The ever increasing difficulty and cost of travelling abroad have prompted many Iranian tourists to seek for their holiday destinations within the country. One of these newly discovered places is Sarein, in the northwestern corner of Iran, which attracts thousands of visitors from all over the country every summer. Located in a remote valley at the foot of the mighty Mount Sabalan, what used to be a small village with simple peasant houses and mud walls, only a decade ago, has now turned into a town with numerous hotels and service apartments.

The magnet which draws these visitors to Sarein is the warm water bubbling out of eleven springs, the source of which lies beneath Mount Sabalan’s inactive volcano. Rich in a variety of minerals, the waters are believed to have many therapeutic properties besides their soothing, relaxing effect. Another feature which has been well known throughout the country for a much longer time is the aromatic honey produced in local beehives and sold directly to the public.

All this, added with the magnificent view of snow-capped mountain, wild flowers, blue sky and a pleasantly cool climate in the summer, explains the growing popularity of this area. The population of Sarein increases tenfold during the hot season, with visitors not only filling the hotels and multi-storey apartment blocs, but setting up tents in the streets. To feed and entertain them, various amenities such as restaurants, coffee shops, cinemas, theatres, and a ski piste have been provided during recent years. The ski-lifts can take you within minutes from the hot spring waters to a cool lake at the top of the volcanic crater, from where the Caspian Sea can be seen in the distance.

In this multimedia report, we share some of these delightful scenes with visitors to the area.

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