Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #24123 in Books
• Published on: 2007-04-05
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 300 pages

Book Detail
This first edition of the Time Out Istanbul Guide has been written and researched by residents of this ancient, continent-straddling metropolis. From strolling around the Sultanahemet and bargain hunting at the Grand Bazaar to exploring the city's vivid nightlife, here is an authoritative and critical assessment of the Turkish cultural capital in all its aspects.

The Istanbul Guide includes:

the unmissable sights--from Roman splendours and the glories of Byzantium to masterworks of Ottoman architecture

places to stay-- palatial retreats, boutique pensions and backpacker dorms

eclectic entertainment--how to use a hamam, where to whirl with the dervishes, draw on a water pipe and dance on table tops with the Turks. Plus extensive coverage of traditional Turkish music

eating and drinking--courtyard cafés and cosmopolitan kitchens, meze, meyhane and the best of budget dining

trips out of town--to the Black Sea coast, Gallipoli and Troy, the islands of the Sea of Marmara, the mosques of Edirne

All with full details of opening times, prices and transport.

Synopsis
Visually stunning and spanning two continents, Istanbul lies on a cultural fault line. Evidence of its pivotal historical role - from the Byzantine era, through the glories of the Ottoman period, to the age of Ataturk's distinctive modernity - is reflected in the city's architecture. Those in search of the old Orient don't have to look far: the minarets of the curvaceous Blue Mosque, the Topkapi Palace, old men drinking tea in the recesses of the Grand Bazaar are all here, and respected by the modern city. But there is another side to the city. The Istanbul of today manages the trick of combining age-old, much-appreciated glories with modern worldwide cultural trends. "Time Out Istanbul's" locally based writers are ideally placed to guide readers through the fashionable restaurants, innovative music and lively bar and nightlife scenes that are an integral part of modern Istanbul, a city that not only survives, but thrives, as a synthesis of cultures.

From the Publisher
Time Out Istanbul offers the definitive picture of Turkey's cultural capital

Customer Reviews

Time out guides are tops for city breaks
Time Out guides are the best single guides for city breaks and the Istanbul guide is a case in point. Accomodation and entertainment listings are critical and comprehensive and the information for tourists informative and helpful. However the maps at the back could be more useful. For a visual guide to the city look at DK. Anyone from a week-end tourist to a long term expat would find this invalubale.