Iran holiday inspiration: Instagram feeds to follow – and more | Travel

Five Instagram feeds to follow

A useful first port of call is Tourism Iran’s official feed, which shows the kaleidoscopic mosaics of the country’s mosques and palaces, countryside, bustling and hill villages, as well as portraits of local workers.

A mobile photographic project inspired by @everydayafrica offering snapshots curated from several photographers. It aims to reflect real life.

Ali Shokri is based in Tabriz and focuses on the country’s diverse landscapes, from the rainbow-coloured mountains of Aladağlar to the forests, rivers and waterfalls of Gilan province.

Mehrdad’s feed provides a document of Iran’s history and culture through architecture. Mosques are shown with symmetry and colour; other shots are like gazing into the milky way.

The page is a riot of colour, full of beautifully prepared and presented shots of dishes such as gheimeh (a stew of meat, tomatoes, split peas, onion and dried lime), havij polo (rice with carrots, topped with chicken and barberry), and homemade pickles.

Inspiration: five films to watch

• The Lover’s Wind
Albert Lamorisse’s 1970s doc provides a superb view of Iran from the air.

• Ganj-e Qarun
Melodrama in which a rich man finds compassion in his abandoned son.

• The Lizard
Post-revolutionary comedy about a thief on the run from the law.

• Border Cafe
A widow’s struggle to maintain her independence by running a cafe.

• A Separation
A story of Iranian family life, this won the best foreign film Oscar in 2012.

Five tour operators to try