Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Some travellers opt for a driver that speaks English to ferry them around for a half-day
(US$40) or full day (US$60). The driver usually won't enter the site with you, so you'll
have to rely on this topic for context.
Sleeping & Eating
There are two coffee shops in the actual site - the one in the garden behind the Treasury
has outdoor seating and is the most pleasant.
Apadana Hotel$$
( 4432636-8;
www.hotel-apadana.com
;
s/d/tr US$36/56/73; )
Built by the last shah
in 1953, this atmospheric hotel immediately next to Persepolis is a wonderful place to stay
overnight or enjoy a meal. Some of the 15 rooms overlook the site and all have slightly
worn but clean original furnishings. Wi-fi costs US$0.90 per hour and there are discounts
of up to 50% during the low season.
The wonderfully old-fashioned
restaurant
(meals US$10-18)
overlooks a garden and
serves food that is much better than is usually the case at tourist places (this recommenda-
tion may not apply at busy times such as No Ruz, when the sightseeing hoards descend en
masse). It offers a varied salad buffet, locally farmed trout and exotic dishes such as quail,
ostrich and partridge kababs.
A coffee shop operates in the hotel foyer during the cooler months but moves into the
garden when the weather improves. A tea with dates or cake costs US$1.80, as does a cap-
puccino.
HOTEL
Getting There & Away
Many travellers take tours or hire a driver, but it's also possible to get to Persepolis by
public transport. From the southern edge of the Karandish Terminal in Shiraz, savaris oc-
casionally travel all the way to Persepolis (US$2.70, 80 minutes). At other times, you can
take a minibus (US$0.70) or savari (US$1.80, 50 minutes) to Marvdasht, from where oc-
casional savaris (US$1.40, 30 minutes) run to Persepolis. A taxi
dar baste
from Marv-
dasht to Persepolis should cost US$4.50, although local taxi drivers tend to charge for-
eigners a premium.
A taxi
dar baste
from Persepolis to Shiraz with quick stops at Naqsh-e Rostam and
Naqsh-e Rajab should cost US$18.
