Ahmadabad, immediately north of Sajjad and bordering the western edge of the city, is the most fashionable residential area in Mashhad. Wide tree-lined avenues, a clutch of contemporary cafés and restaurants, and several embassies and consulates give it a leafy, expat air that is unusual for the city.
Walk along Ahmadabad Boulevard in the evening for the local equivalent of a paseo. The neighbourhood feels years away from the pilgrim flows around the shrine.