Question:

I'm heading to Iran in September. Do you know of good villages to visit and maybe stay a night between Esfahan and Tehran? I like to at least spend one night somewhere that isn't a big city. Is Kashan worth a trip too?

Answer:

Abyaneh and Kashan are located between Esfahan and Tehran and really worth visiting.
Kashan is the first of the large oases along the Qom-Kerman road which runs along the edge of the central deserts of Iran. Its charm is thus mainly due to the contrast between the parched immensities of the deserts and the greenery of the well-tended oasis. Fin Garden and Hammam, Tabatabaiha and Boroujerdiha houses are the must-sees in this city.
Abyaneh is a famous historic Iranian village near Kashan. View of a terrace inside the village mosque, built several centuries ago, overlooking the nearby orchards and mountains.
Characterized by a peculiar reddish hue, the village is one of the oldest in Iran, attracting numerous native and foreign tourists year-round, especially during traditional feasts and ceremonies.
The woman in Abyaneh typically wear white long scarf with flowery patterns and an under-knee skirt. They have persistently maintained this traditional costume. They have also resisted conversion to Islam throughout the ages, and stayed Zoroastrian until it was forced to convert to Shi'ite Islam in the time of the Safavid dynasty.

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