The historic bazaar of Kermanshah runs through the heart of the old city and is one of the most atmospheric in western Iran. Less famous than Isfahan's or Tehran's, it is correspondingly less crowded with tourists and more genuinely in use. The covered passages sell everything from spices and dried herbs to copperware, textiles, and electrical goods.
The most worthwhile section is the carpet and kilim quarter, where Kurdistan-region rugs — bold geometric patterns in deep reds and blues — are stacked to the ceiling. The food section is worth an hour's browsing: pastry shops sell kolooche (walnut-filled cookies), nan-e berenji (rice flour sweets), and the almond brittle called sohan that Kermanshah is known for. The old caravanserai buildings are still partly intact at the centre of the bazaar.