Darband a fun place in Tehran
Darband formerly a village close to Tajrish, Shemiran, is a neighborhood inside Tehran’s metropolitan limits. It is the beginning of a popular hiking trail into Mount Tochal, which towers over Tehran. A chairlift is also available for those not interested in hiking. The Persian term dar band translates to “door of the mountain” (band, a variation of vand and fand, meaning “mountain”).
The initial start of the trail at Darband is about 250 metres long and is dotted with a number of small cafes and restaurants. These are quite popular and are busy in the evenings, as locals and tourists alike visit the many hooka lounges along the trail.
The Zahir-od-dowleh cemetery, where many Iranian giants of art and culture such as Iraj Mirza, Forough Farrokhzad, Mohammad-Taqi Bahar, Abolhasan Saba, Ruhollah Khaleqi, Rahi Mo’ayyeri and Darvish Khan are buried, is also located in Dar band.
it was one of Tehran’s oldest rural villages most famous for it’s country life, nomadic pastures, clean water, and cool fresh air. Light construction had always stretched high up around the meandering stream of Darband. But now the village is one of Tehran’s most upmarket destinations for casual dining, relaxing, tourism, and fitness hubs.
HIKING THE MOUNTAINS
Located in the Shemiran District, Darband is positioned 1700 meters above sea level. The same Dar band River flows through the Sa’dabad Palace Complex, and due to the temperate weather all year round, it’s one of the best places to access the Alborz mountain range. Hiking is possible east towards Jamshidieh Park, west towards Darakeh valley, or as far North as Mount Tochal reaching 3964m elevation.
DINING IN DARBAND
However if fitness and landscapes aren’t your thing, you might instead consider trying the local sweets, relaxing in a traditional teahouse, or ordering a delicious Persian meal from Darband. There are many dining options in Darband from luxury restaurants to small cheap teahouses. Whatever your into, at any time of the week, Darband makes an ideal respite away from the bustling Tehran city. While you might experience a little foot traffic and the odd grazing goat, rest assure cars cannot access the valley. But if you’re too tired to hike to Darband, you could always appreciate the river below from Sa’dabad Palace Complex, it flows right through the royal parklands next to a few cafes.
