Skiing, delicious food, colourful carpets, exotic bazaars, ancient palaces and beach resorts … must be Europe, right? In fact, all these treasures are packed into a mysterious land that used to be the Persian Empire.

Historically, Iran has a rich cultural tradition, has some of the oldest heritage sites in the world and is the birthplace of some of the world’s most inspiring poets, like Hafiz and Ferdowsi.

But, the 1979 revolution which brought the Shi-ite Muslim clerics to power, and the following hostage crises and conflict with the West, led to Iran becoming an outlaw in the region and the rest of the world. Now a new era is dawning in Iran, with its release from sanctions earlier this year, and a historic nuclear deal which has the country going from pariah state to regional power.

With the loosening of visa restrictions, the country could soon become a travel hotspot. Enjoy this travelogue by a young French filmmaker, Tolt (Benjamin Martinie), who has recorded images of some of Iran’s amazing tourist attractions.