Kandovan - Iran's First Village Named Among the World's Best for Tourism

The ancient cliff village of Kandovan in northwestern Iran has recently been included in the list of the World's Best Tourism Villages for 2023.

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) named Kandovan as the first Iranian village alongside 53 other villages from different countries to be featured on this prestigious list.

Located about 60 km from the city of Tabriz, Kandovan is one of the most famous and spectacular natural and historical attractions in Iran. It is one of the rare inhabited rocky villages in the world, with a population of around 600 residents.
According to experts, the rocks are about 7,000 years old, and there has been life in the village for about 1,500 years. The houses carved into the mountainside showcase centuries of hard work by the villagers who built them by hand.
Kandovan is registered on Iran's National Heritage list for its unique rocky architecture and texture, and is also a nominee for UNESCO's World Heritage List.

In the past 7 months alone, over 1 million Iranian and 60,000 international tourists have visited Kandovan village. It now has over 40 eco-lodges meeting international standards to host tourists.

The World Tourism Organization has been featuring the Best Tourism Villages annually since 2021 to promote rural tourism development around the world. Kandovan is Iran's first village to receive this prestigious designation.