Hamadan is the capital city of Hamedan Province of Iran. Hamadan is believed to be among the oldest Iranian cities and one of the oldest in the world. Hamadan has a green mountainous area in the foothills of the Alvand Mountain, in the midwest part of Iran. The special nature of this old city and its historic sites attract tourists during the summer to this city. Hamadan province lies in a temperate mountainous region to the east of Zagros. The vast plains of the north and northeast of the province are influenced by strong winds, that almost last throughout the year. Hamadan is in the vicinity of the Alvand mountains and has a dry summer continental climate, in transition with a cold semi-arid climate, with snowy winters. In fact, it is one of the coldest cities in Iran. Heavy snowfall is common during winter and this can persist for periods of up to two months. During the short summer, the weather is mild, pleasant, and mostly sunny.