Rasht / Gilan

To Iranians, Gilan is associated with images of the rice fields, tea farms and enchanting forests. The people of Gilan speak Gilaki dialect. Their local music is to a large extent influenced by their surrounding environment and farming activities.

Wood Handicrafts is one of the main handicrafts of this. They include bowls, plates, spoons, forks and other dishes which are sold inside and outside of Gilan. Other artistic wood works include walking sticks, cradles, bird and animal statues, wood carvings and special boxes called Bolaki. Weaving straw mat is another common handicraft of Gilan. The products are mostly hats, baskets, table cloth and blinds.

Rice Fields

Rice is the most important farm product of this province, thanks to its favorable climate conditions and fertile soil which have made Gilan the largest producer of rice in Iran.

Anzali Lagoon

This lagoon is a habitat to local and migrating birds. It is one of the most beautiful sceneries in this province. The sceneries consist of small islands, cane fields and morning glory flowers.

Gilan Forests

These forests are beautiful natural sceneries situated on the foothills of Alborz Mountains. These forests are characterized by the great variety of their green life. All forests in Gilan are covered with lawn. The forests of Saravan, Talesh, Deilaman and Lāhījān are among the most beautiful ones.

Caspian Sea Beaches

As this province is located at the south of the Caspian Sea, it has a lot of attractive sandy beaches bordering the forests. They are perfect places for swimming, boat-riding and other water sports and activities.

Tea Farms

Heavy rainfalls and high humidity in this province have caused many people to be involved in the planting of tea, especially on hills and foothills of the mountains. Gilan province is the largest producer of tea in Iran.

Masuleh Village

This village which is one of the most visited traditional and natural sites of Gilan is located 65 kilometers southwest of Rasht city. The importance of this village lies in its unique architecture: the roof of a house is the yard of the house above and also the pavement in the village.

Gilan Wrestling

Gilemardi wrestling reflects bravery of the residents in this region. This kind of wrestling is usually held during summers, special occasions, or feasts in a place called Sabzemeydān.

Fishing in Gilan

The Caspian Sea plays an important role in the economic activities of the inhabitants in Gilan. Fishing and fishing industries are crucial economic resources for the people.

Marlik Hill

This hill is located in Rahmat Abad region of Rūdbār and was first excavated by Iranian Archeologist Dr. Ezatollāh Negahban. 53 gravestones, many clay dishes and gold objects belonging to 2000 B.C. were discovered in this hill.

Rudkhan Castle

Also known as Hesami Ghaleh, the castle dates back to the Sassanid era (224-651). It is located 12 kilometers south of the town of Fūman in the heart of a dense mountainous forest. With an area of 50 thousand square meters, this is the largest and most magnificent castle in Gilan. It consists of two parts: a citadel and home of the royal family.

Gilani Dress

There are various climate conditions in this province, so women’s clothing differs from place to place. In mountainous regions they wear long clothing as protection against cold weather. In forests and areas near seaside and beaches they wear shorter clothing, but they are all colorful and attractive clothing.