with three young men in Iran. Hooking fingers seems to be human nature — we can be friends and can get along.

Courtesy of Rick Steves

5 of 10

Three young girls enjoy ice cream cones, Iran. As a traveler, Rick Steves often finds that the more a culture differs from his own, the more he is struck by its essential humanity.

Courtesy of Rick Steves

6 of 10

Rick Steves had no problem chatting with members of today's Revolutionary Guard, Iran.

Courtesy of Rick Steves

7 of 10

Esfahan's great Imam Mosque is both a tourist attraction and a vibrant place of worship, Iran.

Courtesy of Rick Steves

8 of 10

Persepolis is pharaoh-like in its scale, Iran.

Courtesy of Rick Steves

9 of 10

Tehran is a mile-high home to 14 million people.

Courtesy of Rick Steves

10 of 10

Cameraman Karel Bauer at a prayer service.

Courtesy of Rick Steves

Rick's Iran Travel Journal

In the spring of 2008, my TV crew and I traveled to Iran to film a travel special which appeared on public television stations. We produced the show to understand and humanize Iran. I've written this to share my personal experiences, lessons learned, and opinions that were shaped by my trip. And it's your chance to wander with me behind-the-scenes in this rich, perplexing society. I hope you enjoy this journal, and the program.

"Iran: Tehran And Side Trips" - As he's done with previous programs on Israel, Egypt, and Eastern Turkey, Rick Steves takes us beyond Europe to a place that's rich with history...and mystery. In this episode, Rick explores Tehran, the Islamic Republic of Iran's bustling capital city. University students give us a look at modern values in a theocratic society where religious and anti-American billboards are commonplace. After a visit to Khomeini's tomb, we take a trip into the countryside to get a taste of village life. Rick enjoys a warm welcome from everyday Iranians.

Become a KPBS sponsor

Rick's Travel Philosophy:

Travel is freedom...one of the last great sources of legal adventure. Travel is intensified living, with maximum thrills per minute. It's recess, and we need it. Experiencing the real Europe requires catching it by surprise, going casual...Through the Back Door.

Rick Steves is on Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, and you can follow @RickSteves on Twitter.