Places / Asia / Afghanistan
Herat
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The UK Foreign Office currently advises against travel to all or parts of Afghanistan. This guide is for a safer time. Check the latest travel advice.
At a glance
- Country
- Afghanistan
- Region
- Herat Province
- Population
- 575,000
- Best time to go
- March to May, September to November
- Main airport
- Herat International (HEA)
- Coordinates
- 34.35°N, 62.20°E
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Overview
Herat was one of the great cities of the Persian world, and under the Timurids in the 15th century it was a centre of painting, poetry and architecture. That legacy survives in its tilework, its minarets and its craft traditions.
This guide is for a future, safer time. The old city is compact, the surrounding valley of the Hari River is green and fertile, and the culture feels closer to Iran than to Kabul.
Things to see
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Photo: koldo hormaza from madrid, españa, CC BY-SA 2.0 Great Mosque of Herat
The Friday Mosque, covered in blue, turquoise and white tiles, many still made by hand in the mosque's own workshop.
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Photo: Todd Huffman from Phoenix, AZ, CC BY 2.0 Citadel of Herat
A massive fortress on a mound above the old city, restored and housing a small museum of the region's history.
Tickets and tours -
Photo: Alimosavisam, CC BY-SA 4.0 Musalla Complex
The few minarets still standing from a vast Timurid complex, leaning but still showing traces of their tiles.
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Photo: Sven Dirks, Wien, CC BY-SA 4.0 Gazur Gah
The shrine of the Sufi poet Khwaja Abdullah Ansari on the hills north-east of town, set in a quiet garden.
Things to do
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Photo: Globetrotter19, CC BY-SA 4.0 Watch glassblowers at work
Herat's blue and green glass is still blown by hand in small workshops in the old city.
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Explore the old city bazaars
Narrow lanes of carpet sellers, spice stalls and metalworkers spread out from the Friday Mosque.
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See Pul-e Malan
A many-arched old brick bridge across the Hari River south of the city, a local landmark with uncertain origins.
Where to stay
Old City
Best for walking to the mosque, citadel and bazaars, with simple guesthouses nearby.
Hotels in Old CityCentral Herat
The newer streets around the old city have most hotels and a calmer, more modern feel.
Hotels in Central Herat
Getting around
Taxis and auto-rickshaws are easy to find. The old city is best explored on foot.
The airport is around 15 km south of the city, about 25 minutes by car.
When to go
Spring and autumn are pleasant and mild. Summer brings strong winds and heat, and winters are cold.
Plan your trip to Herat
Guide last checked October 2026. Opening times and prices change, so check before you go.