Rasht

Rasht is the largest city on Iran's Caspian Sea coast. Due to being between the coast and the mountains, the local environment is rainy with a humid subtropical climate. It also has a temperate rainforest to its south, in contrast to the rest of Iran, which is mostly arid.

It is a major trade center between Caucasia, Russia, and Iran, using the port of Bandar-e Anzali. Rasht is also a major tourist center with the resort of Masouleh in the adjacent mountains and the beaches of Caspian as some of the major attractions.

Historically, Rasht was a major transport and business center which connected Iran to Russia and the rest of Europe, and because of this it was known as the "Gate of Europe". The city has a history that goes back to the 13th century, but its modern history dates back to the Safavid era during which Rasht was a major center of the silk trade with numerous textile workshops.